A SUMMER ROMANCE

3

Annie's POV

I am not getting enough sleep. Stephanie is acting strange for quite few weeks. She is dressing in very short shorts, her eyes look sunken in her sockets, to top it I found her sneaking out at night 2 for the past week. When I questioned, she just shrugged and explained to me that she is 18 years old.

I think she has made new friends. She is a very attractive girl, with a sweet attitude. I'm scared she is ruining her life. I'll have her sit down today and lay some rules and try to make her see through her behavior. We are lucky to be living the life we are living. The house we live in was passed down to us by some relative, if not for this house we had two options, trailer or homeless shelter. Stephanie has to learn to be thankful. She is an adult, she needs to act like one. She'll be graduating in few weeks. I have saved money for college, but looks like she is not in a mood to attend any college. 

It's time to wake up. I hardly slept, Stephanie has still not returned. Let me just go for a jog, she might return by then. I have this bad feeling about today. It's like my heart is telling me something is going to go wrong, very wrong.

I came back from my jog, there is still no sign of her. I am scared for her now. I try her cell phone, it's switched off. After a lot of self debate, I decided to call her friends. I know she'll be mad at me for calling her friends, she hates when I call them and inquire about her, in her words "Stop Embarrassing Me". It turns out she has not been attending school for the past few weeks and no one knows where she is.

I don't know what to do. We don't have any family to call for help. Police won't take any complaint till it's 48 hours since the person is missing. Moreover she is an adult, I can't force her. I call my salon and inform them that I'm taking the day off.

Waiting for her I sit in our backyard staring at the flowers growing. It's a beautiful house, very beautiful. I remember the time when mom used to drag us from shelter to shelter, it was a scary time. It passed. I also remember living with my Aunt in a one bedroom apartment, in the shadiest area of our town, scared to death who might try to touch you, who might try to mug you. That time too has passed. We have been living in this house for the past 2 years. It's secure and safe, but not enough for Stephanie, hope this time time will also pass. Hope this is just a rebellious phase.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard screech of tires outside. I rushed to towards the gate to check if its Stephanie. 

Well it is Stephanie, but she is dressed like a bride and I see the most disgusting aging man get down the car with her, he was dressed like the groom. 

I felt the bile rise up my throat. That man gave me a filthy black yellow smile and called out "Annie", I puked and collapsed.