Chapter 4: Why?

"Alright, Sweetie. I want you to have a nice first day at school."

A nervous girl with straight blonde hair and tiny framed glasses slid out of the back seat of her mother's luxurious car. "I will, Mama," she said nervously. She walked toward the cross walk where the new students traveled in a large herd. She held on nervously to her school bag as she joined the crowd. She felt so tiny in the sea of strangers.

Panic filled her large sky blue eyes as she drew closer to the school. It was the largest private school she has ever been to.Wow! This high school is so big. The girl continued to gaze at the school, trying to soak it all in.

"Hey! Watch it!" screamed a high-pitched voice.

The girl bumped into someone and fell back. She looked up to see a tall second year student. She had short blonde hair that was slicked back with two antennas sticking up in front. Heavy black eyeliner surrounded her green eyes and her eyes lashes were elongated by a commercial brand mascara. There was bright red lipstick on her pouty lips and heavy blush on her cheeks. From below she wore a tight black T-shirt and a short red pleated skirt. Her long legs were exposed and along with her feet in black heels. Her toenails shined with a fresh coat of red nail polish.

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized.

"You better be!" she snapped. "Do you know who I am?" She leaned forward. "I'm Larxene. I'm the baddest bitch in school."

The girl trembled liked a scared little dog. "Please don't hurt me," she begged. She grew misty eyed.

Larxene snapped her head back and laughed. She grabbed the girl by her hair, forcing her to look in her sadistic eyes. "Looky here, Little Miss. That kind of attitude won't get you anywhere in life. You're nothin'. Just a nobody."

The girl felt her eyes burn as tear filed her eyes. She was terrified.

"Larxene! Back off!"

A medium height boy with wind-swept blond hair approached the frightened girl's side. "Larxene, don't you have anything better to do, like suck Axel's cock, than pick on a new girl.?" he asked.

"Relax Roxas," she said sweetly as she batted her eyes. "I would never hurt this poor girl."

Roxas angrily frowned. "Larxene."

She put her hands on her hips." oh okay, Roxas. You know if you weren't Axel's friend, I'd slug you."

Roxas smiled. "Same goes to you, too."

Larxene flashed a toothy grin at the girl. "You should hang out with me sometime. I'll show you the ropes." She then turned around and walked off.

"Are you okay?" Roxas offered his hand to the girl.

She stared into his lovely blue eyes. The were a rich blue that you could get lost in for hours. She gladly took his hand. She brushed the dirt off her white dress once she was one her feet. "I'm Namine. I'm a first year student."

"I'm Roxas. I'm also a first year student. I know a lot of the upper-class men here."

Namine smiled. "That's nice to know. Thanks for helping me."

"No problem. It was nothing really."

The morning bell for first period rang.

Roxas handed Namine her bag. "I'll be there when you need me," he assured her with a friendly smile. "Just call for me and I'll be there." He quickly walked off to the school and disappeared in the crowd.

Namine watched on. Her heart pounded in her chest. His name echoed through her mind.

Roxas.

Namine quickly awoke in her tiny white car. She rubbed her irritated eyes. Her contacts made her eyes burn like crazy, but it was worth it for not having to wear glasses anymore. She glanced at the clock in her car. It was five minutes until school ended and she knew Xion walked this way after school everyday. Namine patiently waited.

The last bell rang and echoed through campus, followed by the sound of over a thousand students emerging from class. Namine had to time this perfectly and wait for the opportunity to strike. And there it was.

She saw the raven hair girl cross the street. Namine quickly floored it. Xion quickly stopped in the middle of the street to wait for Roxas to catch up to her. Namine panicked. It was already too late. She was too close to stop without hitting them. Xion looked at the speeding car like a deer caught in the headlights. For a moment their eyes met. Namine used all her force to swerve her car away from them and right into a tree.

Everyone stopped and crowded around the wreck. Namine popped out of the wrecked car. She had a deep gash on her forehead from the impact. She stumbled over toward the crowd. "Y-you!" she angrily spat and pointed an accusing finger at Xion. "You little bitch!"

Everyone shifted their gaze to Xion. There was hatred in their eyes.

Namine stepped forward. "You did this to me!" She was hysterical.

Xion slowly back away. "I-I didn't mean to."

"Bullshit!" Namine screeched. "You did this on purpose!"

Xion nervously looked around as she continued to back up. The crowd drew closer to her. They lusted for blood.

Roxas stared at the blood that dripped down Namine's face. He felt sick to his stomach.

Xion quickly turned around and fled. A few of Namine's faithful followers gave chase. Roxas turned around to see her run. "Xion!" He tried to go after her but her was subdued by Namine, who had a tight hold of him.

"You said you'd be there when I need you."

Roxas felt the sudden urge to puke from the strong smell of copper.

A hand wrapped around Namine's free arm. "I'll take you to the nurse," offered Axel, Roxas's fiery friend. "Roxas, you should come along, too. You don't look too well."

"I-I'm fine," he insisted. Roxas wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He turned around and walked off. A few feet away, he hunched over and empty his stomach all over the ground.

A fellow student helped Roxas to the nurse's office along with Axel and Namine.

"Are you alright?" Axel asked Roxas once they entered the infirmary. Roxas hunched over again and puked in a nearby trash can. "Still can't stand the sight of blood after?"

Roxas shook his head no. The slight motion made him nauseous. "Axel, why are you here?"

"I heard you made a new friend and wanted to check her out," answered Axel. "I heard she was better than..." Axel pointed his finger at Namine, who was getting her wound cleaned out.

"I have to go... see if Xion's alright." Roxas doubled over again and puked.

"I'll go find her." Axel handed Roxas his keys. "Here. Take these. I hate to say this but drive Namine home." Axel patted Roxas on the back. "Oh, and if you throw up in my car, you'll never see the day off light again. Got it memorized?"

"Y-yeah," Roxas hiccuped.

Axel nodded and headed off.

After being forced to swallow medicine, Roxas's stomach stopped hurting. He looked over at Namine who had a clean bandage over her gash. "Hey, I'm giving a ride home. It'd the lease I can do."

Namine's eyes brightened. " Really?"

Roxas jerked his head to the side to motion her to come with him.

They quickly got outside and entered Axel's beat up car. Roxas slid into the driver's seat and started the car. He waited for the click off Namine's seat belt before driving off. He focused on the road. He tried to get Xion off his mind.

Namine looked at Roxas. Why doesn't he look at me anymore? Why does he look at her like that now? Namine tapped her knee. "Roxas?"

He didn't answer.

"Why do you hang around Xion? She's a nobody."

His knuckles turned white from squeezing the steering wheel too hard. He stepped on the break suddenly at a corner. It was up the street from where Namine lived. "I could say the same about you," he said coldly. He waited for Namine to get out.

She quietly slipped out and watched as Roxas sped off. She felt her heart break. Why doesn't he love me?

At the same time Axel finally caught up with Xion. She was slightly bruised and battered from narrowly escaping a brutal beating. She looked over the railing at the calm river that she always passes. Grey clouds gathered in the sky.

"Xion, right?"

"Yeah," she answered without looking at Axel.

"I'm Axel," he introduced himself. "Roxas was worried about you but he was unable to come see you."

"I don't want to hear it." Xion turned away from him.

"Hold on." Axel grabbed her arm. "Let me walk you home."

Xion pulled away from him. "You're going to follow me anyway."

"Pretty much."

Xion looked down. "Okay." She turned around and lead the way.

Axel pulled out a cigarette and struggled with his lighter to light it. Once it caught, he deeply inhaled the smoke and blew it out in a steady stream. "Want one?"

Xion waved away the smoke. "No," she declined, slightly coughing.

"Suit yourself."

They slowly approached Xion's house. Axel took it all in one glance. "Nice house," he said in an unimpressed tone.

Xion rolled her eyes and stopped at her front door. "Thank you for walking me home."

"It was my pleasure," he grinned at her with a cigarette between his teeth. He glanced around, taking note of her address. "I see why Roxas has taken a liking to you."

Xion stared at her feet. "Why, Axel?"

"Why what?"

Xion felt tears fill up her eyes. She looked up at him. "Why doesn't he hate me?"

Axel smiled. "That boy is a mystery." Axel took out a crumbled piece of paper and handed it to Xion. He ruffled up her hair. "Take care," he said before taking off.

Xion uncrumpled the paper to see a number. She looked up in shock.

Why?