The Vanishing of Brandyn Taylor

Shocked.

I got back to the flat just before half nine the next morning. Tim dropped me off before heading to work. Rachel was up making a cake. She was a great baker, better than I was by far.

"Hey Rach' what cake you making?" I asked her.

"Carrot. I know it's your favourite."

"Aww you're great. I love your carrot cake."

"You love any cake. How's Tim?"

"Good yeah."

"It's good to see you so happy. I know Tim will look after you well. That guy has had the hots for you for such a long time."

"Yeah," I said, "he has. I guess I was too hooked up on Brandyn to admit to myself I like Tim. I finally came to realise that I can't spend half my life waiting around to see if the boy makes a move."

"No you couldn't have, but you also can't help who you love. I think Tim's more suited to you though really. He's here, he keeps in touch too."

"Yup and he doesn't go missing. Well I hope he doesn't. God wouldn't that just be shit if he went missing as well?"

"Hell yeah. So how's the sex?"

"Rachel! As if I'm going to tell you that."

"Don't make out you didn't want to stay at his last night so you two could have sex without worrying I would hear."

"Ask me no questions and I shall tell you no lies." I chuckled.

"Exactly. He's such a nice guy though, always so caring and thoughtful. Fancy a bit of shopping before we meet up with him?"

"If you're up to it yeah."

"I'm fine now, feeling good. Ribs only slightly ache but that's easily dulled now with a few painkillers. You're gonna need some sexy lingerie now."

"Rach will you stop teasing me before I pour that cake batter over your head!"

"Try it and see what you get." She joked.

I got showered and changed while the cake cooked, it made the entire flat smell so good. I loved Rachel's baking, everyone did.
My entire mood had lifted since seeing Brandyn on the hotels security footage, even though we hadn't actually found him I was so relieved to know he was ok. Or at least he had been a week ago. It was so much better than not knowing what had happened to him. Tim had got his friends working on the new information, looking up both Brandyn's real name and the one he'd used to check into the hotel with. If he was using cash, and a fake name, it wasn't likely they would be able to find much, but it was worth checking out just in case.
Rachel was right about me needing some better underwear now though, I hadn't brought new in a while, relying on my trusty favourite comfy pairs. I definitely didn't have anything that could even come close to being described as sexy. 

We got the bus into town, and headed to a department store.

"So, what colour undies do you want Kiera?" Rachel asked me as we were standing by some very skimpy thongs.

"Black? Maybe blue."

"What about red? Reds sexy?"

"Erm I guess so. I'm not sure what I want, but I definitely want something with a bit more to them than these." I said, picking up a red thong between my thumb and forefinger, as if they were going to bite me.

"Ok," Rachel laughed. "But they're surprisingly more comfy than they look you know."

"I don't care if they are, I'm not having my wobbly arse cheeks on show that much."