Chapter 1

Maybelle... Maybelle... Maybelle.
My name was being called from somewhere around me yet I couldn’t tell where. The voice sounding oddly familiar but I couldn’t quite place it. I turned around, my head looking everywhere, trying to pin point the sound of the voice. Squinting, I shake my head. Everything in this dream was so foggy, nothing was focusing. It had been the same for the past couple of weeks – ever since mum had disappeared - the same type of dream every time. It always seemed to end with the calling of my name. Slowly, I felt my mind start to ascend towards the side of consciousness like always.

~

“Maybelle. Would you wake up already. You’ll be late otherwise.” John, my step dad, called from my doorway, his face showing a look of exhaustion most likely having stayed up all night with the police again. This was what had been happening for the past couple of weeks; John would talk to the police all night trying to piece together everything that had happened while I slept. He said that it was the time in the day when things were the clearest to him. Today though the toll of it all was showing on his face. Adrenaline that had kept John awake for nights on end at the start had fizzled out until there was nothing left.
“uggggh!” I reply showing him some sort of consciousness hoping that he will leave me alone so that I could get some more sleep. The dreams always left me more tired than I was to start with.
“Come on Maybelle, you’ve got your first day of school today. You’ll be late if you don’t get moving.” Great. I was never going to get some sleep now, not at the mention of school. Turning over I looked at John & tell him that I’m getting up & that I’ll be down soon.
“Okay, remember your walking today” he said as he turns around and walks down the corridor & then down the stairs slowly, off hopefully to make my breakfast. Smiling at the thought of breakfast being made for me, I push the duvet back & swing my legs over the end of the bed. Walking over to the mirror I look at my messy dark brown hair and wonder what I’m going to do with it.
The thought of my arch enemy Lexie comes into my head, it was the memory of her telling our class on the last day of term that what we did with our hair on the first day of school says a lot about us and whether we’re cool or not. Shrugging my shoulders I went to my closet & grabbed my pre-selected clothes, a high-waisted pair of shorts and a peach coloured top, and headed to the bathroom in hope of making myself presentable. Emerging with a cloud of steam behind me with brushed & slightly styled hair, a small amount of make-up & my clothes on, I headed down the stairs. As I do I can smell the freshly brewed hot chocolate & toast mixing together to make one delicious smell. Not. I always have to make my breakfast, but the thought was nice. Reaching into the cupboard I pull out two slices of bread and my favourite mug. I place the bread in the toaster and then place my mug in front the kettle in my normal routine. As I do this I can hear John doing his routine, getting his daily paper from outside, removing the wrapper in the hallway, placing it in the bin. It hasn’t ever changed since he first moved in but I was okay with that.
“Hey” I say as I grab my toast & mug full of hot chocolate and go into the dining room. Sitting down at the table I pick up the newest book in my favourite series and start to read it, it was just starting to get good so I didn't notice when John came in to the room after a few minutes & sat down opposite me. He stared at me for a while, sighed then said,
“The police don’t have any new leads; say she must have run away and committed suicide.” I look up at John just in time to see the fear that briefly crosses his face over the police’s latest theory. Swallowing the last piece of toast I open my mouth to reply, before I have the chance our phone starts to ring. I raced into the kitchen, feet sliding along the tiles as I picked up the phone and pushed the talked button.
“Hello, Maybelle speaking” I said into the phone, hoping to hear the one voice that I know so well.
“Hey babe!!!!!! You ready to rock & roll???” My BF (Best Friend) tash squealed into the phone unaware of the fact that it was 8.10 in the morning, regardless I still smile.
“Absolutely, you still meeting me here?” I ask her, already knowing the answer.
“’course, I’ll be there in 2,” and with that she was gone, on her way over to walk to school with me. Not being able to go back into the dining room to face the conversation that I know I’ll have to face sometime, I head up to my room to get my books before tash arrives.
The doorbell’s ring alerts me to tash’s arrival, sprinting to the door I open it wide & throw my arms around her, holding her tight. Although it had only been a week since I’d last seen her, it had felt like an eternity. With all the drama lately she was the one thing in my life that hadn’t changed and for that I was grateful. Smiling at tash I turn back to the house & yell to john that I’m leaving.
“Okay, be back her at 4pm please, the police want to talk to you,” he says as I close the door. Rolling my eyes at tash we start down the driveway. There was no way I was going to be back at the house at 4pm to talk to the police for what was the 8th time. Their questions never changed, nor did my answers. There was no more reason for me to actually go to these interviews.