Lost

Chapter 2

The sun pokes into my room from the cracks of the blinds. I turn over in my bed and open my eyes. My dream from last night comes flooding back instantly and I push it out of my head.
My door bursts open and my little sister runs in.
"Hey, Samantha what are you doing here??" I say nicely.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" She squeals.
Right... My 21st. Let's hope it's not as messed up as my dream had it to be.
"Nawww thanks Sammy!" I reply embracing her small frame into a tight hug.
"That's ok," she says smiling sweetly.
I throw my blanket away from my body and lift my legs onto the wooden floorboards.
Sammy watches me intently, she always gets excited to see my presents.
I walk after her, trying to keep up with her quick yet small strides.
We reach the kitchen and my parents stand side by side, however unlike my dream there smiles are surprisingly not forced on. I look at the table, presents of all shapes and sizes are stacked up in the middle while 4 floral plates decorate every side, then from behind my mums back she draws a 5th plate. Matts's childhood plate. She looks at me and smiles before placing the plate down slowly next to mine. I feel my face burning up but don't let the tears get the better of me. I smile back at her and sit down.
They all sit down around me and I stare hopefully at Matt's plate, as if he was going to run through the door and sit down... Don't be silly Amanda I tell myself and look at my family.
Until now it never has actually dawned on me that I wasn't having a birthday party, because before he went missing my brother was the main organiser.
I stared at the presents and my mum signalled for me to start opening. I start with the small. Taking a small box out from the pile. I look at the card and freeze.

Dear Amanda,
Today's the special day! Your 21st! I love you so much and am glad that I'm here to celebrate with you!
Enjoy the pressie!!

Xx your big bruv
Matt

I look up and feel a big fat tear roll down my cheek, which now must be pale with shock.
My mum walked up to my chair and massaged my shoulders before leaning down and kissing my cheek, all the while crying slightly.
She broke away and stood upright again.
I placed the card down gently and started unwrapping the tiny box.
Through the wrapping a white box poked out. I grabbed it and pulled it out discarding the paper on the table.
I looked at the box, brand less. I slowly opened it and the suspense in the room heightened.
As I pulled the top and bottom apart it exposed a beautiful gold necklace.
I gasped.
"Me oh me," I hear my mum mumble from behind me.
I took it out slowly and examined it. Shaped like a heart the gold shimmered. I turned it around in my hand, realising the small latch on the side... A locket?
I used my nails to open the locket swiftly before yet again having to push back tears as inside the locket two photos covered either side of the heart. The first, me and Matt as children, embracing each other in a hug.
The second, me and Matt, a few weeks before his disappearance. Yet again embracing me in a friendly hug.
I felt the gaze of my parents over my shoulder and the worry of Sammy in front of me. I heard my mum suck in a breath and my father the same.
I handed the necklace to my mum, parting the hair on my neck. She took the hint and clipped the sides together around my neck.
I looked again at the heart. There was something written on it... I look hard and saw, in tiny writing, engraved onto the front of the locket.
'You and I'
I looked at it once again and then left it fall down on my chest.
I smiled at my family and Sammy returned to her bubbly self.
I managed to unwrap and look at each individual present before my mum had to leave to work.
However after the locket opening none of the other presents really mattered as much, don't get me wrong I was eternally grateful for everything but this locket meant so much and I had so many questions about it... About Matt...

*
*

I stood under the faucet in the shower, the hot water hitting my back. I forced myself to get out of the shower, forcing myself into the cold bathroom. I quickly grabbed my towel and cloaked myself, rubbing and patting myself dry. I then slipped on some blue patterned jeanie pants with a soft white singlet. I then wrapped my towel tightly over my hair and walked down the stairs.
I walked down stairs and the table was covered in candles. Indian food lined the table, yum Indian is my favourite!
I go to sit down with my family when the phone rings. I pick it up tenderly, confused by the No Caller ID.
"Hello?" I question.
"He...hello... Am... Amand... Amanda..." A man breaths heavily.
"Hi? May I ask who this is?"
"*breaths deeply* This... Is your... Bro... Brother!" the man says.
"Omg Matt! Where are you? are you ok?! Are you hurt?" I say hurriedly. At this time my parents and sister had already gathered around the phone, my dad had grabbed the keys and was ready to pick Matt up.
"I'm in... I'm in Mexico," he says, still panting.
"Matt we live in Los Angeles! How the hell did you get to Mexico?" I say, confused.
"That's a long story Mandie!" He says exasperated.
"Well do you need help are you lost?" I continue.
"Well slightly dazed, but I need help!" He says urgently.
"Matt? Matt talk to me what did you do now?" I question.
"Well please get me out of earshot from mum and dad!" He says calmly.
I usher my family away and walk to my room.
"Yup done," I say, "so what happened?"
"Well since I was 14 I have had a job, it payed heaps and I was super happy with it," he starts.
"What was it?" I ask.
"Making new drugs, new formulas to be tested on patients..."
I pause, shocked... "What! You... You make drugs!"
"Not anymore... Turns out it was illegal to run a drug trade, let alone hire a 14 year old boy. So nonetheless the cops got involved... The stormed the building capturing people and taking away the drugs. I ran, but not without a whole bag of drugs,"
He pauses before starting again.
"This job was in Los Angeles but after the bust I ran to Mexico to hide! Turns out the cops are very very good at finding people and have followed me here!" He stops, before gulping loudly "Mandie I can go to jail!!!" He says and I can hear his voice cracking, he's about to cry.
"Matt, don't worry it will all be ok..." Was the last partial sentence I could say before the phone line suddenly shut off...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok here is chapter 2! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading and please leave feedback in the comments and suggestions!
Thanks Nadia xx