Mariana hates the silence. Well, relative silence. Her family has never been quiet, and it's not like Callie was very loud in the first place. But her absence is tangible, and it hurts.

At first, Callie was an unpleasant addition to the family, it's true. Prickly at her best and hostile at her worst, Callie was hard to get along with, and though Mariana didn't like her, she didn't blame her, either. Parents are supposed to love you, to be there for you, and Mariana knew just as well as Callie how awful it was when they disappointed you, and that it left you feeling angry and sad and lost. She knew this about Callie, and she understood, she really did, but that didn't change the fact that Callie was hard to be around. She hadn't been thrilled when Callie moved in, and Mariana was embarrassed when she remembered just how poorly she'd treated her foster sister.

But they had grown to like each other, to trust each other, and when Callie ran away Mariana couldn't help but feel hurt. They were sisters. They were supposed to tell each other things. Just that evening Callie had become one of them, officially, and her flight felt like a slap in the face. She had been so excited. Now, Mariana just feels tired.

Mariana sighs, pulling her hair back into a ponytail, her back to Callie's empty bed. The Moms are insisting that they go to school. Mariana is grateful to get out of the house, to escape Lena's swollen eyes and Stef's anger and Callie's lingering presence, but she is not ready to face her classmates' curiosity and her teachers' pity. She glances ruefully at her outfit - sweats and a hoodie - and reaches for a bracelet. The added jewelry does not tie the ensemble (ensemble? What a joke) together like she'd hoped and Seventeen had promised her. Mariana gives up, shrugs her backpack onto her shoulders, and plods downstairs.

"Good morning, Mariana," says Lena cheerfully, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "Are you ready for your first day back?"

"Um...no," says Mariana, wondering what on earth has her mother so happy. "What's up? Any news?"

Lena's face darkens perceptibly. "Nothing," she says quietly, passing Mariana a bowl of cereal and the milk jug.

Jesus appears at the foot of the stairs, grabs a box of cereal and a bowl, and sits down next to his sister. He doesn't look like he's gotten any sleep. Poor Jesus, Mariana thinks, worrying about his sister and his girlfriend. Mariana has been trying not to think about Lexi - all the what ifs are torturing her (what if they're caught? And if they're not, how will Lexi cope with her grandmother's death? And what if they can't come back?) Jesus mumbles a cursory good morning and starts to shovel cereal into his mouth. Lena glances worriedly at him before pouring herself a cup of strong, black coffee.

When Brandon appears five minutes later, he looks even worse than Jesus. He has not taken Callie's disappearance well, and it shows. His hair is disheveled, his clothes are wrinkled, and his face is pale - he hasn't left the house in a few days. All he's done is play the guitar he gave Callie, the one she left behind. He grabs an apple and sits down opposite Jesus.

"Aren't you going to eat something else, Brandon?" Lena asks. When he shakes his head, she sighs and takes a sip of coffee.

They eat in silence.

"Where's Jude?" Mariana wonders aloud, setting her empty bowl in the sink.

"Stef took him to the station. They're going to ask him a few questions," Lena says.

"They've already asked him a billion," Mariana grumbles, "What else can they expect of him? Callie didn't tell where she was going, not even Jude."

"I happen to agree with you," says Lena, "but they seem to think he'll let something slip. They don't suspect he knows where she is," she adds quickly, when Brandon stops chewing, "but maybe she's gone someplace that they've both been before. Stef says that every detail helps."

Mariana sighs, glancing at the clock. She still has time to walk to school, if she hurries. She squeezes her mother's shoulders, acutely aware of Lena's sadness, and heads out, the screen door banging shut behind her.

The morning is crisp and sunny; a warm breeze rustles the branches of the trees.

This sucks, Mariana thinks, and starts to walk.