The Kiss that Sparked it All

Mara stórmed past her, slamming the door to her room with a force that echoed through the house.

Once she was safely within the confines of her own space, she let her temper loose, pummeling the punching bag in the corner until it swung chaotically from side to side.

For some reason, she was convinced that it was Balfour exchanging those sweet nothings with Victoria. Ever since they were kids, Victoria had a knack for taking what was Mara’s.

Plotting to swipe Victoria’s phone and uncover the truth of her mysterious text exchanges seemed like a good idea, but before Mara could concoct a foolproof plan, calamity struck. Victoria vanished without a trace.

Elton, ever vigilant since the last incident, didn’t waste a moment. He and Mara headed straight to school in search of answers. But, to everyone’s shock, Balfour was missing too.

Initially, Mara was indifferent about Victoria’s disappearance. “She’s probably off flirting with some boy,” she thought dismissively. But upon hearing that Balfour had also disappeared, panic set in.

“What the heck? Why would they disappear together? Could something terrible have happened?” asked Mara. This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Elton cast a sidelong glance at Mara. Who was this Balfour, and how were both his daughters connected to him? Mara seemed to know him well; her face betrayed her worry only when she heard he was missing. She hadn’t shown this much concern when it was just her sister who was gone.

“Don’t worry, sir,” the school teacher tried to reassure Elton. “We’re reviewing the security footage as we speak, and we hope to locate them soon. They were both present during classes today, so it’s unclear where they might have gone after.”

The implication was clear – the two of them might have run off together. If they had a romantic relationship, it wouldn’t be entirely unexpected.

But Elton was adamant. “My daughter would never engage in such distractions. She knows her priority is her studies. She wouldn’t create trouble for herself, and she certainly wouldn’t go out without telling me. She’s never done that before.”

The teachers exchanged glances before gently saying, “We understand your concerns, sir. But sometimes, we don’t fully grasp what’s going on with our kids. Of course, we hope there’s no harm done to them. Let’s not jump to conclusions. Teenage escapades are not unheard of, and if they return safe and sound, that’s all that matters.”

Elton was steadfast in his belief, but before he could continue, Mara cut in. Her voice was cold, yet clear, “Dad, let’s not speculate anymore. Maybe Victoria did go off with that boy. Isn’t that better than some other possibilities?”

Everyone understood the subtext of her words, but none expected such a blunt statement from a girl who seemed so quiet and introverted. It was as if she wasn’t the least bit worried about her missing sister, disregarding her family’s reputation while her father was still present.