Predation:
The weak are the meat the strong do eat.
"...And a major break through in the Samantha Marshal case as another witness has come forward with a testimony that points towards one of the local gangs as responsible for the abduction."
"A local man, who's has chosen to not reveal his name to us at Chanel 4 News for his own protection, has claimed to have been in the area during the abduction having been in the area visiting a friend. He has gone on record saying that the abductors were Asian teens in red naming them as The Azn Bad Boyz a local gang that is known to frequent the area the attack took place in. The police are still determining the validity of his testimony, holding the man at an undisclosed location for his safety."
"For those of you just tuning in a Local girl Samantha Marshal, thirteen years old, was viciously attacked in the early morning this past Monday before being abducted on her way to school that morning. While there is suspected to be many witnesses given the time and place she was abducted none have stepped forward until now.
"The investigation is still ongoing but the police are hesitant to release any information regarding it. While there are many rumors circulating in regards to this terrible tragedy nothing has been confirmed as of this time."
"In regards to our ongoing coverage we've invited a guest to help shed some light on the subject, a Ms Emily Nakamura, a local professor from the South Harman Technical Institute who is an expert on the local gangs. Ms. Nakamura what can you tell us abou-"
"Yeah that's reputable, as the Asian woman about the Asian gang," You are shoved downward by the sudden weight on your back, caught by surprise you can only catch sight of a lightly tanned arm holding a remote to the TV, a rather pretty Japanese woman on the screen, before with a click the image is replaced with tall stick thin women parading down a walkway half dressed.
"That kinda stuff will rot your brain out, yeah."
You shoot a glare at the redhaired girl whom had invaded your personal bubble so rudely, making a face to show just what you thought of her statement. Either reading your expression or being aware of her own hypocracy the girl smirked down at you, and with an exaggerated gesture reached out and snatched a potato chip from a nearby bowl to place into her mouth. Your expressions are quickly reversed however when the snackfood touches her tongue and her face falls.
Bar-b-Que Flavor, You smirk at her sour expression, Your one weakness!
There's a pause before she forces her self to finish the chip in defiance, too much pride to admit to her mistake.
"So... why are you here," 'Eating my food.'
"Wow. Way to make a girl feel wanted Taylor," Your friend bites out blandly. Her flat expression quickly breaking at the sight of you panicking in worry you'd seriously offended your only friend, giving you a comforting rub on the head. You are quick to swat her hand away after a moment to calm down, you weren't a dog dammit! If Emma found it upsetting she gave no sign you could notice, "As for what brings me here, well I just felt like visiting my Besty you know? What, am I not allowed stop by and say hello?"
You don't say anything as she pulls you into an awkward one armed hug instead shooting a look at the clock on the wall.
Emma's surprise drop ins were normal, and ironically somewhat expected. Despite being so often the center of attention and unlike you accustomed to the spotlight the girl was practically a ninja when she needed to be, easily able to sneak up on you at anytime anywhere. Something she did often, so often you rarely were caught off guard when she just suddenly popped up in your blind spot.
This time however you were. Not having expected the possibility so late at night when most reasonable people were in bed. Like you actually. You turn your head to look behind you towards the now open window on the other side of your bed, and confirming that the draft you were feeling wasn't just your imagination. You scowled, okay that was very bad.
"Emma," She didn't meet your eye, giving a guilty smile as you break the hug and gently push her away, "Emma that was really dangerous and really really stupid thing to do."
You cut her off before she could try and downplay what she did, "I don't mean climbing up to my window, though that's also stupid what if you broke your neck! No, what I'm talking about is walking a five city blocks in the middle of the night," You pause as you just notice something about her appearance, "In you pajamas? You... In your pajama!"
You try not to yell as your dad is asleep, though with that revelation your harsh whispers were just hissed shouts.
"Hey it's-"
"No! Emma that's beyond stupid! Don't you know anything? Why would you even do that?"
There's no answer, instead your friend just glares, not focusing on anything her deadly look switching from you to the tv to the floor. You can see her tense, her fists balled up and shoulders tucked and an ugly expression on her face that shouldn't be there. You felt most of your anger evaporate into worry that you'd perhaps gone to far in your rebuke. Hesitantly you reached forward, and her hand quickly snapped up to knock it away before aborting. After a moment of internal debate she lowered her hand again, though still not facing you.
You could work with that. You hand slid down her shoulders to rest on her back as you puller her back into another hug, one she half-heartedly returned. It was a relief to know she wasn't upset with you, and gently you adjust your hand's position and gently use your thumb to stroke the back of her neck. You didn't quite have much experience in comforting others but whenever you were sad you recalled such a soothing gesture being used. You feel a bit of melancholy at the memory.
Eventually Emma relaxes, releasing her tension like a spring. No, rather more like a balloon she seemed to deflate with a sad sigh, sinking into herself as she did so.
"Like I said," She breaks the hug, "I just wanted to stop by and see you. And, I also kinda didn't want to sleep in my bed tonight."
Well, that's... vague. And ominous. And sadly familiar. Emma had a habit of inviting herself over to a sleepover whenever anything upset her at home. Giving vague and seemingly innocuous reasons for doing so. Most of the time she told you why some time later; Her parents having a fight over Mr. Barnes working late, getting into a fight with her mother, when she accidentally fed her dog chocolate, or being upset because her older sister was getting too much attention.
Given how late it was that she came this time it must have been bad. The only other time you recall something like this happening was when it her habit had started when her cousin died a couple years ago and you'd woken up in the morning to find her sleeping next you. It had taken her weeks and several other surprise visits before she had revealed she'd gotten into a fight with the younger boy and said she wished he was dead the week before. That... had not been a fun time for anyone.
You weren't going to pry, if she thought you need to know she'd let you know like she normally did. You rationalized it to yourself feeling guilty, as if you should take a queue from one of those fancy cartoons they show where the main character demanded answers until their friend spilled and then they hug and everything turns out okay. You didn't really believe that though, you doubt you'd respond positively to something like that. You also didn't think you had it in you to do that either.
You felt a gentle rub on your middle back and you felt a spike of self annoyance that it seemed the situation had reversed again with Emma having to comfort you. Thankfully it only lasts a moment before the hug is broken and Emma smiles before turning back to the TV.
The two of you sit in a comfortable silence watching the television.
Crap, this is why I don't let Emma choose the channel, You sulk as you watch five grown women act like children and bitch about each other behind their friends backs, This is literally hell. Emma's shove must have broken my neck and now I'm in reality TV hell.
You would rather be catching up on the news again, but Emma probably needed this. How anyone could possibly need something so... that you could not fathom but apparently it seemed to exist and you had to accept that for your friends sake. No mater how much you wanted bludgeon her to death with the remote for her terrible taste in entertainment.
Thankfully after her show ended she let you return to the news channel, to no one's surprise the segment you were interested in had ended and likely would not come back on for a while longer, long past when you'd probably collapse from exhaustion. So you watched a bit more, enough to catch tomorrow's weather at least before turning off the lights.
"Seriously Taylor, you shouldn't watch those kinds of scary things before bed, they'll give you nightmares."
You stop on your way to the bed where Emma already tucked herself in.
"I... well it's better to know these things. Besides, I don't think something like that would happen to me," The girl, Samantha, had been pretty, very pretty. Some dark part of you felt a twinge of jealousy that disgusted you given what it had caused to happen.
Emma seemed upset and opened her mouth before what she wanted to say seemed to die in her throat and a bemused look crossed her face, she raised her hand and opened her mouth again only for that attempted too to be aborted. The third, far more hesitant, try fared no better before Emma crossed her arms with a click of her tongue having given up.
"Okay, yeah. Not touching that minefield. Just, I don't know, relax more okay? You've been a really Debbie downer recently. Ever since..."
She stopped herself short barely catching her mistake. You know what she means but choose not to dwell on it. Ignoring it made easy by a rather sudden increase in fatigue. With a yawn you squeeze in beside Emma in a bed that was definitely note supposed to support being shared at your age. It's a bit of a squeeze laying shoulder to shoulder but honestly you'd missed this feeling of closeness.
"Yeah, I know, 's why dad signed me up for camp..." You mumble and shift the blankets.
"Yeah. I heard." She sounded bitter, it takes you a moment to realize that you'd told her last week only to learn that she was having her first job as a professional model during that time and had wanted you to be there for her. You'd wanted to apologize but she cut you off beating you to the punch, "No, it's okay. I get it Taylor you're dad already paid and you can't exactly get a refund or blow it off for just a day..."
"How about if I give you call before you go on stage?" You offered, still feeling upset for not being able to be there for her, "Oh better yet I'll give you a call everyday and we can talk it?"
"That sounds perfect, thanks Tay," She smiles and yawns, "Night."
You feel a something heavy settle in your stomach. That usual awkward feeling, of feeling you need to say something but can't. That it might sound foolish or offensive. You turn to her.
"Emma..."
[X] Please don't do something like that again."
[X] ...No, it's nothing. Good night."