Re: :.:Gone:.:

[Taylor]

I N G R I D }


Hesitantly, I slip my shirt over my head and toss it into a corner of the room with the rest of Paige's dirty clothes. Glancing down at my stomach, I notice it's concave, and I count my ribs. I haven't eaten in three days, I realize.

I slip the baggy shirt over my head and roll up the sleeves a bit, then flatten out my skinny jeans and tie my sneakers. I put my hair in a quick side braid before joining Paige downstairs.

"Do you have a bike or something? A skateboard?" These days in the FAYZ, most kids get around using bikes, scooters, or skateboards. Sometimes not their own.

[Princess]

I disappear into the garage for a moment before peeking my head back inside the door. "I have a bike and a skateboard, but I don't know how to skateboard. So you can use that." I hand the skateboard to her and push the bike out of the garage, locking my helmet on my head.

"We really need to get going," I call out to her. "Can you lock the door for me? "

[Taylor]

I N G R I D }


"Already on it," I shout to her, locking the door as I walk out. I strap a helmet onto my head and hop onto the skateboard. Growing up with three older brothers, I know exactly how to skateboard.

I kick myself forward and glide along the road, looking around. The town seems.. organized. A group of kids is hauling buckets of water from the Perdido River to the hospital, another is handing out baskets of food to a line of kids, and there are kids stepping and out of every building happily.

None of them give us a second look.

"Do you think anyone's looking after the littles?" I ask over at Paige, the daycare just in my line of vision.

[Princess]

I begin to pedal faster as the daycare comes into sight. "They probably are," I tighten my grip on the handlebars. "But I'm not sure I trust random kids to take care of them."

I hop off my bike as soon as we reach the daycare, speed-walking up to the front door. "Hello?" I call out to whoever is inside, holding the door open. "Is someone in here?"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


Aria, Carter, and I awoke at exactly 5 AM and began our check ups on the town. As expected, the daycare was abandoned. Aria and I took over, whilst Carter told the kids where to go (as told by my directions), and made sure everyone knew I was helping the littles.

When Paige and Ingrid march into the daycare, I practically snort.

I place a kiss on the infant in my hands' head and place her down in her crib. I grit my teeth and walk calmly to the door where they walked in.

"How nice of you to join us," I snap, closing the door that seperates the kids from the waiting area. "Whilst you two were off sleeping together , Aria and I have been doing your job." I glare at Paige and cross my arms.

[Princess]

"I-" I falter and stare at the floor, refusing to make eye contact while Arabella scolds me. "I'm sorry, we were tired." My voice drops to a murmur. "I can take care of them right now,"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


"Oh, how cute," I smile coldly and shake my head. "You think you can just waltz in here after I've been doing your job for ten hours?"

"You two are the most useless pieces of shit I've ever seen," I spit. "You should be ashamed. These kids have been crying for their parents and for you," I glare at Paige. "And you're off sleeping together. What was I supposed to tell them? 'Oh, don't worry, kids. Paige is just off having sex with some girl she just met'."

I flip my hair over my shoulder and direct my glare at Ingrid. "The whole town was counting on you, Ingrid. We made you fire chief. And you frollick with that whore? What's wrong with you?" I click my tongue. "I thought you were better than this. All I've heard is how great Ingrid is. How amazing Ingrid is. And you pull this shit?"

Addressing them both now, I inspect my nails nonchalantly. "You two are the most vile people I've ever met. Nobody in this town, nobody but you two, would do this. We're all depressed, we're all upset. And yet, every single person was able to get out of bed and do their goddamn jobs. Even the eight year olds. Useless. Both of you."

[Princess]

I freeze and stare at her, trying to come up with something to say. "I- We- We weren't even..." I stop myself from talking and wipe the tears off of my face as they fell.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammer, my eyes glued to the floor. My whole body is shaking from the effort of not breaking down right there and then. "It won't happen again," my breathing is ragged and my voice is weak.

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


"Save the waterworks for your pillow, sweetie," I lick my lips and shake my head, disgusted at Paige's behavior. "You're not a child, look at me when I'm talking to you."

I shift my weight to one side and place my hands on my hips. "I'm done with your behaviors. You're not to speak or see each other until I see fit. Ingrid, you're to stay in the firehouse with the others who were appointed firefighters. Paige, you're to stay here, if you can handle it."

I wait for a moment, running my tongue along my teeth. "Well?" I snap. "Are you two morons just going to stand here? Ingrid, get the fuck out!"

Ingrid's mouth comes unglued, a shellshocked expression on her face. "Don't talk to me like that. Don't talk to Paige like that. Look, I don't know who you think you are but you can't just walk in here and scream---"

"Excuse me?" I cut in. "I've been here, bitch. Since 5 A.M. Where have your lazy asses been? Sleeping. You two are the ones that 'just walked in here'."

"I.. We've been leading this place for a week before you got here. We were tired."

I push my hands forward, sending Ingrid flying backwards into the wall behind her. "Get out," I begin, my voice low. "Get out! Get out, get out, get out!" With each word, my voice grows louder. "I've had it! Get out!"

Ingrid looks at me, stunned, on her hands and knees. She glances at Paige for a moment before gettng to her feet, running out of the daycare.

"Useless whore number two," I sigh wearily. "Follow me."

Without waiting, I place my hands behin my back and make my way into the room where the kids are

[Princess]

I let out a loud gasp, watching Ingrid run away before I have a chance to say anything.

I follow Arabella into the kids' room, clenching my fists. "You didn't have to do that," I blurt out, choking back the lump in my throat. "Why did you do that?"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


I spin on my heel and glare at Paige. "As leader of the FAYZ, I cannot allow two of the oldest people here goof off and act like a bunch of whores."

I cross my arms and sigh. "Paige, I don't like yelling. I don't like getting on you guys. If I had it my way, we'd all be able to sleep in until 3."

I scoop down and pick up an infant, rockig him in my arms. "I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot. I lost my temper back there. Surely you understand how hard it can be to be in a position of leadership as a teenager."

I hum quietly, calming down the baby who has started to cry. "I'd like to get to know you, Paige," I smile up a her. "I think you're a wonderful person to step up and take care of the littles. We should get to know each other. Talk. Hang out."

[Princess]

I frown and stare at her, my cheeks bright red. "We didn't even do that," I turn my attention towards a group of arguing children, separating them before one of them cries.

"I don't want to talk to you right now." I move to the opposite side of the room, far away from Arabella. "Maybe you wouldn't have been sent to Coates if you weren't so aggressive all of the time, " I add before turning my back to her and stsrting to clean up some toys on the floor.

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


"You think that's why I was admitted to Coates? For aggresiveness?" I giggle a bit and shake my head.

I look through the boxes of supplies lined up against the wall; there's only one box of Huggy's Diapers, two bags of cheddar Goldfish, a few pouches of formula, and a dozen juiceboxes. Later tonight, I'm sending out search groups for the houses.

"What do you think of Ingrid?" I ask, starting to count up the pacifiers in the boxes. "Did you know her before the FAYZ?"

[Princess]

I feel myself begin to blush and drop the toys into a bin. "I don't know how that's your business," I mumble quietly, taking a head count of the kids in the room.

"Are the rest of them outside?" I ask, peeking out the window.

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


I let out a sigh. "Y'know, Ingrid is fine. I didn't hurt her or anything. I don't get why you're so mad. I'm trying to be nice. I could just walk away and not help."

I walk over towards the window where Paige stands and place a hand on her shoulder. "A lot of the kids are now staying in others' homes. After you didn't show up, they said they'd rather stay with an older sibling or friend than stay in the dayare."

[Princess]

I huff and push her hand off of my shoulder. "You wouldn't know that you didn't. She looked pretty hurt to me."

I look back at the kids who are there, assuming they didn't have anyone else to go to. "I know you're trying to help, but there's better ways of discipline than hurting people."

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


-TIMESKIP 2 WEEKS-

For the first time in two weeks, I have received a day off. Aria volunteered to take over for the day, along with Carter. The past weeks have been relatively calm in the FAYZ; the search groups are still finding supplies to use and the lake is still filled with fresh water.

Fortunately, nobody has gotten sick. Nobody has turned 16. All has been quiet. I have yet to think about what will happen when the junk food we're all used to runs out.

Today, I relax. Today, Paige and I sit on the beach for a day of fun and relaxation.

Aria persuaded Carter and three of his friends to look after the littles; I didn't want Paige to have any worries today.

"Nice day, right?" I grin and lay out on the hot sand, allowing the hot sun to beat down on my body. I'm wearing a lavender bikini, no sun-screen. Lana says we should save the sun-screen for Summer.

[Princess]

I feel my cheeks heat up, gluing my eyes to my feet. "It is pretty nice," I smile to myself, burying my feet in the sand.

"We'll probably have to pay them back somehow, though." I'm perched underneath a large umbrella, keeping as far into the shade as I can. I sunburn much too easily to be out in the sun like Bella is.

"Do you think they're handling things okay?" I worry for a moment, getting ready to stand up. "Don't they have their own jobs to take care of?"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


I place hand on Paige's thigh and shake my head. "Don't worry," I tell her. "Today's our day."

"Let's go for a swim," I jump up and hold out my hand, dropping into a mock curtsey. "It'll be fun."

[Princess]

My blush darkens at her touch, goosebumps forming where her hand was.

I beam and take her hand, pulling her towards the water. "Youll be the one paying them both back, then," I lied.

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


"A little bit of money in exchange for a perfect day with you?" I smile as I step into the sea, salty water pooling around my ankles. "I think I'm okay with that."

I lay on my back, pushing off the coast and floating away. "Can I ask you something, Paige?"

[Princess]

I snort and throw myself into the water, freezing once i realize how cold it is. "I think they'll want more than just a little bit of money after dealing with all of those kids for an entire day," wet strands of hair cling to my face before I sweep them aside.

"Yeah," I submerge myself from the neck-down in the water. "What's up?"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


I walk further into the ocean, right up until I can just barely stand on my tiptoes and still breathe.

"You ever kissed anyone before?" I drop my voice low, smirking slightly.

[Princess]

"Not yet," I shake my head and sigh dramatically.

"Why, have you?"

[Taylor]

>ARABELLA>


I shrug my shoulders. "Yeeh," I roll my eyes. "But they never meant anything."

I pause before walking on my tip toes through the water, inching closer to Paige. "Would you like to be kissed?" I ask, our faces a mere inch apart.

[Princess]

I pull back slightly, looking up the beach for onlookers. "What if somebody sees us?" I ask, already feeling the embarrassment of being caught red-handed.

[Sponsored content]