Searching For Scarlett [Undergoing edits]

0.4

The girl trudged to the window in her bedroom in her jeans and black T-shirt as the sharp clacking against the window continued.

The seventeen-year-old girl reached her window and struggles with the locks for a few seconds before throwing it open.

She wasn't surprised al all to see her best friend, Mariana, standing there, her hazel eyes glossy with unshed tears. Mariana's small fingers reached through the sill and wound themselves around her black T-shirt, clutching on tightly as she slowly stood from her previous kneeling position.

"Taylor," Mariana choked, blinking rapidly.

Taylor pulled her shirt free once Mariana was standing and reached over the windowsill to her friend.

She caught her in an embrace. She let go and stepped aside a few seconds later in order for Mariana to hop over the sill and enter the house.

When she was in, Taylor slammed the window shut and grabbed Mariana's blue shirt, dragging her to her bed.

Taylor sat on the edge and pulled Mariana down with her and gave her a quick once-over; her long black hair was thrown in a messy ponytail, but it didn't look like it had been yanked at; her hazel eyes were wide and glossy with the threat of tears, but not bloodshot, so she's been sleeping enough. Taylor grabbed Mariana's arms and silently raked her eyes along them, looking for any bruises, welts, cuts, or any other abrasion to the skin; Taylor noted with a sigh of relief that there was nothing new.

Her eyes then dropped to Mariana's legs where her dirt-stained knees were touching and her ankles were spread apart, feet pointing inward and standing on the pads of her feet. 

Taylor hugged her friend again. 

"What's wrong?" She asked, still clutching her friend.

Mariana sniffled and pulled away, but she let Taylor's hands on her shoulders stay. 

Mariana sniffled again and retold the whole story, starting with when she and her parents were awakened by Scarlett's scream, and ending with them sending her out to find her.

"I just— I don't know what to d-do!" She hiccuped when she finished her tale. "I don't know what to do!" She repeated again, this time with  a clearer voice. "I don't have a plan, my parents didn't have one besides send me off, and it's not like the note was any help because I don't know what it said, so I thought of you, Tay. You've always got some ideas in your head and if anyone and help it would be you. And I'm sorry I'm asking you like this, so late and everything, but I didn't exactly have a warning and if you don't want to help that's fine by me and again, I—"

Taylor removed a hand from Mariana's right shoulder and looked at her best friend sadly as she continued talking. 

Taylor shook her head slightly, drew her hand back, and smacked Mariana across the face.

That ceased Mariana'a incessant rambling and drew her eyes to her friend, gaping at her, shocked. 

"Why—" Mariana began, "Why would you do that?"

Taylor rolled her eyes and dropped her hand back on Mariana's shoulder.

"Because you were panicking, and when you panic, you ramble, and it was really annoying because you didn't notice my trying to speak and that was the first— and most fun— thought I had to get you to snap your lips shut," Taylor stated simply.

Mariana sighed. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I didn't mean to get so carried away. I'm just scared. I don't wanna go in this alone, Tay."

Taylor wrapped her arms around Mariana and squeezed for all she was worth, effectively cutting of Mariana's air supply.

When she finally pulled away, Mariana was gasping for breath.

"You're not going in this alone, sister," she stated simply. "You've got me, and I'll be damned if I'm not there to help you find your sister.

Mariana smiled, timid hazel eyes meeting fierce, green ones. "I appreciate that," she whispered, "but do you really thing we can do it? Do you really think we can find my sister?"

Taylor nodded. "Yes," she answered, tucking some of her shoulder-length dirty blonde hair behind her ear, her bright green eyes glowing with a fierce challenge in them. "I do think we can do it."

Mariana sighed but her lips started to smile. "Where do we even start?"

Taylor shrugged. "Beats me."

Mariana's mouth fell open. "But—" 

"No buts!" Taylor interrupted, sliding off the bed. "We can worry about all that later. For now, we need to get packed," she stated, back facing Mariana as she opened her closet door and fished around. "I'm gonna bring a backpack, too," she said, turning to face her best friend and brandishing a near-identical backpack to Mariana's. "Question is, should mine hold the food or clothes?"