Maleficent

The scent of lavenders wrapped around me, almost stinging my eyes as I rapped on the mahogany door of Flora’s house. The hum of bees rang in my ears mixed with the buzzing after-effects of having called her every five minutes all day. She hadn’t answered, and the guilt at not having contacted her for the past couple of days was beginning to sink into the pit of my stomach.

Before I could knock again, the door swung open to reveal Flora’s elder brother Dillon, a wide toothy grin plastered on his reddened face.

“Hey, Allie!” He grinned, brushing a hand through his already messy hair. “What’s up?”

I smiled, knowing exactly what he had been in the middle of and why it had taken him so long to get to the door. I’d noticed the absence of his parent’s and Flora’s cars from the driveway. Only his blue ute remained.

“Have you seen Flo?” I asked. “She hasn’t been at school, and she’s not answering her phone.”

Dillon’s smile faltered, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. “She hasn’t been with you, or the other girls?” He asked.

Biting down on my lip, I shook my head, dread starting to hit me. I had left it this long. I had made the assumption that she had gone home, but her own family was just as clueless. My grip tightened around my phone as I hastily dialled her number again.

“Hey this is Flora. Chances are I can’t be bothered, so I’ll talk to you next time I see you! Later!”

Groaning in frustration, I ran a hand through my hair, ignoring the suddenly worried questions bursting from Dillon’s mouth as he disappeared into the house. A few minutes later, after attempting to call Flora a couple more times, Dillon came tumbling out of the house with his girlfriend in tow.

“When was the last time you saw her?” he yelled, his keys jingling as he sifted through them.

“A couple of days ago,” I answered. “Uh – Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon we went for coffee. She said she wanted me to hide her, but then she changed her mind when we got back. I figured she decided to go home.”

We’d reached the cars and now Dillon’s girlfriend was piling into his ute. The boy turned to me, a hand on the door handle. The look on his face was filled with worry and anger, and I knew the latter was directed mostly at me. His eyes burned into mine, his mouth set in a grim line.

“Check your usual hangouts,” he ordered. “The Treehouse, the other girl’s houses, Fletcher. I’m going to check in with my parents and then get to the police station.”

I nodded, my cheeks reddening in guilt, remembering the promise I’d made to him a long time ago. Back when Flora and I had finally convinced her parents to let us go with Dillon to Shelley’s famous annual Halloween party. Our first party and home to one of the biggest secrets on my list. The night I slept with my best friend’s older brother.

At my uncertain smile, Dillon suddenly stepped closer to me, cupping my cheek in his hand. I wondered what his girlfriend would say about that.

“Sorry for getting angry,” he growled. “Just find her, alright? You made me a promise.”

Turning away, I was thankful that Fletcher was only a street away. His house was the first place I’d look, and if she wasn’t there then I’d force him to take me to the Treehouse. This was my fault. I’d let her leave my house despite the state she had been in. I had to find her. Or I would never forgive myself.