A/N: Hey everybody! Yay, early update! The Friday update might be a little late now, but it should still be posted on Friday, albeit late at night.
Tais1: As much as I would love to collaborate with you, I'm swamped with ideas of my own that I need to finish and start. Also, I've never watched Sonic the Hedgehog, and I would prefer to know all the characters beforehand. Thank you for the kind offer though; I'm honoured.
Snheeta: Dodge ball is my favourite thing to do in gym; I get WAY too into it, but so do a lot of people. We're not screaming "Time to die!" however. Mostly I just make constipated noises while I throw the ball XD I'm not amazing with all sports in general, but I'm pretty good at a couple. :) I'm glad you enjoy their scenes, I have a lot of fun writing their scenes. Although this chapter is pretty intense and -well I'll let you see- er, read.
Starskulls: They'll be suspenseful action and big decisions in the coming chapters, you'll really like it! Glad you liked those parts.
Bethmu1: I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully this chapter'll make up for the last one. :) That's no problem; I reviewed a couple more of your pieces today, I hope the reviews made you smile. :)
Thank you for all the reviews! :D Almost five reviews per chapter! Can you believe it? I can't! :) You guys know the drill by now. Please review.
I was walking along the hallway, smiling to myself about yesterday. That dodge-ball game had been really fun. Briefly wondering if Lexi wanted to hang out, the night was still young, but I froze when I heard this sentence:
"So what do we tell Holly?"
Why was Lexi saying that...and from Tech's lab. What was going on?
"I don't know," another person -Tech- said and sighed. "It's probably nothing. I don't want her to freak out. But we should check, just to make sure."
"Alright, we'll head out tomorrow." Ace was in on this too? At least Lexi and Tech weren't you know, kissing or anything. Phew. But still, what weren't they telling me? Why would it freak me out? And what were they checking? "Well, we should leave." I jogged lightly down the hall and started to walk back the way I went. That way it would look like I hadn't heard anything.
I'm not sure what to do, so I'm going to keep what I heard a secret for now. I am angry though. Don't I have a right to know anything that affects my life? Shouldn't I have a say? And if it is anything that's big, shouldn't I-
"Holly?" Lexi asked. I broke out of my stupor. "You okay?"
"Fine," I lied. I feigned a smile. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Liar. But I'm lying too, a little voice said. Shut up! "Do you want to hang out?"
"N-no. I'm actually busy. Maybe later?" I said and I walked away quickly before she could answer. I don't know what's going on, but there's no way I can hang around the Loonatics -or at least Tech, Lexi and Ace- when they're keeping a secret from me; a dangerous secret.
(0)
I dialed my sister's (Heather's) number into my phone. She had said to call her if I needed her, and I don't know who else to talk to. Ringing, ringing. Dang, voice-mail. But I wasn't very surprised; it was three o'clock in the morning.
"Hey sis," I said into the phone. "It's Holly. It's Wednesday, around two-thirty pm. Call me back as soon as possible okay? Love you." I turned off my phone, placing my head in my hands. What should I do? Should I confront the Loonatics about it? I mean, how bad could it be right?
I took a deep breath and only managed to calm myself down with the promise that everything would be okay -things always look better in the morning.
(0)
I didn't get much sleep, but I stayed in my room pretty late, thinking about what I was going to say and making sure I didn't freeze or anything. Doing my best to stay calm, I walked out of my room, not looking where I was going, and bumped into Rev.
"Sorry," I apologized on instinct. Rev got up, and smiled uneasily. I wondered if he knew what the others weren't telling me. Was I the only one who didn't know?
"It's-okay-" Rev said. He seemed to be nervous. "Oh-just-so-you-know-the-team-is-going-out-on-an-important-mission-but-it's-too-um-dangerous-so-you-can't-come-."
"Really?" I said, faking simple curiosity. I doubted he could lie very well. "What sort of dangerous?"
"Just-a-a-really-dangerous-super-villain-"
"What's their powers? I doubt it's too dangerous for me to come."
"They-they-uh-oh-look-there's-Tech-why-don't-you-ask-him-?" Rev looked very relieved to see the coyote coming down the hall. "Hey-Tech-there-buddy-uh-Holly-wants-to-know-about-our-mission-with-a-very-dangerous-super-villain-so-she-knows-why-she-can't-come-!" I saw surprise flash in Tech's eyes for a moment.
"Well, you see Holly, the super villain-"
"No, I don't see Tech." I said testily, cutting him off. Rev's eyes flitted from both of our faces; Tech's calm one and my angry one. Then, looking awkward and a little scared he zoomed away. Good, we were alone. I wanted Tech to know that I was only yelling at him. "I overheard what you were telling Ace and Lexi yesterday." I said coldly.
He looked ashamed. "Holly, I'm sorry, but we just didn't want to scare you."
"What would be so scary that you can't tell me? I'm not a child!" It seemed like the pent up anger from yesterday and last night was now being released.
"I never said you were!" Tech's own temper was starting to show. "Adults can get scared too you know! This is for your own good!"
"My own good, is that right? We seem to have a different opinion. I deserve to know!"
Tech sighed, frustrated. "If everybody knew everything they deserve to know the world would be a lot different!"
"So I'm not somebody anymore? Just a faceless mass is that it?"
"I'm not saying that."
"Then what are you saying? Make yourself clear for once!"
"Holly-"
"Don't you 'Holly' me! Tell me!"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"God, you're such a..."
"Such a what?!"
We glared at each other.
"Uh...Tech?" We spun around, to see Ace, looking timid. "We can leave now."
"Of course that 'we' doesn't concern me! Why should it?" I stormed away to my bedroom, red in the face and fuming and also mad at myself. I hate losing my temper, but he asked for it, they all asked for it, keeping secrets from me! They deserve it...
Right?
(0)
One hour had passed. Briefly I wondered what was taking so long, but I shoved it out of my mind. I didn't want to think about them -Tech. It was history repeating itself. Well, sort of.
I had been sitting here, thinking about those high school years. All those rumors. And being kept out of the loop; not knowing what the whispers -the secrets, were about.
"She's such a freak."
"I know. I mean, she's so ...weird."
"Go back to the freak place you belong!
"Nobody likes you."
"Nobody will miss you."
"Nobody cares about you."
I wiped the tears that had started to spill onto my cheeks, but I couldn't stop the flow.
"Sometimes I wonder about that girl." My mother whispered.
"How can you not like this stuff?" Heather.
"Ugh. What's wrong with you?" Hilary. They love me, I know, but words can still hurt.
I'm so weak...I can't believe I'm having a breakdown like this...confidence can crumble, I know that now...
"Oh, it's you."
"Shut up. Nobody cares about what you have to say."
"Why don't you shut up Alyssa?"
Mary. That's how I met her. The memory comes, so vivid, so fresh:
I walked down the halls, making sure to get out of other people's ways. It's hard though, because the hallways are so packed with people talking to their friends...I wonder what it would be like when I can do that. Because of my spacing out, I bumped into someone. Or should I say somebody: Alyssa Pussycat.
"Sorry." I apologized on instinct.
"It's ok-oh, it's you."
I picked my books up from the floor, finding courage to meet her eyes. "What does that mean?"
She laughed. It was humorless. "I don't have to explain it to you."
"I'm just as much of a person as you." My confidence built up with every word. "So-"
"Shut up," she advised me. "Nobody cares about what you have to say."
"Why don't you shut up Alyssa?" I turned around slightly, not daring to believe I had actually heard what I had. Somebody standing up forme? There was an anthro, one I recognized, but had never really talked to: Mary Wishbone, a fellow grade nine student and a mouse anthro. "What has she ever done to you?" Alyssa just tossed her hair.
"Whatever." She stalked away.
Mary looked at me, concerned. "Are you okay?" I nodded a little.
"Thank you," I said softly.
She smiled a little. "I'm Mary, by the way." She stuck out her hand.
I shook it. "Holly."
I sniffled, wiping away the remainder of my tears. I had been so scared and sad. But things had turned out okay that time. Maybe things would this time too.
(0)
The elevator was coming up. They were back, from their "really dangerous" mission. I sighed, knowing I should at least talk to them. I got off my bed, checked my face in the mirror (luckily there were no traces that I had cried) and walked out of my room.
They were all there, seemingly waiting for me. They all looked distraught. Lexi's eyes even looked a little red.
"Holly..." she started to say, and her voice was weak. The little anger I had held onto vanished; what had happened? She seemed unable to form words and couldn't meet my eyes. Ace placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We went to your house." Tech said. Even his voice was shaky. "You know when you showed me the email? Well, I checked, and it hadn't been hacked. Then this morning I got a call that Mastermind had just appeared in jail, mumbling nonsense, seemingly been driven insane. She mentioned your name, and your last name. And something about your house. I managed to use an invention to unlock her memories, and someone had tortured her for information."
"She had been researching ya," Ace continued. "Probably thinkin' ta use someding against ya, 'cause if she had ya she knew she would have us at bay too. Tech told us dat in Mastermind's memories once de person who had tortured her had gotten wat dey needed dat day headed ta yer house."
"We didn't want to tell you because we didn't want to scare you...Holly -y-you're family's gone. The person must've taken them." Tech finished. They all looked at me, clearly waiting for my reaction.
Tears welled in my eyes and I just walked over to Tech and collapsed into him. Oh my god my family. They had been taken. But why? Was the person who took them thinking along similar lines to Mastermind? My family was getting to me and I was getting to the Loonatics.
"I'm so sorry." Tech whispered into my hair. My body wracked with sobs shook in his arms. And I knew his apology wasn't just because my family had been kidnapped; it was also for our fight.
"I am too," I said softly. His arms tightened around me.
(0)
We stayed up all night, looking for any traces of my family. Even Rev's GPS couldn't find anything, which must mean they're using a special cloaking device.
I yawned, looking at the blank screen, looking for anything in the video footage that was collected from the little video camera installed on every street corner near my house. I risked a glance at my watch. It was only two in the morning? It felt like it's so much longer.
"I'll take over the watch," someone said quietly. I paused the footage and turned to see Tech, holding a cup of coffee. He took a sip. "Get some sleep."
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," I replied. It was like that time when Mary and I were at a sleepover and a ghost story really freaked us out- wait, that's a great idea! "Actually, there is something I need to do. Bye." I lightly pressed my lips against his and walked towards the elevator (it went down) to my room.
Getting out my MyTab, I sent an email to Mary. She should know, and I just needed to tell someone. To my surprise she responded straight away.
Oh my god Holly I'm so sorry... I can't imagine what that must be like for you. I'll be here for you. You must need someone right now. :) What are friends for?
Love you.
Mary
The corner of my lips twitched upwards. I sent a simple email back:
Thank you.
I love you too.
She didn't respond back, but I didn't expect her to. The fact that we would say simple things like that -things that so many people can say and mean- while we're miles and miles apart and still find solace in each other, is the defining quality of our friendship.
I got out of my chair and got onto my bed. I lay on top of my covers, and stared at the ceiling. I doubted I would get any sleep, but I was determined it wouldn't be for lack of trying.