Stricken

Nicole walked through the venders and stores, wondering where her “best friend”, Zara had gone. It’d been two weeks since she’d last seen or heard from her and she’d left messages with her mother five times. It wasn’t like Zara to not call back, and every time Nicole called, her Deb seemed more and more stressed. She’d never say why though.

Nicole made her way to the board walk, the half moon shining down on the water. There was a group of boys making a lot of noise next to the water’s edge. It took Nicole several takes to realize that the only girl there was Zara.

She was sitting on a motorcycle, with a blonde guy behind her, his face buried in her hair at the side of her neck as his hands moved down her bare thighs. Her denim shorts were indeed very short and the leather jacket she wore seemed to cover little of her low-cut shirt. Her once flat, straight hair was wavy and wild. High-heeled boots covered her feet to knees in leather.

Nicole’s first thought was no way in hell was that Zara. For one, she wouldn’t let a boy touch her like that. Second, the Zara Nicole knew would never dress like that. But the more she looked at her, the more she resembled her old friend Zara.

The blonde guy with her moved his face to her ear. She smiled at what he whispered to her. Her eyes opened, immediately spotting Nicole, who quickly turned away and began walking.

“I’ll be right back,”Zara said quietly to David and he released her. “Hey, Nicole! Wait!” Nicole stopped and waited for her to catch up. “Hey,”Zara said.

“Hey,”Nicole mumbled, studying her friend closely. Even the way she stood was different. Her hand rested on her jutted out hip with her head held high in defiance and confidence.

“You dating that guy?” Nicole asked, jerking her head towards the group. She noticed that he was watching them closely.

Zara looked back and smiled. “I guess...” She turned her attention back to her friend. “Michael could use someone like you,”she said with a cheeky smile.

Nicole forcefully returned it. “What have you been up to?”

Zara shrugged. “I’ve just been busy with stuff.”

“Edgar and Allen said you haven’t been to work for a while...”

Zara snorted. “Who cares? I don’t need that job anymore.”

Nicole looked at her friend disdainfully. What with her attitude. “Yeah, right. We’ll see you around.” The way that guy was staring at them made her nervous and she quickly left. Whoever this new Zara was, Nicole definately didn't like her.

“See ya,”Zara said and went back to David.

“Who was that?” David asked as she slid in front of him again.

“A friend,”she answered, leaning against him.

David nodded and set his chin on the top of her head. “I see.” His arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

Zara had become accustomed to David’s forward and commanding actions. She didn’t mind it. Just as long as he was near, she was happy. On that night she decided to follow him, she’d never looked back. The questions of what he meant when he said “you are one of us” was erased from her mind. Since she’d met him, she’d changed drastically. Her life was freer and wilder than it had been before. David wasn’t one to follow rules and Zara was one to follow him. The prospect of them dating seemed like it was possible, the way they acted together seemed that way.

However, he had yet to kiss her, and that made Zara wonder. It was only a little thought, but it was still there, worming around in her brain. Was David just using her for something or was he really attracted to her. When he touched her, though, all doubts were gone in an instant.

They drove through the night, finally pulling up to her house an hour before dawn. At the sound of the motor, Deb had peeked out of the curtains, watching them closely. Zara got off the back of the bike and began to make her way to the house, before David grabbed her wrist. She stopped and turned to him, watching him get off his bike. He stepped up to her and pushed a strand of hair back from her face with his gloved hand. Her heart jumped as he stared into her eyes. Was he going to kiss her? His face moved towards her and she closed his eyes, only to have his cold lips touch her cheek. Just like always.

“Good night,”he whispered in her ear and got back on his bike.

Zara slowly made her way into the house, hearing David’s retreating bike in the distance. Sighing, she went up the stairs.

“Zara, we need to talk.”

“Hi, Mom. Good to see you,” Zara replied without hesitating on her way up.

“Stop right there, young lady! You know what I mean!” her mother said, coming to the bottom of the stairs.

Zara turned to her with a bored expression. “What, Mom? I need to go to bed.”

For a moment, it was almost like Deb would cry, but she gained her composure and looked up into her daughter’s face. “What’s happened to you, Zara? This new...phase of your’s worries me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,”Zara stated.

“Those clothes, this new look, you sleep all day long. You haven’t been to your job in forever. Your attitude in general has changed. I don’t like it. And who’s that boy–?”

“Well, Mom, this is the new me.” Her daughter held out her arms and looked defiantly at her. “You knew it was only a matter of time before this place changed me. You’re the one that dragged us here in the first place. If you have a problem with it, blame yourself. If you don’t like it, deal with it.”

“Zara Maria Forster!” Deb exclaimed, but Zara ignored her and continued up the stairs. She didn’t have time for her mom any more.

Emily’s face was peeking out her bed room door when Zara walked by. With a glare at her little sister, the Zara entered her room and slammed the slammed the door closed. She didn’t have time for her either.