The Beat of My Heart
Chapter Two; Part One
 

I look up at Jax; shocked.

    "What is it Illiana?" Jax asks, scrunching his eyebrows together.
    "My mom says I need to get home now," I say getting worried.

Jax calls Alessa over, asks for boxes and the check, we pay, and then we’re hurrying home. The 20 minute drive from Abele’s to my house seemed to take forever. It was 8:45 PM by the time we finally got back. There were so many police cars; the street looked like there were millions of Christmas lights up. The second we pulled into the driveway I was out of the car and running up the lawn. I was in front of my mom before Jax even had the car in park.

    "What are all of the police doing here Mom?" I questioned; worried.
    "They—Your--," was all she could say before she started to cry again.

Jax was by my side; I looked at him with a worried expression.

    "Excuse me, Officer; why are you here?" Jax asked.
The officer walked over and said, "We found a young girl at the pier this morning around 7:30. She looked to be about 14 or 15, and she had a picture of the family who lives here in her pocket."

My sister, Blayne, had been missing for a while now. Missing; if that’s what you want to call running away with your 16 year old boyfriend. My mom was the first person to find the note Blayne wrote when she left. It said something along the line of she’d be home when she got sick of her boyfriend and wherever they’re at. She assured my mom nothing would happen to her because her boyfriend would take care of her. I remember love at that age. Hopelessly romantic, falling for anyone who would tell me they love me, but then I met Jax. Blayne running away tore my mom and dad apart. My mom became obsessed with knowing what I was doing 24/7, and my dad became devoted to his work at the firm. She was stupid for running away.

    "Maybe it’s not Blayne," I said turning to face my mom again.
    "Ma’am, you have to come to the Coroner’s and identify the body," the officer said to my mom.
    "Right," she said turning to go inside.

When she came back out she had her coat on. My mom rode in the police car; Jax and I followed behind them. It was a silent drive. No music and no talking. When we finally got to the Coroner’s two detectives escorted us into the viewing room. The coroner looked up, nodded at the detectives, then pulled back the blanket; showing the young girls face.