Life at the High

Charity and Truth Bombs

It was sunny and bright outside so Charity got up to draw her room darkening curtains closed. Her head felt as if she'd been drinking all night and fell asleep on top of the amplifiers at a concert, although she knew better than to actually make that mistake again.

She ran her hand across her pink satin sheets in search of her phone which was always nearby. She checked Instagram and saw pictures of Joey's party from the night before.

The party. She thought. The banging in her head throbbed a lot harder. She couldn't even try to remember what she did the previous night.

"Charity." Her mom said in a soft voice. That soft voice usually meant something serious happened. "Sweetheart are you up?"

"Yeah, mom. What's up?" Charity looked up at her mother and couldn't help but notice how casually she was dressed. She had her long thick hair in a high bun and a maxi dress to round off her cute but casual look. She worked for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and usually looked the part, so this was off.

"Sweetheart I just got off the phone with Janelle's mom." She kept her voice calm but payed careful attention to her hungover daughter's reaction. "She never came home last night. I know you girls don't talk as much anymore, but do you know where she might be?"

"Nope. Sorry." Charity couldn't let too many words come out of her mouth because yesterday's lunch might have come with it. She then remembered everything except how she got home and if her car had any marks.

"Sweetheart is everything alright?" Her brow furrowed and she lowered her eyes almost as if to see straight through any lie or façade.

"Yeah, mom. It's just weird that Janelle isn't home yet." Charity paused to search for more words that would make her sound believable. She tried not to visibly brace herself for the gathering of emotions happening deep in the pit of her stomach. "But people change in high school. Maybe she just met up with a guy and stayed out too late."

They both look up as the doorbell chimes. "That's probably Janelle's mom now."

"But I just told you I don't know anything. Why won't ya'll leave me out of it?" Charity shouted.

Ms. Mills paused in the doorway before slowly turning around. "She isn't here for you. She needs a friend. Her daughter is missing. And if you don't watch your tone with me you will be too."

As soon as she heard her mom unlock the door Charity closed her door and called Toni. Her calls went straight to voicemail.

She began pacing and panting. She wondered why everyone would be on such high alert right now.

She called Toni three more times and he finally answered. "Baby I'm so sorry. Are you going to let me explain?"

"What?" She was so confused. She couldn't understand if he saw something even though it was dark.

"I still can't wrap my head around it, but I was only with Janelle one time. I'm so sorry baby. I don't blame you for driving off and leaving me last night."

"What the hell Toni?"

"Charity." Her mom screamed up the stairs. "I need you to come downstairs sweetheart, the police are here about your friend." 

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Author's Note: So originally this chapter was very long. I wanted to shorten it here because I felt that like Charity there were a few things to take in for the reader as well. I hope you all are enjoying this. So far. Please tell me what you think will happen next. This is all my first draft but I will try my best not to update with edits until have at least the full first draft completely published on here.