Life at the High

Old Friends

As they all sat down in the main living room that had everything including the carpet imported from Italy there was a question that lingered: did Charity have anything to do with Janelle's disappearance?

Sherry decided to break the tension. "Miko, dear we have really missed having you over. How have you been?" She genuinely meant it. She was always very fond of Miko.

"I've been okay Mrs. Mills. You know how things go. It just gets crazy with school and all." Miko bit her lip and begun fumbling around with the hem of her skirt.

"Okay, here it is." Charity worked up the courage to say what she needed them to believe while there was an ease in the tension she'd created. "I behaved inappropriately. I know that. I was just feeling overwhelmed by everything happening and needed to just let loose and lighten the mood at school. Janelle is all anyone is thinking about." She quickly realized how selfish she sounded and saw the looks from her mom and Miko that said they were ready to pounce on her like lions on an antelope. "I wanted everyone to just have a moment to not feel down. Depression won't help us figure out what happened to her, which could be anything."

"What you did was something that will follow you for life. How many kids snapped pictures that will stay on the internet forever?" Sherry shook with anger as she thought of her daughter being judged for that one moment.

"I know mom." Charity huffed.

"Then did you not care? You should give a shit about how this will come back to bite your ass later. You better hope no college or job recruiter thinks to Google you." Sherry stood up. She didn't want to have this conversation in front of Miko even though Miko had always been like a second daughter to her. It's not how she liked to handle things. "You two catch up. We will continue this later." She scrunched her forehead as she spoke to Charity. She was furious and needed to calm down.

Sherry hugged Miko tightly for all the time she didn't get to watch her grow up. She then moved to hug Charity only so that she could whisper, "We will talk about what it was you really tried to confess to later on too."

"I'm sorry about all of that. I know the two of you are still close and I didn't mean any disrespect to her." Charity tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down as she waited for Miko's response.

"It's cool. I spent the little bit of time I was at school talking to counselors and police so I only heard about it afterward. Can't believe you got suspended though."

"Yeah, Toni was furious." She rolled her eyes thinking of how much he'd yelled at her.

"Who?" Miko asked cocking her head to the side like a curious puppy.

Charity realized she stopped breathing after she let the wrong thing slip out of her mouth. "The police stopped by to talk to me here. What did they say to you?"

"Typical stuff I guess. What she was like and if she mentioned running away was the gist of it. What did they say to you?"

"They asked if she seemed different and if I'd heard of anything that she may have been planning as far as leaving with a secret boyfriend or some crap. They wanted to know if she had a boyfriend. I didn't know of anyone past Sarone, so I just said no." Charity felt guilty for not knowing for sure. She'd distanced herself from her old friends for new ones and now she felt alone with no one, and it was no one's fault but her own.

Without people around to dote on her at school Charity felt intimidated by Miko. She'd come into her own and exuded so much confidence. "You've changed so much. You seem older."

"I do?" Miko had been trying to be a mature new version of herself for this school year and was glad to see it was showing. She also didn't have to try because something about being around Charity made her feel good again, like old times. "You're the popular one. Trust me no one has changed more than you." Miko cringed at how bitchy that sounded, but it was true so she wasn't going to take it back.

"So, you think I use to be lame?" Charity laughed.

"Grounded," Miko said frankly.

"Yeah after Sarone transitioned and had so much confidence and fearlessness I realized I wanted to feel the same way about myself." She'd never admitted that's what happened before and felt she owed Miko an explanation since they use to be so close. "I didn't want to sound stupid by admitting I was reinventing myself, so I just kept saying nothing. I'm sorry." Charity looked at her hands and began fidgeting with her thumbs.

She didn't know if it was real but appreciated what her old friend had to say. "Thanks C." Miko let a moment pass as she soaked in the moment and pondered on what this meant as far as finding out what happened to Janelle. "Do you think you know what could have happened to her?"

Charity needed to change the subject. Thinking about what she had done was too much. She didn't need the reminder and besides she wasn't even sure anything happened. If she kept acting like a normal student, she had the possibility of getting away with a possible murder. "I'm not sure. I'm hoping it is what the police think, and she just ran away rather than is being something really bad." Charity wanted Janelle to be okay but couldn't risk her being found because she would tell everyone what she saw going on between Charity and Toni.

"Yeah. Same." Miko remembered chasing Janelle into the street. She was the last one to see her. Someone finding her would mean she'd say Miko's unintentional betrayal was the cause of her disappearance. She ran away from her and Miko couldn't find her after some car got in the way. She hoped whoever was in the car didn't see her and go to the police. It would be the second thing she should have told the police and didn't.

Miko and Charity both wanted Janelle to be okay, but neither of them could risk the secrets she'd bring back with her. Without verbally agreeing too they both decided to think of anything but the fact that they weren't doing what they could to help find their missing friend.

"So, how'd it feel to undress in the cafeteria? I don't think I've ever met anyone else that daring." Miko was impressed with this new wild Charity. She enjoyed a good spectacle.

"It was worth every bit of trouble I'm in right now."

They both giggled and continued to catch up as if nothing was wrong.

An hour later Janelle received a voicemail notification on her phone. "What primate leaves messages anymore?"

"Ooh, have you been holding out?" Charity giggled. "What's his name? I want to hear his voice."

Miko gasped for air. "It's Janelle."