What Mandy Busyman Did

Gone

Jenna

I felt sore and at a loss for words as my mom looked at me with tearful eyes. Sirens blared next door as a police officer reviewed a crying Mrs. Busyman. Mr. Busyman looked down and cleared his throat, putting his big arm on Mrs. Busyman's tiny shoulder. I turned to look at my mom again.

"Mom, what's going on?!"

She looked over at Mr. and Mrs. Busyman, a grief-stricken look in her brown eyes. I wanted to help as I saw Mrs. Busyman tremble as she tried to explain something to the police officer. I cried just looking at her swollen-from-crying face, familiar words being spoken behind me.

"Incident," my mom struggled to say as her eyes lit up with fear.

"Like what?" I yelled, not keeping my cool any longer. I waited for an answer but she didn't say anything.

"Just come back inside Jenna. It's none of our business."

"Of course it is! Mom, what is going on?"

"Jenna-"

"Mom," I said sternly.

She turned to look at me, a pleading expression on her face.

I gave up and sighed. She turned back around. I heard her feet pad on the ground as she went to the kitchen. I looked back at her leave, my brain out of sorts. What happened? Why was my mom refusing to talk about it? And most importantly, where was Mandy?

*_*

2 hours earlier. . .

I was getting ready to leave the school filled with its puke-colored everything and its antique smell. I zoomed to my locker like a lightning bolt, the thought of going home exciting me more than it should've. I unlocked my combination lock and hurriedly got my things out. Other students were gathered around me opening their own lockers. I slowly grabbed my backpack, a sly expression on my face as Taylor came over. I flipped my hair and turned to look at him rushing towards me. But as he inched closer, his expression wasn't happy. I studied his face. Not in a creepy way of course. He looked beat-down, sad and concerned. I stood there as he came to me. I was ready to say something. Something to cheer him up. But he spoke first.

"Mandy is gone," he blurted.

What? And why is this important?

"She might've gone home. She didn't look so well."

"Yeah, I guess but, she was in the nurse's office and she was lying down. She looked helpless. Like she couldn't move. But as soon as the nurse left, she, well, nobody knows. That's what I'm trying to find out," he trailed off.

"Wait, so, she's gone?" I questioned as my mind whirred. I was still trying to make sense of what he was telling me.

He nodded a simple nod, his hair falling over his worried expression.

"How? She couldn't just escape could she?" I stepped closer. Mandy? Gone?

"I guess she can. Look Jenna, I'm don't know a lot, okay? I'm only telling you a little bit of what I know!" He snapped defensively as if I had set off a fuse in his head. He looked at the floor. Why was he so affected? I was almost positive she had just gone home. It probably wasn't anything serious.