I couldn’t hold the tears back as I hung up the flyers. Missing, Aubrey Martinez, age eleven blonde long curly hair and blue eyes 4’ 9”.  Next to me, my best friend Gabriel. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him cry, as he hung up the flyer for Harpor. My little sister Aubrey and her best friend have been missing for a week. Harpor was Gabriel’s little sister. I’ve known Gabriel since we were born and I’ve been best friends with him ever since. I thought about all the good memories me and Aubrey had together, I never realized what I had before it was gone. Aubrey was the best sister I could have ever asked for. Gabriel saw me crying and started to walk towards me, I ran into his arms.

“What if we never find them?” I sobbed

“Don’t say that Skylar, we’ll find them.”

“But what if we don’t? What will happen to them?” He didn’t reply, he was trying to be supportive but I know he was thinking what I was saying.

“Where did they go,” I asked, crying.

“I don’t know,” he answered quietly

“Take me home.” I whispered. We started walking towards my house. Neither of us said a word the whole way home, it was just silence. After ten quiet minutes we finally got to my house. When we walked in I heard my parents upstairs arguing. My dad hits my mom, and threatens to hit me if she told anyone. I don’t know what he was mad about, but he was mad, and that was never good for mom. When dad hit mom upstairs, Aubrey and I would go to the middle of the staircase crying, listening to what dad was saying. I heard them arguing, and I know Gabriel did too.

“I think you should go home.” I whispered.

“Is everything okay? I hear your parents arguing upstairs.” He asked with a concerned tone.
“It’s fine, just go home.” I said.

“Okay.” He walked out the car and started walking home. I started up the steps, being careful so dad didn’t hear me. I could see that their door was closed so I went up a little closer. I could hear just about everything, including the belt that kept hitting my mom on her bare skin.

“Where is she? You need to find her before I do, and you know what I’ll do to her.” My dad screamed.

“But I don’t know where she is.” I heard the belt go against her skin.

“What if she tells. You can’t begin to imagine what I will do these little girls.” He snapped.

“Is that what your worried about? Our daughter’s missing, and you are worried about her telling? What if she’s dead?” My mom asked.

“It would be better off. That way I know she won’t tell anyone.”

“I can’t believe you right now.” CLACK! The belt hit mom. That must have been the hardest he ever hit her.
“Do you think you can talk to me like that? Huh?” CLACK! He hit her again.

“Now what do you say?” He asked.

“Sorry.” My mom mumbled.

“What?” He asked again

“Sorry.” My mom said louder. I heard footsteps come close to where their door was. I ran downstairs as fast and quietly as I could and sat on the couch and turned the tv on. My mom came downstairs. I could see marks on her face and arms that she didn’t have this morning. She saw me looking.

“I took a pretty hard fall down the stairs earlier.” My mom said looking down. She doesn’t know that I know, even though dad wasn’t good at hiding it.

“The police just called, they want you at the police station for questioning.”

“Okay mom.”

“Claire, come upstairs, we need to talk some more. Now!” My dad screamed from upstairs. I could see hurt in mom’s eyes.

“You should go now they close early today.” I took the bus to the police station and got there in twenty minutes. As I walked in I saw that Gabriel was sitting in the waiting area. I signed in and sat next to him.
“They called you here too?” He asked.

“Yea.” I whispered. This was my first time here and I was pretty nervous. The rest of the time was silent.

“Ms. Martinez and Mr. Miller?” a man wearing clothing like any other person said.

“Yes?” Gabriel asked.

“Please follow me.” He said in a firm voice, leading us to the questioning room. As we got to the room we both took a seat and he turned on a recording device.

******

“I am Detective Smith. I work with the FBI, I will be leading this case, and I assure you I will find out what happened and we will find your sister.” Then he turned to Gabriel and asked How would you describe Skylar's’ relationship with Aubrey Martinez?”

“Well she loved her.” Gabriel replied immediately

“Love.” I said

“What.” he asked

“It’s love not loved. She’s not dead.” I shot back

“And how do you know that? Did she run away, and you're protecting her?” I glared at him.

“Are you kidding me?” I replied.

“I ask the questions. Please cooperate we are trying to figure out who kidnapped your sister.”

“So now you're saying that she’s kidnapped.” I was yelling now

“Um no, I’m not saying anything, I know about as much about this case as you do.”

“So now you’re saying I don’t know anything about the case.” I yelled, Detective Smith sighed.

“Let’s continue with the questions, Skylar, let’s suppose that your sister ran away, why would she do so?”

“I guess maybe because some of the people at school were bullying her,” I said

“Is there any possibility that she could have committed suicide,” he asked.

“No, she would never do that,” I answered automatically.

“How do you know?” He asked.

“I just do.” I answered.

“That’s not a good answer. Now let’s try again. How do you know that?”

“I don’t,” I screamed.

“Next question, where were you the night she was reported missing?” he asked.

“I was watching tv in my room.” I said.

“And you didn’t see her leave or hear anyone in the house?” He asked as he raised his eyebrows.
“No, like I said I was watching tv.” I replied.

“And it’s kind of weird you didn’t see anything.” He said. “Anyway next question. Is it true you helped your sister run away from home?”

“No, why would I do that?”

“Because, maybe you want her out of the picture.”

“I didn’t, nor will I ever want my sister out of the picture.” I snapped.

“Is it true that you killed Aubrey Martinez?” He asked.

“No, I didn’t do anything to my f***ing sister.” I screamed as loud as I could.

While knocking my chair down I stormed out of the room and slammed the door. I ran to Gabriel’s car and just sat there staring out the window expecting him to drive me home. Tears were running down my face. It’s been ten minutes and I could see Gabriel finally coming back. He got in the car. I expected him to ask me about my outburst, but strangely he didn’t.

“Sorry.” I said quietly.

“For what Skylar? Yelling at the detective who is trying to find your missing sister, or maybe making a scene by knocking the chair over? Maybe even breaking into my car without telling me. Please tell me Skylar” I started crying.

“Gabriel he said she killed herself.”

“No he said do you think she did. There's a difference Skylar. This guy is a detective, he is doing his freakin’ job.”

“Gabr-”

“Don’t talk to me. You do realize my sister is missing too. And I don’t know about you, but I will do everything I can to find her.”

“Bu-”

“I said don’t talk to me.” I looked at him and he was crying. Does he not understand that I have feelings too, and he doesn’t have the right talk to me like that. I’m hurt just as much as he was. After twenty silent minutes we finally pulled up to my house.

“Thanks,” I said

“Get out.” He interrupted. I walked out of the car and went inside. I saw my dad at the table drinking beer.
“Gabriel I’m,” I started.

“Get out the f***ing car Skylar.” He yelled.

“Where’s mom?” I asked

“She went to the grocery store to buy me more beer.”

“Okay.”

“Go get ready for school tomorrow.”

“But mom said I didn’t have to go to school the rest of the week.”

“Is mom here?”

“No but,”

“But, nothing. You are going to school.”

“Yes sir.” I said politely. As I started to walk up to my room. This sucks, it’s bad enough people at school are already really mean to me, now everyone is going to be staring at me.

*****

BEEP! BEEP! My alarm clock went off. I suddenly remembered that I have school. Great. I always walked to school, my mom was always working at this time and I didn’t dare to ask my dad. I didn’t eat breakfast at home, I didn’t want risk be near my dad alone for too long. The school I go to has breakfast, and I always eat there with Gabriel, but I am pretty sure he doesn’t want to eat with me anymore. Gabriel was my only friend at school. He would always sit with me at lunch. Not that he needed to, he was very popular, and all the girls wanted to date him. Including me. I have had a crush on him since elementary school, and so did Sabrina. 

I started walking to school. I live pretty close to the school, it’s only a five minute walk. I approached the school, and all eyes were on me. I did not mind all eyes on me, but Sabrina will. Sabrina used to be my best friend in middle school, until her body developed and she got really pretty. She was the “it” girl in high school, along with her groupies. We used to all be best friends, then she decided I wasn’t pretty enough to hang out with her so she made up nasty rumors. I couldn’t argue she was gorgeous. She had tanned skin, long wavy hair, blue eyes, and freckles.

She was always late for school so I didn’t have to worry about her, for now. I walked into the cafeteria, got breakfast, and sat at an empty table. I could see everyone whispering to each other and looking at me. That’s when my heart shattered. I saw Gabriel walk in, but he wasn’t alone. He had his arm around Sabrina. She was wearing his sweatshirt and she was looking right at me, smiling. I had to get out of here. I got up and went as fast as I could, but either way I would still have to pass them. Right before I could dump my food away in the trash bin Sabrina tripped me. I fell face first right into my food. I got milk all over my hair from my cereal and everyone was laughing at me, including Gabriel.

“You better be careful their sweetheart.” she snarled.

Tears strolled down my face as I ran out of the cafeteria, leaving my tray on the floor. Thank God I didn’t have Gabriel or Sabrina in any of my classes. I wasn’t mad at Gabriel, he was going something just like I was. I took a hall pass and walked to the bathrooms. As I walked in I saw Sabrina in their with her friends.
“Look who’s here. The little whore.” they all laughed.

“I am not a whore.” I said strongly.

“Yea you are.” Sabrina snarled.

“Let’s go girls.” Sabrina said. They all walked away. As Sabrina walked past me she shoved me into the ground.
“Get out of my way you little b****.” she screamed.

“B****? I thought I was a whore. So which one am I, I can’t be both.” I snarled.

“You’re both if I say you’re both.” She snapped as she spit her watermelon gum out her mouth and into my hair, and laughed. What happened to her? She used to be so sweet. I got back into the classroom, and took a seat.

“Ms.Martinez?” Mr.Justice asked.

“Yes?”

“You are being checked out. Please gather your belongings and head down to the front office, your mother is here.” I got up and walked to the office. I didn’t know why my dad took me to school, just to get checked out thirty minutes after school starts. When I got in the office I saw my mom. She was crying.

“Mom what happened?” I asked.

“They found Aubrey.” she whispered.

“Where was she!”

“Under the tall bridge on mainstreet.”

“I knew she was alive! She must have got lost on her way to school. Is she in the car, can I go talk to her?” I asked.

“No Skylar. They found her body. She and Harpor jumped off the bridge together.”

“What?” I screamed.

“No it can’t be true it can’t be her.”

“It’s her Skylar.” My life froze. I ran out of the office and started running to the bridge. When I got their I saw police cars and police tape. I saw them taking out a body. It was Aubrey’s.

***

RINGGGGG! The house phone was ringing. I picked it up.

“Hello can I please speak to Mrs.Martinez?”

“This is she.”

“This is the F.B.I. We have the body under investigation. We have confirmed that the victim did not jump off the bridge. She was pushed. Our main suspect is Detective Smith, he went missing when the body was found. The victim shows sign of rape and abuse.” Before he could finish talking I dropped the phone. Detective Smith killed my sister. “Mrs. Martinez… hello…” that’s all I heard as I collapsed to the floor.

I couldn’t hold the tears back as I hung up the flyers. Missing, Aubrey Martinez, age eleven blonde long curly hair and blue eyes 4’ 9”.  Next to me, my best friend Gabriel. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him cry, as he hung up the flyer for Harpor. My little sister Aubrey and her best friend have been missing for a week. Harpor was Gabriel’s little sister. I’ve known Gabriel since we were born and I’ve been best friends with him ever since. I thought about all the good memories me and Aubrey had together, I never realized what I had before it was gone. Aubrey was the best sister I could have ever asked for. Gabriel saw me crying and started to walk towards me, I ran into his arms.

“What if we never find them?” I sobbed

“Don’t say that Skylar, we’ll find them.”

“But what if we don’t? What will happen to them?” He didn’t reply, he was trying to be supportive but I know he was thinking what I was saying.

“Where did they go,” I asked, crying.

“I don’t know,” he answered quietly

“Take me home.” I whispered. We started walking towards my house. Neither of us said a word the whole way home, it was just silence. After ten quiet minutes we finally got to my house. When we walked in I heard my parents upstairs arguing. My dad hits my mom, and threatens to hit me if she told anyone. I don’t know what he was mad about, but he was mad, and that was never good for mom. When dad hit mom upstairs, Aubrey and I would go to the middle of the staircase crying, listening to what dad was saying. I heard them arguing, and I know Gabriel did too.

“I think you should go home.” I whispered.

“Is everything okay? I hear your parents arguing upstairs.” He asked with a concerned tone.

“It’s fine, just go home.” I said.

“Okay.” He walked out the car and started walking home. I started up the steps, being careful so dad didn’t hear me. I could see that their door was closed so I went up a little closer. I could hear just about everything, including the belt that kept hitting my mom on her bare skin.

“Where is she? You need to find her before I do, and you know what I’ll do to her.” My dad screamed.

“But I don’t know where she is.” I heard the belt go against her skin.

“What if she tells. You can’t begin to imagine what I will do these little girls.” He snapped.

“Is that what your worried about? Our daughter’s missing, and you are worried about her telling? What if she’s dead?” My mom asked.

“It would be better off. That way I know she won’t tell anyone.”

“I can’t believe you right now.” CLACK! The belt hit mom. That must have been the hardest he ever hit her.
“Do you think you can talk to me like that? Huh?” CLACK! He hit her again.

“Now what do you say?” He asked.

“Sorry.” My mom mumbled.

“What?” He asked again

“Sorry.” My mom said louder. I heard footsteps come close to where their door was. I ran downstairs as fast and quietly as I could and sat on the couch and turned the tv on. My mom came downstairs. I could see marks on her face and arms that she didn’t have this morning. She saw me looking.

“I took a pretty hard fall down the stairs earlier.” My mom said looking down. She doesn’t know that I know, even though dad wasn’t good at hiding it.

“The police just called, they want you at the police station for questioning.”

“Okay mom.”

“Claire, come upstairs, we need to talk some more. Now!” My dad screamed from upstairs. I could see hurt in mom’s eyes.

“You should go now they close early today.” I took the bus to the police station and got there in twenty minutes. As I walked in I saw that Gabriel was sitting in the waiting area. I signed in and sat next to him.
“They called you here too?” He asked.

“Yea.” I whispered. This was my first time here and I was pretty nervous. The rest of the time was silent.

“Ms. Martinez and Mr. Miller?” a man wearing clothing like any other person said.

“Yes?” Gabriel asked.

“Please follow me.” He said in a firm voice, leading us to the questioning room. As we got to the room we both took a seat and he turned on a recording device.

******

“I am Detective Smith. I work with the FBI, I will be leading this case, and I assure you I will find out what happened and we will find your sister.” Then he turned to Gabriel and asked How would you describe Skylar's’ relationship with Aubrey Martinez?”

“Well she loved her.” Gabriel replied immediately

“Love.” I said

“What.” he asked

“It’s love not loved. She’s not dead.” I shot back

“And how do you know that? Did she run away, and you're protecting her?” I glared at him.

“Are you kidding me?” I replied.

“I ask the questions. Please cooperate we are trying to figure out who kidnapped your sister.”

“So now you're saying that she’s kidnapped.” I was yelling now

“Um no, I’m not saying anything, I know about as much about this case as you do.”

“So now you’re saying I don’t know anything about the case.” I yelled, Detective Smith sighed.

“Let’s continue with the questions, Skylar, let’s suppose that your sister ran away, why would she do so?”
“I guess maybe because some of the people at school were bullying her,” I said

“Is there any possibility that she could have committed suicide,” he asked.

“No, she would never do that,” I answered automatically.

“How do you know?” He asked.

“I just do.” I answered.

“That’s not a good answer. Now let’s try again. How do you know that?”
“I don’t,” I screamed.

“Next question, where were you the night she was reported missing?” he asked.
“I was watching tv in my room.” I said.

“And you didn’t see her leave or hear anyone in the house?” He asked as he raised his eyebrows.
“No, like I said I was watching tv.” I replied.

“And it’s kind of weird you didn’t see anything.” He said. “Anyway next question. Is it true you helped your sister run away from home?”

“No, why would I do that?”

“Because, maybe you want her out of the picture.”

“I didn’t, nor will I ever want my sister out of the picture.” I snapped.

“Is it true that you killed Aubrey Martinez?” He asked.

“No, I didn’t do anything to my f***ing sister.” I screamed as loud as I could.

While knocking my chair down I stormed out of the room and slammed the door. I ran to Gabriel’s car and just sat there staring out the window expecting him to drive me home. Tears were running down my face. It’s been ten minutes and I could see Gabriel finally coming back. He got in the car. I expected him to ask me about my outburst, but strangely he didn’t.

“Sorry.” I said quietly.

“For what Skylar? Yelling at the detective who is trying to find your missing sister, or maybe making a scene by knocking the chair over? Maybe even breaking into my car without telling me. Please tell me Skylar” I started crying.

“Gabriel he said she killed herself.”

“No he said do you think she did. There's a difference Skylar. This guy is a detective, he is doing his freakin’ job.”

“Gabr-”

“Don’t talk to me. You do realize my sister is missing too. And I don’t know about you, but I will do everything I can to find her.”

“Bu-”

“I said don’t talk to me.” I looked at him and he was crying. Does he not understand that I have feelings too, and he doesn’t have the right talk to me like that. I’m hurt just as much as he was. After twenty silent minutes we finally pulled up to my house.

“Thanks,” I said

“Get out.” He interrupted. I walked out of the car and went inside. I saw my dad at the table drinking beer.
“Gabriel I’m,” I started.

“Get out the f***ing car Skylar.” He yelled.

“Where’s mom?” I asked

“She went to the grocery store to buy me more beer.”

“Okay.”

“Go get ready for school tomorrow.”

“But mom said I didn’t have to go to school the rest of the week.”

“Is mom here?”

“No but,”

“But, nothing. You are going to school.”

“Yes sir.” I said politely. As I started to walk up to my room. This sucks, it’s bad enough people at school are already really mean to me, now everyone is going to be staring at me.

*****

BEEP! BEEP! My alarm clock went off. I suddenly remembered that I have school. Great. I always walked to school, my mom was always working at this time and I didn’t dare to ask my dad. I didn’t eat breakfast at home, I didn’t want risk be near my dad alone for too long. The school I go to has breakfast, and I always eat there with Gabriel, but I am pretty sure he doesn’t want to eat with me anymore. Gabriel was my only friend at school. He would always sit with me at lunch. Not that he needed to, he was very popular, and all the girls wanted to date him. Including me. I have had a crush on him since elementary school, and so did Sabrina. 

I started walking to school. I live pretty close to the school, it’s only a five minute walk. I approached the school, and all eyes were on me. I did not mind all eyes on me, but Sabrina will. Sabrina used to be my best friend in middle school, until her body developed and she got really pretty. She was the “it” girl in high school, along with her groupies. We used to all be best friends, then she decided I wasn’t pretty enough to hang out with her so she made up nasty rumors. I couldn’t argue she was gorgeous. She had tanned skin, long wavy hair, blue eyes, and freckles.

She was always late for school so I didn’t have to worry about her, for now. I walked into the cafeteria, got breakfast, and sat at an empty table. I could see everyone whispering to each other and looking at me. That’s when my heart shattered. I saw Gabriel walk in, but he wasn’t alone. He had his arm around Sabrina. She was wearing his sweatshirt and she was looking right at me, smiling. I had to get out of here. I got up and went as fast as I could, but either way I would still have to pass them. Right before I could dump my food away in the trash bin Sabrina tripped me. I fell face first right into my food. I got milk all over my hair from my cereal and everyone was laughing at me, including Gabriel.

“You better be careful their sweetheart.” she snarled.

Tears strolled down my face as I ran out of the cafeteria, leaving my tray on the floor. Thank God I didn’t have Gabriel or Sabrina in any of my classes. I wasn’t mad at Gabriel, he was going something just like I was. I took a hall pass and walked to the bathrooms. As I walked in I saw Sabrina in their with her friends.

“Look who’s here. The little whore.” they all laughed.

“I am not a whore.” I said strongly.

“Yea you are.” Sabrina snarled.

“Let’s go girls.” Sabrina said. They all walked away. As Sabrina walked past me she shoved me into the ground.
“Get out of my way you little b****.” she screamed.

“B****? I thought I was a wh***. So which one am I, I can’t be both.” I snarled.

“You’re both if I say you’re both.” She snapped as she spit her watermelon gum out her mouth and into my hair, and laughed. What happened to her? She used to be so sweet. I got back into the classroom, and took a seat.

“Ms.Martinez?” Mr.Justice asked.

“Yes?”

“You are being checked out. Please gather your belongings and head down to the front office, your mother is here.” I got up and walked to the office. I didn’t know why my dad took me to school, just to get checked out thirty minutes after school starts. When I got in the office I saw my mom. She was crying.

“Mom what happened?” I asked.

“They found Aubrey.” she whispered.

“Where was she!”

“Under the tall bridge on mainstreet.”

“I knew she was alive! She must have got lost on her way to school. Is she in the car, can I go talk to her?” I asked.

“No Skylar. They found her body. She and Harpor jumped off the bridge together.”

“What?” I screamed.

“No it can’t be true it can’t be her.”

“It’s her Skylar.” My life froze. I ran out of the office and started running to the bridge. When I got their I saw police cars and police tape. I saw them taking out a body. It was Aubrey’s.

***

RINGGGGG! The house phone was ringing. I picked it up.

“Hello can I please speak to Mrs.Martinez?”

“This is she.”

“This is the F.B.I. We have the body under investigation. We have confirmed that the victim did not jump off the bridge. She was pushed. Our main suspect is Detective Smith, he went missing when the body was found. The victim shows sign of rape and abuse.” Before he could finish talking I dropped the phone. Detective Smith killed my sister. “Mrs. Martinez… hello…” that’s all I heard as I collapsed to the