Chapter 1 - Missing?!

‘I’M LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
My mind screamed at me as I awoke in my bed and looked at the clock which said, 10:24 AM.
I quickly ran downstairs dressed in my school uniform.
“Aunt Heidi?”
I searched my kitchen for aunt Heidi. She was taking care of me since mom n’ dad abandoned me when I was really little. It hurt me when I found that out, though. My aunt isn’t even married, so I get really lonely when she steps out even for 5 seconds!!
“Aunt Heidi!”
I yell and search for her again.
“Oh, what coulda happened to my aunt Heidi,” I panicked.
“Has she abandoned me, too?”
Though I was just joking, I started thinking more about what I just said.
“Guess I’ll have to take a taxi or something.”
I shrugged. I needed to get to school. Today, we were gonna do something really important and I can’t miss it!
I ran up to my room and took out the money from my piggy bank.
I think I had enough to pay the taxi driver.
“Yup, I’ll take 40 dollars in case. 20 to pay the taxi driver, and 20 to eat or shop somewhere before I get home.”
Aunt Heidi won’t know I used 40 dollars today, right? It’s not like she goes checking in there anyway.
I ran back downstairs and grabbed my backpack and my lunch.
“Great! At least I’m ready!” I smiled.
I stood on the sidewalk outside and waited if any taxis would pass by.
“Come on...please....let a taxi pass by......” I silently prayed.
Instead, a bus appeared out of the snowy fog and was heading my way.
“—Or bus! Thank you, anyhow!” I smiled happily and waved my hand back and forth.
“Hey!! Over here!!” I yelled.
The bus stopped and the doors opened to let me in.
“Thank you!” I said and paid the driver.
“Maybe I gave ‘em too much.” I gulped nervously and looked back.
“Ah, well.”
I shrugged and sat down.
“Sorry I’m late!” I said as I barged into the classroom.
I sat down in my seat and heard some of the boys laughing. “Grr,” I looked behind me and growled angrily at the ones who were smiling evilly and laughing.
“Hey, Mijou, why so late?” Yokai asked.
Yokai was my best friend. He was probably the only one who showed respect for me and wasn’t laughing.
“Oh, Yokai...”
I blushed a little.
“Ah, just the ol’ “oversleeping” incident.”
Yokai chuckled.
“Oh, really? Same story happened to you twice last week! So, why are you oversleeping? Is your alarm clock broken?”
I actually hadn’t thought about that... But, the weird thing is that yesterday the alarm clock woke me....but how come today it didn’t? Or am I a heavy sleeper????
“Hm, I dunno. I’ll have to check.”
“So, Mijou, are we still going shopping after school?” Bettani asked me.
“Sure! I brought a 20!” I held out my 20 dollar bill and smiled.
“Oh! Wow! How many stuff are you planning to buy, Mijou?? We’re only going to Shinjitsu Kaminari! You know that everything there is only three dollars! Remember? One dollar is for small stuff, two dollars is for medium sized items, and three dollars are for the biggest items there! What were you thinking?!” She asked me and slapped me in the back and laughed.
“I was in a rush, Bettani! Do you expect me to empty out my piggy bank at that time just to find two or three dollars?!”
“Did your aunt catch you with 20 dollars?” Bettani interrupted me.
I almost forgot....
Aunt Heidi is missing!
“No, Aunt Heidi wasn’t there when I woke up!” I said.
Bettani stopped smiling.
“Not there? Where was she, then?”
I shrugged.
“I dunno! That’s why I left the house with 40 dollars.”
“HOLY COW!! 40???? WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU THINKING??? Where did you spend your other 20?” She asked.
“I paid the bus driver.” I said and blushed.
“The bus isn’t worth 20 dollars!!”
“I know, but I was rushing!”
Just then, my teacher placed a paper on my desk.
I remembered that important thing today.....
It was supposed to be a test... a test on what we know so far...and it’s a REALLY big grade, too!
I grabbed my pencil and began working.
After school, I stood outside with Bettani.
“I sure hope I got a good grade on my test!” I said.
“Me, too.” She smiled.
“So what’s the plan?”
“When Aunt Heidi comes, I’ll tell her that your mom’s gonna take us shopping.” I smiled.
“Great idea.”
So, we waited, which seemed like the longest time in history.
“I wanna get the new plush. It comes in all different colors, and it’s so cute!” I say.
“I’m gonna get it in purple because that’s your favorite color, and I’m going to place blue buttons on the jacket I’m gonna make her because blue is your second favorite color.” I finish.
“And....why do you wanna put my favorite colors in your doll?” She asks me.
“...In memory......of you....” I say and smile.
At first she looks surprised, then she looks at me with a warm smile.
“Of me? Why?”
“Because you’re the best friend a girl could ever have!” I say and give her a hug.
“Aww, thanks. You’re my best friend, too,” She smiles.
“I trust you more than anyone, and you’re the best of ‘em all....I just don’t know what I’d do without a friend like you.” Bettani finishes with a friendly smile.
I start to look around.
“What’s wrong?”
“Where’s my aunt!? Where’s your mom?!”
She begins to panic also.
“Where are they?! How will we get home?” She asks and starts to shake me.
“Wait, I got an idea!” I say and pull out my 20 dollar bill.
“We’ll—“

TO BE CONTINUED

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