She's nowhere to be found

Their search had turned up nothing, no Grace, nor sign of grace. After hours of sweating and humid hiking they returned to camp, and gathered to moan, and whine about their failures.

"You all worked so hard out there." Parker sounded like a proud parent. "However I've been in contact with the park rangers office, and they did as us to leave the investigation to them. So tomorrow, we're going back to our scheduled activities."

This naturally caused quite a stir among those with a heart. They barraged Parker with questions and complaints all of which she was able to fend off admirably.

"We should be going home!" Amy cried, annoyed at how effortlessly calm Parker remained through all of this. "We're missing a person! We can't just go on acting like everything's normal."

Parker nodded her head. "Amy I appreciate your input, but I was the one elected to lead this house. We've spent a lot of money on this vacation. And when Parker is found..."

Amy crossed her arms and tuned out the rest of Parker's speech. This was such bullshit. No one would have gone missing on her watch. She wouldn't have been out, smoking peyote in the woods last night. As she tuned out Parker her eyes landed on Marcy, who had a finger, knuckle deep into her nose, and was going to town.

"What do you think she's looking for?" Gale joked, also catching the weird sight. All around them the girls were starting to disperse. Apparently, Parker had finished convincing everyone that a missing girl was no big deal.

"Hey, Marcy," Amy said walking up to the girl with her finger up her nose. The picker turned to Amy with a blush on her face, and a dull look in her eyes. She almost looked like she was smiling. "What's up?" She asked, tone somewhat altered by her circumstance.

"Um..." Amy didn't know what to say, she'd hoped that simply breaking her from the trance would be enough. So Amy tapped the side of her nose, knowingly.

"Oh!" It's like Marcy was only just now realizing where her finger had been, and she quickly pulled it free, with a wet sound. "That's so embarrassing, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Parker said, joining the conversation. She looked at Amy. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Amy here simply forgot that we don't criticize our sisters, but instead to seek to encourage each other. I for one thought you looked cute with your finger up there, didn't she Amy?" Marcy and Parker looked to her, asking her to say she thought Marcy picking her nose was cute!

"Y-yeah." Amy muttered, wanting so desperately to be liked again. "That's why I got your attention. I wanted to say..." She took a deep, and dishonest breath. "That you looked cute."

"Oh!" Marcy giggled, and without any hesitation placed her finger back where it belonged. Amy noticed her blush return, but if she wasn't embarrassed by this whole thing... what was she blushing about?

"Gorgeous!" Parker cooed. "Let's go show you off to the mess hall." She grabbed Marcy's free and unsoiled hand and guided her away from Amy and Gale.

"Wow."

Gale shook her head. "No wonder you lost. Parker is so good, she convinced a girl picking her nose was cute."

"It's stupid is what it is." Amy felt grimey for even being around Marcy.

"You're the one that agreed with her."

Amy turned to face Gale. "I was taking your advice. I thought we were trying to rebrand my image, by having me be nice."

"Yeah, exactly. A good friend would have said. 'No you massive idiot, you actually shouldn't be digging for gold in public."

Amy snicked. "What a messed up day."

Gale smiled. "Wanna go grab dinner, and see if the caf has given Marcy a standing ovation yet?"