Found #2

Chapter Four

"So...what's up?" Briella fluffed her skirt and sat down the bench, obviously bothered by the germs. She was a germophobe, like the rest of her family.

I sat next to her, watching Tracy closely as she played with another little girl on the slide. I wanted to be cautious and aware of her surroundings, like I never had the chance to before.

"Not much," I glanced at her. "Trace wanted you to come." I added.

"Oh, come on. E, we've been besties since diapers. Why are you so...hidden? Reluctant to like, talk, around me?" Briella placed a manicured nail on my arm.

Because where were you when I was locked up in a basement?, I thought.

"I'm sorry, okay? I apologize for not jumping at the oppurtunity to blab what happened in there. Like everyone supposedly thought I would."

"I don't understand. You didn't...you could have...I'm your best friend!"

"Bri, it isn't about that! Don't you get it? No wait, you don't get anything because all you think about is your goddamn self!" I snarled.

Oh God, did I just say that out loud! I smacked my palm against my for head and watched as Briella's face twisted from pity to choler.

"So many girls didn't have the same fucking fate you did," She growled. I noticed her ears turning pink which meant she either wanted to run away or punch something. "And you're acting like so many others don't care about you. We want you to get better, E."

I sat quietly, tapping my leg and listening to the garbled words of Tracy and her new friend.

Words couldn't explain how frustrated I was. What was I even thinking inviting her to come to the park with us?

"Ya' know, Grayson came over when you were missing. He was hurt and so was I; asking about if I knew anything. Ask him. Ask him about it. We were both worried sick." Briella muttered, suddenly calm and tranquil.

"Well, I can't ask him right now. We're in an awkward position."

"What happened?" That protective best friend persona formed and Briella had her hand on my arm once again. Somehow, I wanted to tell her everything. Like we used to before things got screwed up and I became a victim of the media and my own family.

"Yesterday, we were...kinda kissing and then he ran out saying he didn't wanna do this to me or something. I didn't understand but it's really weird and I don't think I can even look at him after that."

"If he could go through so many lengths to be your hero, this shouldn't break you guys up. Besides-"

"OWWWW! SIENNAA!!"

Something in me became alert and I jumped up, running towards my baby sister's cries. Briella was right behind me, heaving heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

"Tracy! God, Tracy, what happened?!" Her arm was twisted at a bad angle, reddening skin dappled with gravel. The little blonde girl behind me stepped back, crying.

"Honey, do you have anyone here with you?" Briella asked. The little girl nodded and pointed towards a woman who was running down the sidewalk with a stroller.

What type of mother left her child alone?

"W-what happened?!" She asked,leaning down and wiping dirt from her child's cheek. "She fell off duh swide!" The little girl screeched, hugging her body against her mother.

Briella began to nag her about leaving her alone and whatnot, as I turned to Tracy and tried to pick her up.

"NO! NO THAT HUTS!" She screamed. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach watching my little sister cry out in agony. It was definitely broken.

"Trace, you're gonna be okay. It's just a little boo-boo." I attempted to soothe, knowing good and well that this would stop her from playing around for a while.

I dialed mom's number, realizing that after this incident, she'd never trust me with her daughter again. Again.

After explaining to her through quick sentences and overhead cries, she came barreling down the street in her second car: a Holden Colorado, hopping out and running up the walk.

Mom almost seemed to faint as she tried to calm Tracy and call the ambulance.

"How could you do this! Weren't you watching her?!"

"Yes!" I shouted back, biting my nails and pacing back and forth as the paramedics loaded my sister onto the truck.

"Then how did she break her arm?! She's a little child, she can't handle that!"

I felt the tears prickle my eyes as I stepped down from the truck and watched the lights and the sirens roar back down the street in only a few seconds. Briella appeared beside me, eyebrows drawn together.

"I screwed up." I whispered, walking to the curb and closing my eyes.

Briella didn't answer which meant she thought so too.