Chapter 9 Keeping Quiet

Ryan knocked on the door of Steph's house, her mother answered and beckoned him in out of the nights chill. "So, do you know why she might have gone missing?" she asked, Ryan having explained that he was looking for Katie – his niece.

Ryan looked down at his feet, then back up to meet her gaze, "I'm not too sure really, Katie just sorta had a bit of a tiff with her mom…" Ryan said cautiously.

Steph's mum nodded, "So, you don't think she's here do you?" she asked.

Ryan shrugged, "I know I rang you earlier to see if she was here cos she told us she was coming here and you told me she wasn't here, but I just wanted to double check she hadn't turned up later? Has she?" Ryan asked, sounding worried.

Steph's mum just shook her head sympathetically at Ryan, "I'm sorry, I don't think she's here, but if you want, we can go ask Steph if she's seen her at all."

"Sure, would that be okay?" Ryan said hopefully.

Steph's mum nodded and the two of them set off upstairs to Steph's room…

"Katie, you got to talk to me sometime," Steph said, looking worriedly at her silent friend who sat on the end of the bed. Nothing. "Fine then," Steph sighed as she picked up the empty tray from next to Katie, and walked out of the room to take it downstairs.

A few minutes later Steph came racing back through the door of her room, startling Katie, but not enough to rip her from her silence.

"Katie, Ryan's coming up the road, heading towards here…" Steph panted, but before she could even finish, Katie was up off the bed and frantically trying to find a place to hide. Eventually Katie settled on hiding in Steph's closet, moments before Ryan and Steph's mum entered the room, "Stephanie, darling, have you seen Katie today?" Steph's mum asked.

"No mum," Steph replied, sitting cross-legged on her bed, trying not to look guilty.

"Are you sure honey?"

"Yes," Steph said, keeping her voice as steady as she could, trying very hard indeed not to glace over at her closet.

"You see darling, Ryan tells me that Katie has gone missing today, and that she said she was coming here." Steph's mum said whilst inspecting her room for any signs of Katie's presence. Ryan also looked around the room, desperately searching for any small clue of Katie.

"Nope mum, I haven't seen her, why has she run away?"

"Ryan said that she had a row with her mum," Steph's mum replied, kneeling down and looking under the bed.

Meanwhile, Katie stood at the back of Steph's closet, hardly daring to breath, net alone move. 'Row' she thought – well Ryan was lying, and no wonder. She could see Ryan through the gap in the door, he looked really upset, but Katie felt that he deserved to be upset after all he had done. She shifted her weight a little – her foot was going to sleep – and as she did so, she saw Ryan's head snap round to look more closely at the closet. Katie knew this was bad, he was sure to find her now, however, Steph had a few tricks up her sleeve.

"You know," Steph said when she realised why Ryan's had turned to look at her closet, "I think Katie might have gone to another friends house…yes, I think she mentioned something to me about meeting up with someone…" Steph lied.

"Who?" Ryan asked, his attention suddenly redirected to Steph.

"Um…um – I don't know…she didn't say…" Steph said, trying to be as vague as possible.

"Steph dear, are you sure you don't know," her mother said, "It is very important that you tell us everything you know. Ryan is very worried about his niece."

"I'm sorry mum, she didn't tell me anything else…" Steph concluded her lie.

"Well thank you Steph," Ryan said, "You will let me know if you hear from Katie wont you?"

"Sure," Steph said, as they all began to make their way back downstairs.

"I'm very sorry that we couldn't be of more help," Steph's mum said, waving goodbye to Ryan as she let him out of the house. He curtly nodded a quick thanks and made his way back down the street, away from the house.

"Poor guy," Steph's mum whispered to Steph as she shut the door behind him.

"I'm sure Katie had a good reason to run away though," Steph said, more to herself than to her mother.

If you would like me to keep updating, and find out what will happen to Katie, Ryan and the rest, please review.

Plus, I think I will be introducing a new character next chapter...I want to introduce them soon, but I'll just have to see when it fits to slot them in lol.

So, I know I've already said it but, please R & R xx