Girls Astray. [Complete]

Amy: The girl who searched

Dragging Alex by the hand I marched towards Lolita's huge apartment building. Alex is snivelling and sniffing behind me.

Rolling my eyes I mutter,

"Alex, we need to get a move on."

He sniffs loudly in response, coughing on his phlegm as we move past the banged up parked cars that surround the building.

Pushing the buzzer urgently, I stare at the faded posters on the walls.

'Bingo night', 'Quiz night', 'Teen Disco'.

Did these events ever actually happen?

I rub my sweaty palms on my school skirt as we wait for a response. It's dark out by now, surely Mrs Kinsella will be home?

Alex's coughs nervously and I can hear his feet scuffing against the pavement.

"Shall we go then?"

I spin round to face him and stare at him incredulously. When did the 'great Alex Coleman' turn into such a wet fish?

"Alex. We need to find her. We at least need to speak to her Mum." The words come out slowly like I'm speaking to a small child.

His eyes widen and well with tears before he drops his head once more to the floor. Turning my nose up at him, I look up towards Lolita's window. A light's on!

"Alex, she's in there!" The words explode from my mouth as my heart accelerates with anticipation.

He merely glances up at the flat and then shakes his head slowly.

"Amy- she won't- I know-"

"Shut up Alex," I snap at him before running at the door with all my might. Crash! The next thing I know I'm lying on my ass staring at the sky.

Alex smirks down at me, "Well that worked," he chuckles.

"You got a better suggestion?" I growl as he pulls me up to standing again. Shooting flames rip through my back and I lurch forward to stop the pain. I bend forward and take huge gulps of air in- it's not that bad, it's not that bad, I tell myself again and again. Alex doesn't even bat an eyelid at me.

"There's a spare key under the mat," he smirks smugly again, the old self-righteous Alex back for a moment.

***

Every light is off in the apartment. We are emerged into pure darkness, an abnormal lurking darkness, the kind of dark you don't get in homes, the darkness of abandoned buildings, old churches. The hairs on my arms prickle against my skin and I grab hold of Alex's hand. He squeezes it back firmly.

"Lolita?" I call out into the darkness as I creep forward slowly.

"Mrs Kinsella?"

Alex is breathing heavily behind me, I can hear every step he takes, can feel his heartbeat pulsating in his palm. I suck my breath in, trying to still everything inside me.

Suddenly the lights fire up.

A shaky teenage voice fills the room.

"Who's there? I'm armed..."

A smile stretches across my face, I know that voice!

"I'm warning you," the voice cracks on the last syllable.

"Lolita, it's us!"

I'm bellowing before I can stop and I drop Alex's hand as I plunge forward towards the light.

Pausing I catch a glimpse of a blonde. I fly forward before stopping in my tracks. There in the kitchen is a tall, blonde girl who's shaking violent whilst holding a plate high above her head.

My heart plummets, my shoulders drop at the sight of her. I bite my lip to hold back the cry that's building up in my chest.

"Oh my god Amy! What the hell are you doing here?" Louisa barks, placing the plate back on the table, her hand still trembling relentlessly.

Alex skulks out from the veiled darkness of the corridor.

"Hi Louisa," he mumbles.

Louisa frowns and places her delicate white hands on her hips. They're not as white as Lolita's. They were, when we were kids, but now they're covered in a light dusting of orange.

She pouts at us, showing her pumped up plastic lips.

"What the hell are you two playing at?"

"Is Lolita home?" I reply, not bothering to respond.

"No, so you may as well both just leave and don't-"

"Your Mum?" I cut her off, the desperation is rising now, filling my body from the toe to the crown of my head, taking up space within me, space around me; it's taking over.

Louisa's frown deepens,

"No. Look I don't know what you're playing at but-"

"She's gone Louisa," Alex suddenly interjects in his low docile tones.

The frown is so deep now you could use it to hold a pen. Then, the frown drops and Louisa pushes her neck back and laughs softly, rocking her head lightly from side to side. It's Louisa's laugh, the laugh that dismisses you, the laugh that belittles you, the laugh I've seen so many times before. She doesn't believe us.

"Oh, that'll be one of her silly games," Louisa smirks, "she's always been an attention seeker. She 'ran away' for a week before. You go home and get some rest and you'll see her in the morning, I'm sure."

She smiles sweetly now. But her hands are curled into a fist, I can see her long fake nails digging deep into her skin.

"Louisa, she's really gone this time," Alex coos softly, his head still hanging to the floor.

Her smile turns to a rictus grimace.

"I'm bored of your games you two. You need to go home. I'll call you a cab."

Hot vile is crawling up my throat. My hands shaking in anger against my thigh. How can she dismiss her like this? Her own sister? The fire burns inside me- growing bigger and bigger-

"No don't bother," I spit at her, "we're leaving. You could try and help though- she's really gone, Louisa."

Without looking back I stomp out of the building and dial Lolita's number once more.

Ring, ring, ring.

Static- slow deep breaths, someone's answered the phone!

"Lolita!" I screech, "Lolita where are you? What's happened?"

Beep, beep.

End of call.

"Alex!" I scream, the phone slowly falling from my grasp.