[b] A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first "crime"ish fanfic, so I'm still kinda getting used to it. If ever it gets confusing or you have a question feel free to review and I'll try to clarify it in the next update. Enjoy!
Carissa Bonasera was running her last lap around the gym, sweating like crazy but running at a fast, steady pace, when her mother walked into the gym. Stella always loved watching her daughter practice basketball and enjoyed watching her games, so she tried to make it to practice every day after work. She sat down and observed her daughter's performance in her practice time.
Carissa played the point guard position on St. Anne's Prepatory Academy's varsity basketball team. Seeing her daughter's perfect free throws and accurate passes made Stella so proud of her daughter. She was a tough girl, almost exactly like her mother. Carissa saw her mom after practice and ran up to her, all sweaty and panting.
"Great practice, girl!" Stella said and immediately hugged her daughter.
"Ew...mom...I'm all sweaty and disgusting! And thanks." Carissa replied while hugging her mother back.
"So, how about that pizza dinner I promised you? I got my entire night free just for that." Stella mentioned and nudged her daughter's arm.
"Oh, the dinner you promised about a month ago?" Carissa smirked. "Just kidding," Carissa said ,"Of course! I'm starving!"
"Carissa, this place better be good..." Stella warned.
"Mom, you've got nothing to worry about I have GREAT sense of food." Carissa said with a wink.
Mother and daughter both walked and talked all the way to the pizza diner. For Stella, she complained about work. For Carissa, she whined about missing her lay-ups. Stella loved her relationship with her daughter. She was a friend to her, not a nagging, old mother. Being an orphan from such a young age, it was difficult having that mother role empty. No one to talk to, no one to listen about your complaints, no one to even gush about the cutest boys in high school. She didn't want that with Carissa. And she was darn proud about what has become of her daughter.
"So this was the pizza place you've been raving about?" Stella questioned quite suspiciously. The diner was literally a hole-in-a-wall. Stella swore she would have missed it had Carissa kept talking and didn't notice the place. It was dark, crowded, and looked more like a hookah bar than an award-winning restaurant.
"Uh, yeah! Home of the thickest stuffed crust and voted best breadsticks in the entire city of New York, this is the place!" Carissa argued.
Stella reluctantly opened the door and was greeted to the fresh scent of pizza dough. Tomato sauce filled the air and the smell of garlic made Stella's mouth water.
"I guess I should be listening to your food recommendations more often." Stella joked.
Carissa and Stella were enjoying their huge pizza when Stella felt her phone vibrating. "Sorry, honey. It's work, I have to get this." Stella said. Her daughter sighed and did a famous teenage eye roll.
"Bonasera." Stella said.
"Stella, it's Mac. I need you to meet me here at St. Anne's Prepatory Academy immedietely." Mac said urgently.
"Mac, I was just there. What's going on?" Stella questioned. "A teenage girl was found dead. Her name's Cassie McDonald. Bring your kit and meet me here this instant!
"OK, I'll be there as soon as I can." Stella said and then hung up. She sighed and wondered how her daughter might react to this. She's been dying to spend some quality time with her, and when she finally got that day, it would end like this.
I hope she won't get mad. Stella thought as she walked back to face her daughter.
"So what was that all about?" Carissa asked.
"Hey, look I'm really sorry but that was Mac. A girl was found dead on your school actually. I'm sorry about ending this so early. I promise I'll make it up to you. Here are the keys, I think you should be heading home now. I'm sorry!" Stella said very rushed.
"It's...It' s OK, mom. Work's important. But what happened?" Carissa asked. "What happened at the school?" "A girl, um...Cassie McDonald's her name. She was found dead and look I really need to hurry..."Stella said and started to walk. "Cassie McDonald?" Carissa exclaimed, surprised.
"I just saw her about an hour ago, during practice. We're on the same basketball team!" Carissa said with a confused look.
"You know her?" Stella asked.
Things just got a tad little more complicated now... Stella wondered.