AN~ thanks to those who reviewed!

"You said "Hey,

What's your name? "

It took one look

And now I'm not the same

Yeah you said "Hey."

And since that day

You stole my heart

And you're the one to blame."

~ "Smile" -Avril Lavigne

Styxx

I exited the girls locker room, my hair was still wet from my shower, and I was ready to change out of my boxing cloths. I had let Ray have the danger room, he had said as I walked away that he was going to practice.

I walked up the grad staircase, this time successfully making it all the way up without anyone making me mad. I entered my shared room and took a change of cloths. I slipped out of my boxing cloths and into my choices (black jeans, red V-neck). I exited the room.

I walked to the kitchen, I hadn't had any breakfast after all. I poured a bowl of cereal and ate. For the first time in awhile, it was actually sort of quiet. No one was screaming, no running feet. That could be an effect of Bobby and Roberto being gone for Christmas, but it was still nice to have a bit of quiet.

Two minutes later, I was tired of it. You know that saying, "It's quiet. . . Too quiet." it's entirely true. I put my bowl into the sink, reveling in the clunk-clank-clish sound of it hitting the porcelain. I made my way back upstairs, and into my room. I grabbed my guitar and my tan duster, then made my way down to the rec. room. Thos and Nyx were playing a quiet game of cards. Theres that word again, quiet.

"I think I'm going to go around the grounds. I'll see you later." I said as I passed the door on my way to the door. I opened it and stepped outside. The cold air hit me and I felt the rush of loosing body heat. I stepped off the stairs and onto the snow covered ground.

The silence of outside was ringing in my ears as I walked, and I could see memories that had been long forgotten. Me and Nyx having a hold-your-breath contest, Thos giving me a ride on his shoulders as a summer breeze blew my hair back. The memories pushed the silence away, keeping it at bay.

I found a place outside of Ororo's greenhouse, a patio with a knee high red brick wall going around it to a gate. I sat down on the wall and took out my guitar, making sure it was tuned I strummed the strings. I wasn't paying attention to what I was playing, I wasn't paying attention to anything really. Just staring at the sky.

In one moment something happened. The steel wool clouds parted and the blue sky and yellow sun shone. The sunlight bounced on my face, warming it. I started to play more defined notes, I payed attention to what I was playing. It was like an offering- if I play, you stay out, sun and sky.

I did my part gladly, strumming along with the notes and chords of Title And Registration by Death Cab For Cutie. The sky held up it's side of the bargain and continued to shine blue and yellow. I finished the song, and the clouds moved over the little square of blue, covering the sky back up.

"Styxx! Styxx!" I heard Nyx yelling and the sound of thudding feet coming towards me. I turned around to face Nyx.

"What?" I asked, holding up my hands in a sign for Nyx to stop.

"Phone. It's a music person. Something about a tour." Nyx said.

"Can you get my guitar?" I asked, she nodded. I ran full tilt to the mansion.

"Hello?" I asked breathlessly into the phone.

"Is this Styxx Montleeonii?" a male voice on the other side asked.

"Yeah, who's this?" I asked.

"This is Calvin Asa. I think what I have to offer will be of interest to you." he said.

"My sister said that you were offering a tour." I said.

"Yes from mid-January to the end of March, that and a new album." a new album. I let a out a sigh of relief.

"I think, we have a deal. I just need to run it by a few people."

"I'll need your answer by Wednesday. I hope your people will approve." and with that Calvin hung up. I put the phone on the receiver and took a deep breath. I was getting my career back. I was coming back! Without much thought I ran to the rec. room. Thos was setting up a game of solitaire on the couch.

"Thos!" I said excitedly, "I'm going on tour!" his head snapped up and a smile exploded onto his face. Nyx walked through the front door and I ran over to her. I head Thos scrambling to stand and then run behind me.

"A tour!" I said, taking my guitar from Nyx and hugging her. "And a new album!"

"When is the tour?" Thos asked.

"Mid-January, to the end of March. A two month tour. A two month tour! I need to talk to the professor." I ran down halls to the professor's study, Nyx and Thos hot on my tail.

"Professor?" I said as I knocked on the study door.

"Come in, Styxx. You too, Thos and Nyx." I opened the door and walked in.

"Professor, I was just offered a new album, and a two month tour. I need you permission to go." I said.

"You realize, I'll have to send all of your school work with you." he said smiling.

"I can go?" I asked, a huge smile on my face. Professor nodded. I literally jumped for joy. It was thrilling- I had my career back, I had a plan, I had my sister, my brother, everything couldn't have been more perfect.

Then I walked out the door. I was still smiling like a moron and doing some weird dance move when I backed into the one person who could ruin my mood. You guessed it, Ray Crisp. He looked at me strangely, obviously wondering why I was doing a horrible imitation of Elvis combined with Micheal Jackson's moon walk.

"Hello, Mr. Crisp." I said, I still couldn't wipe the smile from my face. I took in the bruise forming on the underside of Ray's jaw, where I had uppercut him twice.

"Hey, Styxx." Ray said. It seems most of the awkwardness that had been in our previous conversations had faded since the few minutes in the ring. I guess beating some one up can have effects. (Not saying that they are always positive to those reading!) I gave a smile, its safe to say, we're friends again. Thats good- I'm tired of crying over him, and the feeling of awkward when ever I'm around him.

"So whats got you so excited?" Ray asked. I branched off from Nyx and Thos, ignoring Thos blalently staring at my back.

"Just got booked for a two month tour." he smiled, and looked genuine happy for me.

"Thats great. When does it start?" he asked.

"It starts after my concert on January 13th." I said.

"You going to be back for your birthday?" He asked. My and Nyx's birthday is on April 5th.

"Should be. Its just going till the end of March." I said, turning toward the grand staircase, Ray turned to the rec. room.

"I'll see you around, Styxx." a pang of guilt flashed through me as we parted ways, thats the exact goodbye he'd said when he walked away a week and a few days ago. I marched up the steps, the guilt gone. I entered my room and put my guitar beside my bed. I flopped onto the black sheets and did something I hadn't done in awhile, I took out my big leather bound book, and wrote. I wrote page after page of what had happened since two weeks ago. My last entry had been the day before I saw Tabitha kissing Ray, a day before all of this had happened. Nyx walked in some time later.

"Professor said you'd need a physical soon, before your concert. Dr. McCoy can give you one anytime." she said.

"Hey Nyx?" I asked, a question popping into my mind.

"What?" she asked, sitting on her bad and opening a book.

"Are you coming on the tour with me?" Nyx looked up from her book.

"I haven't really thought about it." she said, scrunching up her face like she does when shes thinking. "You'll need Thos, but I'm expendable."

"You're not expendable." I said, "But do you want to come with me?" Nyx thought about it for a second.

"Nah. Styxx, this is your job, your life. I'd just end up getting in the way, or I'd get stuck somewhere and you'd end up leaving without me. Go on. This is your thing."

I nodded at her answer. It had sound logic, as Spock would say.

"Okay." I said. "the day after January 13th, we split up for the first time." I held out my hand, and Nyx shook it. We had a deal.

AN~ Thoughts?