Have You Seen Lucy?

"Have You Seen Lucy?" asked the old, faded billboard on the edge of town. It had been there for years like a scar; the wound appeared healed, but it was only just under the surface, waiting to rip open again at the slightest provocation. A beautiful girl smiled shyly towards the one taking the picture, but it seemed as though she were smiling at me personally which was stupid because I really didn't know her. Kessler is a small town in the middle of nowhere and everybody "knows" everyone, but not really. If we had really known each other, if we had known Lucy and Rachel and Lucy's boyfriend, Jacob, none of this would have happened.

It was a week before school began again. I was going to be a freshman. Lucy, Rachel, and Jacob were seniors. I remember walking along Main Street depressed that my mom was too busy at work to take me shopping a bigger town before the first day. I wanted to have something unique, something no one else in this town would have, but it wasn't to be and I would forget about that desire for a long while.

It was Miles Peters, a cute boy a grade ahead of me that was the first to tell me the news. His boyish good looks were simultaneously excited and slightly frightened when he stopped me by grabbing my arm. I was startled by his touch; we had barely ever even exchanged words. His next words will remain etched in my mind until I die.

"Have you heard? Lucy Mays is missing, and they think Jacob did it," he told me panting little breaths, as though he had been running.

It's strange how our mind focuses on certain things and blurs others all at the same time when confronted with distressing information. I was hyper focused on Miles: his appearance, his voice, his smell, his words; I don't remember anything else afterwards. I know I walked home because there was no other way for me to get there. I probably spoke to him, maybe even asked some questions or maybe he volunteered the information, but I knew our local sheriff's department thought the circumstances were suspicious, possibly criminal.

I am not even sure how long I sat there, but I do remember my mom coming home from work. She had heard the news also. She knew I was supposed to be home, but the house was dark. It was the first time she'd yelled at me in years. I also remember she hugged and cried when she realized I was fine.

It turns out that Jacob and Lucy went on a romantic date two nights previous, but everyone assumed it was code for "going to have sex." When neither of them turned up the next day or the day after that, the search began. The Sheriff found the hotel room Jacob had rented when the maid of said hotel found blood throughout it, both Jacob's and Lucy's blood it was discovered later. Neither teen was located.

Jacob Barnes was the local "big man on campus." The town loved him. He was handsome. He was good numerous sports. He got good grades. Hell, he probably helped little old ladies across the street. Everyone adored him. I'd had a crush on him for as long as I could remember.

Rachel Wright was beautiful. She was a cheerleader. She sang in her church choir. She was salutatorian. She was the most popular girl at the school but was still actually kind to other people.

Then there was Lucy Mays. Everyone was surprised when Jacob began dating Lucy; they seemed like an odd fit. She was beautiful, but quiet and reserved. She didn't really participate in traditional sports, but she excelled at dance. She was the valedictorian of their class.

It was Rachel's good-natured competition with Lucy turned friendship that had brought Lucy into the popular clique. Lucy was still quiet and stayed tucked in Rachel's shadow until the Sophomore Formal held the same weekend as the Prom. Rachel declared everyone in their clique had to go stag unless they had a long-term significant other.

She was always a very managing person, but with the best of intentions. Rachel knew Lucy wouldn't go if she had to have a date so Rachel "managed" it. Also, whatever the popular clique did was emulated by the other cliques making the dance Rachel organized one of the most successful ones in the history of the school. As far as Rachel was concerned, it was a win-win.