The Curious Case of Miria Banks

Suprise

They say the day something changes your life drastically feels like a completely normal day. Nothing out of ordinary then, all of a sudden, bam, your life changed forever.

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*ding dong*

Logan hopped up from his couch and started walking to the door of his tiny little home. Since he graduated he started at a college about an hour and a half away from home. Most students in his position had apartments but this tiny little run down, one bedroom home (about thirty minutes away from campus) ended up being cheaper than many apartments, plus Logan had a little money saved up.

It would be Alan at the door. He was Logan's video game buddy. Logan met Alan his first day of college, and despite his long curly hair and slobbish looks he was a really cool guy.

Logan opened the door and was just about to say something when he noticed how Alan was staring into his tiny secluded home with a confused look.

Naturally Logan turned around, what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

There stood a girl, not just any girl. Miria, who had been missing for almost a year exactly. She stood there in Logan's red and black plaid robe, it looked like she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Logan felt like he couldn't breath. He stood there frozen, like a deer in the headlights of a car.

Miria slowly walked forward and began to shut the door slowly while she said, (in the most seductive voice she could manage)

"Sorry, Logan is a bit busy tonight," and with that she shut the door leaving the very confused Alan out in the dark.

Logan hadn't moved a muscle, he stayed there wide eyed and shocked. He didn't dare to move.

"Sorry about that," Miria said nervously going up on her tiptoes and back down again. "So... Are you just gonna stand there or-"

Suddenly Logan came back to life wrapping his arms around her he muttered "Miria I mean how and oh my gosh I can't believe and you are and I mean we thought you were and how did you and wow, this is real?" He asked pulling back but still gripping her shoulders, "I mean you're here, and alive, and oh my gosh." He pulled her back into a hug.

"Surprise," she said weakly, completely submerged in his hug.

Suddenly Miria pushed Logan away, "listen Logan I really want to catch up but I don't have much time. We need to get to Valerie."

"Are you hurt? Is someone chasing you? Are you being threatened? Were you-"

"No no no it's nothing like that." She removed the robe to reveal the orange dress from the dance about a year ago. The length of the robe completely had hid the dress perfectly, making it appear as though she was naked underneath until now.

"Your dress?" Logan questioned.

"Oh yeah, but I mean I haven't been wearing it all year I just, it was all I could, you know what never mind. Can I borrow some clothes?"

"Yeah? But how did you get in anyway?"

"Oh your window was unlocked, don't ask." And with that off she went.

~~*~~

Five minutes later Miria emerged from Logan's bedroom, she was wearing black basketball shorts and a button up red plaid shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun with a rubber band.

"Not a word." She said passing a smirking Logan, some things never change.

They hoped into to the car, Logan tossed a weekend bag into the back seat and Miria sat with her legs in cris cross style in the passenger seat.

Time for a very interesting car ride...

~~*~~

"So who was he?" Miria said with a mouth full of snacks, Logan's pantry was full of them, Miria was sure to stock up before leaving the house.

"Who?"

"You know, the one at the door."

"Oh him? That's Alan. He's a friend."

"Well I don't know him."

"That's cause he's new." There was a silence for a while, then,

"So college... That's cool, have you talked to Valerie recently." Logan just stared off I the distance, Miria raised her eyebrows as if asking the question again.

After a pause he said "She's different."

"Different how?" Miria said with slight panic leaking in to her voice.

"I don't know, you disappearing and all... I mean we-we thought you were dead and..."

"And?"

"And it messed with her head a little. She's not the same Valerie you remember."

"Messed with her head? how?" Logan made a gesture with his hand,

"Oh you know..."

"Logan." Miria demanded, her voice voice showing her impatience. "This is my best friend we're talking about. Stop beating around the bush and just tell me. I'll find out sooner or later, tell me, please." She pleaded.

Logan sighed "Well after you disappeared she had a hard time with depression and stuff like that... She didn't go to school for a very long time, and when she did she was not the Valerie I knew. She only wore sweats and hoodies, she did little to no makeup, she did pony tails everyday."

"She just had a really hard time. She became really quiet and anti social. She never went out on weekends, she never really talked about much with anyone. I mean your disappearance was hard on everyone, but man it just... Destroyed her." Miria just sat there, mortified. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Then I went off to college, we haven't really talked other than like social media and such, I mean I've probably kept in better touch with your parents- oh crap, we should call them."

He kept one hand on the wheel and used the other hand to pull his cell phone out of his pocket.

"No, no not yet. This is something that needs to be done in person, Valerie first. One at a time," but let me see your phone.

Logan had a text for Alan saying dude who the heck was that chick! Don't worry I won't tell Candice ;)

Who was Candice? Never mind Miria had work to do.

She sent a text to Valerie saying Hey Val, this is Logan. I'm coming down for the weekend. I'm gonna come pick you up around ten AM tomorrow. No ifs, ands, or buts, I have something important to tell you.

"Okay I'm sorry, I'm trying to be patient but where in the hell have you been Miria!?"

"I'm sorry, I really am... But I can't tell you quite yet, not until we have Valerie too..." Miria said carefully.

"Seriously? Come on Miria I'm sure she'll understand. I think I deserve to know."

"You're right, you do, and you will... Just not yet."

"So you're gonna make me sit through this entire car ride not knowing a thing when I've already waited a year."

Miria didn't say anything, she just stared at the floor.

Logan let out a frustrated growl.

They had one heck of an awkward drive a head of them.