I have never really been the kind of person to do nothing in bad situations. But in this particular one, I don’t do a thing. I don’t bother calling back, or going down to the station, or responding to Aunt Lycia’s frantic phone calls. I just sit in the house. For about a week and a half, actually. I act like a pathetic 15-year-old girl whose boyfriend just dumped her. First my parents disappeared, then my sister. Annabel didn’t deserve this. She’s young, only 12 and she is probably dead. I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing dead. My phone rings. Who is it now, is Lycia gone as well? I think to myself. Sighing, I pull my head off the pillow and crawl into a sitting position. Wiping away a lone tear that has escaped from my eye, I move to answer the phone.
“Hello? Who is it?” I ask. I decide that I don’t actually care if anyone else I know has disappeared. Why should I? Everything has already been taken from me. What do I have to really lose? Your sister, says a voice from inside my head. She’s already gone, stupid, I think to myself.
“You get out of bed, Rosabel Lees!” My aunt’s voice is determined and loud. I grimace. This will be a fight. “You have been sulking and mourning for a week and a half. You missed your graduation, for heaven’s sake! It’s time to pull yourself together, Rose,” she scolded. I sighed, brainstorming excuses. “I understand, sweetie, it’s hard,” she adds in a more mother-like tone. “Anna and you were close, and with your parents and all...it’s okay to be sad but you really need to face the world. You have to go to college and find a guy. Speaking of guys, I think it’s time you break up with Ben and Jerry and find someone who’s, I don’t know..not ice cream.” I smile. She has an irritating but convenient ability to make me smile when I need to.
“Thanks. I just don’t know if I can, Aunt Lycia. She was...” A loud sob escapes me and I can hear her sighing on the other end. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to pull it together. I can try to forget Anna and-” she cuts me off.
“No, Rose. Don’t forget Anna. Don’t you ever forget her. If she comes back to us one day...you just can’t forget her,” she advises. I nod even though Lycia can’t see me. “I love you sweetheart. And I want you to be happy. So does your Uncle, so do your parents and so does Anna. So be happy, ok? For all of us. I’ll see you soon,” and then she hangs up.
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I stare up at the huge blue letters that read, St. Peters Public Library. Lycia suggested I come here to read up on colleges in city. What harm can it do. I walk through the big wooden doors and over to the front desk. There is a plump woman sitting there with a computer and a nametag that reads Poline.
"What can I help you with dear?" She asks. I nod politely.
"I'm looking at Colleges in the city and I was wondering if there was a book to help me look or something," I replied.
"Oh, of course!" Poline smiles eagerly. "This way," She leads me to a shelf near the back of the library. Grabbing a fat book off the shelve and handing it to me she says, "Its the best. I will be over there if you need anything," and then Poline returns to the desk.
I walk to a table and sit down. The title of the book is School Systems and Listings of Eraya. I open it and flip to the College/University section. The first paragraph says introduction. I skip that. Then I slowly flip through the lists of countless colleges and ‘The Top Universities in Eraya’. Finally I come to the last page in the section. The title of the page says, Perseverance. I roll my eyes but begin to read.
Sometimes things don’t work out. Colleges will turn you down and opportunity after opportunity might disappear.
I’m already thinking about Anna, due to the use of the word disappear.
It might seem like you should just forget and move on, but you must keep trying. Never give up on what you think is lost because if you do, it might really become lost. Finding a college can be a challenge but it is worth it.
I sit here in the library, soaking it all up. Every word in that article meant something to me. It might have been horrible writing but it was all true. I can’t give up on Anna. I need to find her. No disappearances are ever solved and I know that. The only way to get my sister back is to go and find her myself.
