I am sorry for not updating for updating in a long time. I was sick, then I had a lot of homework, and we were finished unpacking. It just grew complicated and I didn't have time to update. I tried to make this chapter more in depth and help you put yourself into Alexis's shoes. I hope you enjoy it and please review to tell me what you think! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot or Characters. It is purely fanbased!

Chapter 8

The hardest thing to give a person is something so simple. It is something we all crave—and no it is not attention. It is the easiest thing in the world—a friend. Someone to rely on, someone who cares for you, and someone you can just be you with. I use to have that…or I thought I did. I use to feel happy around people, but now I can barely stand to be around them. The sad thing is, is that I do not know why.

"Was that why she was avoiding us?" Syrus asked.

"It's the only logical explanation." Bastion said.

This was one of the first times I began to really think about my death. I stopped pushing it away, and dwelled more on it. How was I going to die? When was I going to die? Was Someone going to murder me painfully? Or was I going to die in my sleep, peacefully? I always laughed at the dying peacefully. With my luck, dying peacefully would be getting thrown over a ship and being eaten alive by a shark. Well, anyway, I hated being around people. I felt like I was being watched, that everyone was against me. Whether it was my brother that made me uneasy or Jaden, Syrus, Bastion, Mindy, Chazz, Jasmine, the teachers, even Zane.

"We really made her that uncomfortable?" Jaden asked, astounded.

"Yeah," Atticus said sadly.

Well, this tape isn't about me feeling upset about strangers. This tape is about me deciding to get out of my now Anthropophobia shell and trying to get into society again. Luckily for me, I decided to get out of my shell right when the school was hosting a dating survey. At first, I thought it was kind of dorky, but it was a great way for me to get out there. Plus, if someone actually asked me why I was doing the survey, I could easily lie and say that one of the teachers made me.

I took the survey, paid the five dollar fee, and waited the assigned two weeks. I walked in, said hello to the duel club president, which of course happened to be Mindy—but that was only because the duel club happens to be dedicated to Zane and everyone knows half the female population has a crush on him.

Mindy screamed when I she saw my list. She had a huge grin on her face, and honestly I was a little scared. "Can I just have my list, Mindy?" I asked. She smiled and gave my list. I took one look at it, and I dropped it. I only got the top five, like I wanted, however these were not what I expected.

My list went like this:

Zane Truesdale

Chazz Princeton

Jaden Yuki

Syrus Truesdale

Harrington.

The fifth one was a god no. I would never date him—except that one time because I wanted to please my brother. I really couldn't see Jaden as my type, he was more brotherly. Syrus as one that I am not sure of, I never thought of that. Maybe, my brother wouldn't be able to say that I was avoiding them.

Atticus's eye was twitching. He did not like where Alexis's tale was heading. "Syrus, you didn't take that survey for your brother did you?"

"Well…you see…" Syrus stuttered.

"Syrus…" Zane growled out.

"Well…not techni—" Syrus said.

"The only way my name would have been on Lexi's list was if I did the survey." Zane said. Truthfully, he did not mind the fact he was on Alexis's list. He just didn't like the idea of his brother doing something he didn't know about.

"Zane for a fact did not take that survey." Atticus said.

"How do you know that?" Chazz asked.

"I took the survey and I tried to get him to take it repeatedly. He refused." Atticus responded.

"Oh…" The young Princeton said.

"So did you take it for your older brother, Sy?" Atticus asked.

"Yes…but I did it the way he would answer it! I swear!" Syrus said in a timid voice.

"Next time, do not do anything without my permission Syrus." Zane said, He turned his attention back to Alexis's voice.

Suddenly, I got a call on my cell phone. I hesitated before picking it up. "Hello?"

'Hey, Alexis.' A male's voice echoed through the other end. I nearly dropped my phone. I knew the voice well. "C-Chazz?" I stuttered. Yes, Chazz Princeton called me. You remember that right?

Well, I was shocked. That was one issue. The second issue was that you said I was your number one on your list.

"Chazz, stop it." I tried to convince you to tell me you were lying. Everyone knew you liked me it could have easily been a lie. Then again, who was I to judge? You were an honest guy.

"What? You don't believe me? How about you stop being so coy about this, Alexis." You teased me, which seemed to be you're recent enjoyment.

"Alright, what do you want, Chazz?" I asked.

"I want you to go on a date with me," You answered in your 'I'm a Princeton so do what I say voice'. I laughed.

I apparently shocked you when I said "Alright."

"Now before you say no—wait what?" You sounded befuddled. I have to admit I preferred that over the supercilious, asinine jackass you portray that can't get that stick out of his ass.

"Su-superci—what?" Chazz asked.

"You don't get it?" Syrus asked. Chazz shook his head. "Good, I'm not the only one."

"She insulted him." Jaden responded. Everyone snapped their attention to Jaden. "And how do you know that?" The youngest Truesdale asked.

"Well I only under stood the asinine—she always called me that when I goofed off in class, she told me it meant silly or idiotic."

The others looked at Bastion to confirm that the meaning was correct. "He is right." Bastion sounded amazed.

"Supercilious I know means arrogant." Zane murmured.

"Yeah cause on your 12th birthday she called you and some of the neighborhood guys that for yelling at one of her friends." Atticus snickered.

"So that is what that was about. I wondered what was going on." Syrus murmured as he got lost in nostalgia.

"Long story short, Chazz, she called you a cocky, idiotic—" Bastion said, but paused.

"Jackass," Zane said.

"Yes—thank you—with a stick up your—" Bastion paused again.

"Ass," Atticus finished for him. "Quit being a pansy, Bastion. It's okay to cuss."

We set up a time and place. D-3 on your map, Chazz, that's the next location. It happens to be the coffee shop named after one of my most used cards—Deux Passe. It is one of those places you can never go to alone. Go there. Pause the tape, use the walkman and go. You can connect the walkman with wires if you are with "The Gang", Chazz. Go there now.

Chazz paused the tape. "Should we?" Syrus asked.

"Apparently she never used that voice on you, Syrus." Zane said.

"And if she hasn't?" Syrus asked timidly.

"Let me put it this way, that tone of voice means life or death. Either do it or suffer the consequences." The elder Truesdale explained.

"She's dead though…how can she do anything to make me suffer the consequences?" Syrus asked.

"I will make sure you suffer the consequences, Syrus." Atticus barked out. "You better damn well finish these tape and you will do it how she wants. Or else I will hurt you just like I did Hassleberry only a thousand times worse. You maybe my best friend's brother but you should watch your mouth when it comes to my sister, got it you Slifer brat." Atticus voice screamed murder. Atticus was never prejudice when it came to the school ranks. He was too social to care about status. But lately he has been on edge. He missed his sister. He was never the "overprotective" brother that he knew Alexis secretly wanted. She would never tell him that, but he figured that was why she was so close to Zane. He was always protective of her.

Suddenly, Atticus got up, took a walkman and headed towards the door. "I'll meet you guys there." He said before leaving.

"What the hell just happened?" Jaden asked. Besides Zane, none of them had ever seen Atticus act that way.

"It's just his way of coping." Zane said. "But Syrus, I would make sure you are careful about how you phrase things when it comes to Lexi."

"What do you mean 'his way of coping' he went psychotic on Sy!" Jaden said.

"Look, Atticus wasn't the best older brother when it involved Alexis. He was always laid back; he joked around and teased her a lot. She would never admit it to him or anyone else—except for one person—but she didn't find it funny. She was probably the only person I knew who wouldn't mind a protective older brother; someone to help her out in a tight spot." Zane said in a quiet tone.

"That didn't explain why he snapped at Syrus." Bastion said.

"He's probably trying to make it up to Lex, by being what she wanted." Zane summarized.

"How do you know she wanted a protective older brother?" Jaden questioned.

"I told you she told one person."Zane responded dryly.

"That doesn't explain how you know." Jaden said.

"He was the one she told, Jaden!" Bastion wanted to smack Jaden.

"Let's go to Deux Passe." Zane said. They all got up and left.

Once they got there and had the walkman set up, Chazz pressed play.

Order a drink and sit at the bar. I recommend the chocolate shake. That's what I did when I waited on you. Look at the clock every ten minutes. It makes you seem like you were waiting on someone, just like I was waiting on you Chazz.

"I'm thirsty…" Atticus murmured. "What about you, Zane?" He asked. Zane nodded his head.

"Hey," Atticus called to the waiter. The waiter walked up to them.

"Yes?" He asked politely.

"Can we have two chocolate shakes?" Atticus asked.

"But big bro hates chocolate shakes!" Syrus said.

"Really?" Atticus seemed shocked by that.

"I thought you were his best friend." Chazz said.

"He always drank chocolate shakes with Alexis; I mean it was always Chocolate shakes, not any other flavor, just chocolate." The only living Rhodes sibling said.

"Really?" Syrus asked. His gaze fell onto his older brother, who just nodded his head in agreement with Atticus.

You didn't show up, until 10 minutes before I was about to leave.

"Oh, you're here." You said. Apparently you were trying to catch your breath.

"What do you mean 'oh you're here' Chazz." I wanted to scream, but luckily for you I didn't.

"I didn't think you were serious when you said that you would go on a date with me. But then I realized, maybe you were serious. So I rushed over here." You replied with one of your trademark smirks.

I accepted your apology…begrudgingly, and some how you convinced me to head to the very back booth with you. What the hell you were doing, I had no clue. I didn't say anything though, instead I decided for us to order some chocolate shakes.

"You took her to the back booth?" Atticus said for the first time since he left the dorm room. His voice was hostile yet again.

"There was more privacy." Chazz mumbled.

Well things got a little carried away, Chazz. You put your hand on my thigh and I froze. The only thing running through my mind was 'Stop'. Stop and think. Maybe this was a mistake. Stop and calm my breathing. I didn't want to lose my self-control. Stop you. I don't want this.

"Stop it, Chazz." I pleaded.

"Shh, it's alright. I promise, Alexis." You still didn't take your hand off my thigh. I wanted to scream, but it would cause a scene and I refused to draw attention to myself.

"Stop it, now Chazz." My tone grew more serious, more confident.

You looked me in the eyes and frowned, but you pulled your hand away from you. "You fucking tease." You said to me. I was stunned. I didn't lead you on at all Chazz. I decided to try and save myself, tried to pull myself out of the pit of darkness that was slowly corrupting my life. I was trying to prevent the ideas of suicide by coming back. I figured since you were someone I knew well enough, you would be a good choice. Then again, I could have chosen anyone on the list—besides Harrington—and they all would have been good choices. But I knew you since preparatory school, and besides Zane—who I knew for a fact did not take the survey because he believes it's a waste of time; so I figured Syrus took it for him—I knew no one else as much as I knew you. I was horrified when you called me that.

"I think you should leave." I said. I tried to make my voice sound calm. I didn't want to have another crack into my already eroding foundation. It was already barely holding me; I didn't need it to break not when I was unsure of my decisions. I didn't know if I would commit su—that word. That one thing no one would have ever pegged me to do.

You left, quickly. I remained in the back; I was still in the booth. Suddenly someone came and sat next to me.

"You're alright?" He asked me. I inhaled a deep breath.

I didn't respond to Jesse. I had nothing to say. My mind was blocking out the rest of the world; avoiding anything else that could harm me. It was entrapping me into my pit of despair, away from anyone who truly cared. I was vulnerable, but I didn't care.

"Alexis?" He asked again.

"I still didn't' respond. I just stared at my empty glass.

He got up and left. "Yeah, Jesse, I'm fine." I whispered more to myself than to anyone else. Maybe if I really thought you wanted to help me, I would have been more willing to open up to you, Jesse. But when I got up to leave I heard you talk to some of you friends. They were teasing you for not being able to get the "Easy Date that was supposedly in the bag". You were using me just like everyone else. Right after I got out of the door of Deux Passe and headed straight for the Barber on campus, and I changed my appearance. I was no longer the blonde Queen of Obelisk Blue. Instead my long hair was chopped off at the shoulders and my hair dyed a sweet coffee colored brown. I stopped eating after that, unless I was around Zane. He had a knack for picking up when things are wrong with me. Soon, I became someone totally different. The only thing that remained the same was thoughts that involved my death.

You had a chance to save me, Chazz. But you only wanted to benefit yourself. You let me slip right through a crack and into another one, one that was about to break. Go back to where the cassette tapes are and place the next tape in.

Atticus eyes were raging fire. Luckily for Chazz, he stormed off instead of smacking Chazz around like he was thinking about doing.

Zane's eyes were steel like. He was beyond furious. "Get out of my sight now. I won't have the ability to restrain myself for more than five minutes." His voice was belligerent.

Chazz gulped before leaving in a hurry. The two elder students were beyond furious. He saw what they did to Hassleberry and his friend and that was just for sexual assault. He insulted Alexis and practically sexually assaulted her. There was no way in hell he was going to take that risk.

"Oh...wow." Jaden said.

"Hn." Zane responded. He got up, "I'm going back to the dorm," was all he said before he left.

"Well, I think we better head back to my dorm and give the others some space..." Jaden said.

"Yeah, things seem to be heating up in a rather unpleasant way." Syrus said.

"Agreed," Bastion said. With that, the non-Obelisk students headed back to the Slifer dorm.

Thanks for all who reviewed the last chapter. I was sick during Superbowl weekend :( so I missed a great party. But I know I haven't updated in a while and I hope this chapter appeases your curiosity about Chazz's story and your curiosity for what happens in the next. Review please! :D

Words you might not know-

Belligerent: War like

Anthropophobia: A fear of society or people (people in Alexis's case)