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The next few hours went by in a blur. Brenda was in the living room with the rest of the gang.

"So where is he?" Andrea asked. "Is he doing any better?"

Brenda sighed. "He's upstairs, hopefully getting some sleep. I don't think he's any better." She quickly told her about what happened that morning before daylight.

Andrea glanced around. "So where's your parents at? I wouldn't think they would want to leave you two alone."

Brenda was silent for a moment. "They went to the police station to report this," she answered. "I'm going to check on Brandon. Be right back," she walked upstairs.

After she had gone upstairs, the doorbell rang. Kelly walked over and opened it. "Yes? May I help you?" She asked the girl who wasn't much younger.

The girl seemed nervous, occasionally glancing over her shoulder. "I.. is Brandon here?"

Kelly hesitated. "Who wants to know?"

The girl sighed. "Rachel Townsend, um... Charlie's sister."

Kelly sighed. "Sorry about your brother." She moved to the side to let her in. "Come in, yes Brandon is here."

Rachel followed her into the living room, where Kelly introduced her to everyone.

A moment later Brenda rejoined them, with Brandon right behind her. "Hi, I'm Brenda," she said in greeting when she noticed Rachel. "And this is Brandon."

"I'm Rachel," she introduced herself. "Rachel Townsend."

"Townsend?" Brandon glanced at her. "Charlie's sister?"

Rachel nodded. "My brother was excited that he was going to be the senior spotlight in The Blaze." She smiled at the memory, which quickly faded.

Days quickly passed by. Brenda was walking on the beach with Dylan. "I liked her, she seemed nice."

Dylan glanced at her. "I don't know, Bren. Something feels.. off."

She glanced at the ocean, watching the waves crashing against the shore. "You always say that though."

"And you are always to trusting. I'm telling you, something is off about Rachel. Why is she talking to Brandon now? Charlie had been dead a few days before we met her." He reminded her.

Brenda frowned. "I know that. Maybe she just didn't know that Brandon was there when her brother was murdered, but recently found out?" She suggested. "Who knows?"

They fell into an awkward silence after that since it was clear that they wouldn't see eye to eye on this.

Rachel had easily been accepted into the group. "Come on, let's go to the beach." She begged. "Your sister and Dylan are there."

Brandon glanced at her, then shook his head. "You can go if you want to."

She sighed. "Come on." She grabbed his arm, and pulled him towards the door. "Come on! I want to hang out with you."

"Out there?" Brandon pulled away from her. "Why not here instead?"

She shook her head. "This won't work for me. But if it makes you feel better, we can hang out with the others, but come on. Please? For me?"

He sighed, then raised his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay."

A few hours later, everybody met up on the beach where they were having a bonfire. The grill was smoking with hamburger patties and hotdogs roasting. And most people were swimming or surfing in the ocean.

Rachel's phone vibrated to signal a text so she checked in. "Uhm.. I'll be right back," she walked off.

Brenda watched her leave. "She seems nice and you seem to be hitting it off together," she observed.

Brandon shrug. "She's alright. But she doesn't like me how you think she does."

Brenda sighed. "Well then, how did she drag you out here?"

"She didn't have to drag me, she begged." He glanced around. "Look, I shouldn't even be here; so I'll see you at home, alright?"

She frowned. "Don't leave. Stay and party with us." She sighed. "At least let me go with you, I'm sure Dylan would understand."

He shook his head. "You should stay. No point in both of us being miserable."

She sighed again, then gave him a quick hug. "I'll see you at home then." She watched him walk off, then glanced around. She walked over to where Dylan, Kelly and Steve were talking. "Brandon just left."

Steve glanced at her. "This early? Where'd he go?"

Brenda sighed. "Home I think."

The next day, Cindy was cleaning the kitchen when the doorbell rang so she walked over and opened it.

"Good morning Mrs. Walsh," Rachel said. "Is Brandon here? He left early last night."

Cindy moved to the side to let her in. "Of course he's here. Just a moment." She walked upstairs. "Brandon, Rachel is here."

Brandon glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "This early?" He sighed, then pushed himself out of bed. "Tell her I'll be down in a minute."

Cindy glanced at him. "Are you okay this morning?" She asked.

He shrug. "I'm fine. Any reason I wouldn't be?"

She sighed, then walked out without another word. "He'll be down in a moment," she told Rachel once she got back downstairs.

Rachel nodded. "I need to make a phone call.. can I use your phone?"

Cindy nodded. "Of course you can. I'll just be upstairs with Jim." She walked off.

Brenda had just taken a shower, quickly finding something to wear. Then she headed downstairs.

Rachel was down there on the phone. She hadn't seen Brenda yet, but was busy with the phone call. "I don't want to help you anymore... And I don't want to see him get hurt... so what if I like him?" She was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Fine.. one hour then.." she hung up.

Brenda crossed her arms. "What was that about?"

Rachel jumped at the sudden voice. "That was a private call." She growled. "Were you eavesdropping?"

Brenda shook her head. "No, I just got here and I didn't like what I was hearing. What are you and whoever you were talking to up to?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Nothing that concerns you!"

"But it concerns Brandon! So what are you up to?" Brenda asked.

"None of your business, Bren! So stay out of this!"

"Well I'm making it my business!"

Rachel sighed. "Just leave me alone and I will gladly leave you alone!"

Brandon finally came down stairs. "What's up, Rachel? What brings you by this early?"

Rachel smiled when she saw him. "I wanted to see you. Let's go out for a drink or a walk or something?" She suggested.

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! That's a lie and you know it!"

"Brenda!" Jim and Cindy came downstairs at that time.

"Rachel is playing mind games!" She glanced over at Brandon. "You believe me, don't you?"

Brandon glanced at her in confusion. "I thought you got along with her?"

Brenda sighed. "I did. But I just over heard her talking to someone on the phone. Something is up, I know it."

Brandon glanced at Rachel then back to Brenda. "I hear you, Bren. I'll be careful, alright?"

Brenda glanced at him. "You're not the same skittish person who got home from the Peach Pit at 2:30 in the morning after someone had shot the window out..."

Brandon shook his head. "You're right, I'm not. I figure that if he's going to kill me, then he's going to no matter whose with me. So why spend time worrying about something that may or may not happen. And stop worrying, Bren. Rachel is not a bad person and just because you heard one phone call doesn't change anything."

"Brandon!" Jim got between them. "We will not have you two talking to each other like this."

Brandon raised his hands in surrender. "I'm done then." He stormed out of the house with Rachel right behind him.

"Brandon!" Cindy called after him, exchanging a glance with Jim. "I don't like this."

Rachel led the way towards the Peach Pit since they had decided to walk. "Thank you for standing up for me." She smiled. "My friends are waiting."

Brandon followed behind her. "Friends? You didn't mention any friends."

She glanced at him. "Really? I didn't?" She shrug. "It must have slipped my mind."

He glanced at her. "What are you up to, Rach?"

"I'm up to nothing."

Somebody crept up behind him then wrapped an arm around his neck. "We meet again thanks to my beautiful girlfriend Rachel."

Brandon glanced at her. "You set me up?!" He struggled to get away, elbowing the guy's chest until he let go. Then he ran off.

Brenda had called Dylan and asked if they could go out tonight to which he agreed.

They drove to the Peach Pit. "And then he just left.. with her. What if he's in trouble?"

Dylan sighed, then pulled into the parking lot. "Don't worry, Bren, we'll find him. Lets go and talk to Nat."

Brenda nodded as she got out and they walked inside.

Nat glanced up from the counter. "Hey you two!" He waved them over. "How is Brandon doing? I haven't seen him in a while."

Brenda frowned. "Not to good I'm afraid." She quickly told him what was going on. "So we haven't seen him since this morning."

Nat was about to say something when the door swung open.

"Brandon?" Brenda hurried over to him. "Are you..?"

Before Brandon could answer, gun shots rang through the air.

"Come on, man," Dylan and Brenda both pulled him behind the counter where Nat was.

Then not long after gun shots started firing through the Peach Pit's windows. Once again shattering the one that had just been repaired.

Everybody that had been there eating crouched down and covered their heads. Somebody must have called the cops, because sirens sounded in the distance.

The shots stopped not long after and rapid footsteps signaled they were retreating.

Customers started bolting out of the door as if the place was on fire.

Brenda slowly stood up and glanced around. Glass shards covered the floor and there were no windows left. Bullet holes lined the doorway.

"You okay, kid?" Nat asked. "Brandon?"

Brenda glanced back over at them, then sighed. She walked over to the phone, quickly and shakenly dialing numbers. When her mother answered the phone she quickly told her what had happened.

Police cars pulled up to the scene as officers got out and hurried inside.

Brenda went back over to where Dylan and Brandon were still crouched since Nat had to get up and talk to the cops. Everybody was okay physically, which was a good thing. But everybody that was here would probably need mental help.

I'm going to end this chapter here, so here's a bit of action for some action lovers. I hope everyone enjoyed this. And please follow, favorite, review, or all three. Toodles now!!!!