~Rise and Fall~
8"Mmmph!" Mia muffled against the rough palm over her mouth, tugging at the fingers that wrapped around her cheek as she scuffled in the dirt while she was being dragged away...
The curses of being built with a petite frame-
She was shoved with a thud into some brush and she gasped for air, ready to scream when suddenly-
"Shhhh!"
"Alexis!?" Mia gasped, blinking her wide blue eyes as they adjusted to the shape of the woman in front of her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Mia huffed, finally breaking free of the grasp from behind her.
"What's the big idea, huh!? What's going on- and it had better be a good explaination-"
"Be quiet, or they'll hear you!" she hissed.
"They?" Mia blinked.
She must have been referring to Chazz and the lackeys.
"...I saw you sneaking away with Chazz and his friends earlier." she stated, "I figured with no doubt that Chazz was putting you up to something...So I brought back up..."
"What?" Mia blinked, "...Back up?"
"...Sorry if I was a little rough..." said Zane, finally stepping out of the shadows, "I don't exactly make a habit of...kidnapping girls..." he said awkwardly, "But that's the kind of thing that can happen when you act recklessly and aren't careful!" he stated, "Especially sneaking off with a bunch of guys after midnight- mind telling me what you were thinking, Mia!?"
"Zane!?" Mia gasped, "You mean to tell me this was some kind of simulation kidnapping!?"
"Yeah. Let's go with that." said Zane, "And you couldn't do a thing about it!" he stated, "Now imagine if it were someone else and not me!?" he scolded as he folded his arms.
"Why you son of a-I ought to kick your ass right now, you bastard-" she growled, "Who the hell are YOU to scold ME anyway!?"
"Hey, take it easy!" said Alexis, "He was just worried-"
"Huh? Worried?" she glanced over at the taller bluenette who gave a small reaction before quickly averting his gaze. It was hard to see in the moon light...but it looked as though a hint of colored tint had dusted his cheeks.
"Yeah, he was." said Alexis, "And who could blame him? You were about to just walk right into the Abandoned Dorm!" she stated, "Don't you know that students have a habit of disappearing around here? Why do you think they have this place closed off!?"
"...Asbestos?" Mia blinked followed by a slight snort from a snickering Zane Truesdale behind them whom Alexis shot an icy glare to.
"What? It's not a bad answer..." he said softly.
"Don't tell me you two actually believe those myths?" Mia muttered.
"Except they aren't myths!" Zane snapped, startling Mia.
Once he realized his sharp tone he took a short breath, and then a longer one, trying to calm himself, "...I'm sorry." he said softly, "It's just that...one of the students who disappeared around here...was my best friend." he said in a gentle tone.
"Yeah..." sighed Alexis, "...And my brother."
His Best Friend...
Her...brother...?
"That's right..." said Zane, "And I don't know what I would have done if it had happened to you." he said to her, "So I ask again...What were you thinking, Mia!?"
"Not me!" she refuted, "This isn't MY idea of a good time!" she huffed, "It was Chazz's idea!" she stated and folded her arms, "Some kind of...initiation bull shit to prove my worth to-" she wiggled her fingers in motion of quotations, "Duel With the Big Boys" she scoffed.
"...Initiation?" Zane heaved a heavy sigh, "Hmph...to sink so low as something so juvenile as hazing..." he muttered.
"Look-" Mia sighed, "I figured Chazz was still pissed off about me beating him, so I thought I'd humor him a little." she shrugged.
"Really? And why on earth would you give into Chazz's whims?"
"I WAS BOOOOORED~" she heaved an exasperated sigh and dropped herself onto her back into the dead plant life beneath them as Zane let out a heavy sigh and Alexis a sheepish chuckle.
"I...did invite you to come wade with us..." said Alexis awkwardly, "It would have saved you from the trouble you're in now-"
"And I appreciate the invitation, Alexis, I do...it's just-" she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, " Modeling swimsuits? Gossiping about boys? It's just...not really..." she sighs, "I'm already awkward enough...I don't need the added peer pressure..."
Alexis sighed.
"Yeah Mindy does tend to get a bit much into that..." she chuckled, "And Even I can admit that it doesn't exactly make for very rivoting conversation all the time...I'm sorry." she sighed.
"No need to apologize." said Mia, "It's not like you did anything wrong...you've been nothing but nice to me...I'm just...weird...I'm a weirdo...that's all."
Zane's gaze narrowed on her a while...
It was hard to read his expression.
One part awkwardness, not knowing how to comfort her, and one part pity maybe?
BECAUSE he didn't know how to comfort her?
But another part of it...was understanding.
He considered himself to be a bit awkward too at times...
Especially with girls and...
Insecurities...
"Well...weird or not-" Alexis chuckled, "I'm just glad we were able to get to you before something really did happen..." said Alexis, "Don't worry Mia, we know Chazz is the one who put you up to this...That's why we're here to help you get him back."
"Really? Talk to me." she stated.
"All right then ladies, move in close." Zane smirked, "...Here's what we're gonna do..."
xxx
Chazz and the ditzy duo sat silently watching the stop clock which continued to tick away.
"She's been there a mighty long time, Chazz..." said the blue haired Obelisk as he adjusted his eye glasses.
"Yeah Chazz...it's...Kinda quiet." stated the other male.
"Yeah..." Chazz muttered, "Too quiet..."
"Maybe she vanished!" said the blue haired one, "You know, like the rumors say!"
"Yeah, right." Chazz huffed, "She's just trying to punk us for trying to punk her...I know her game." he scoffed, "Very Funny, Mia!" Chazz hollered, "You're not fooling anyone!""Hmph...we'll see about that..." Mia smirked as she and the other two Obelisks joined her, crouched down behind the over grown shrubbery, "So...are you two ready to see the best damn acting you'll ever see all night?" she asked, shifting a glance between Zane and Alexis who both nodded.
"Do it!" said Alexis.
"Cover your ears." Mia smirked.
"Wait, what?" Zane blinked, but soon got the message once he saw Mia puff her chest during a long inhale.
With both pairs of ears cupped between her two extra Obelisk guests Mia bellowed out a blood curdling scream that echoed into the night sky and struck the fear of God into the three that dared lead her astray into the darkness-
"MIA!?" Chazz called out, with a look of panic in his eyes.
No way...
Did I actually put her in real danger!?
"Who...goes...there...~?" Zane spoke out in a long...ghostly tamber through a tunnel of his cupped hands...
It came out in moaned words that seemed to echo all around.
Meanwhile Mia and Alexis had to cover their own mouths to keep from laughing out loud.
Mia rested her eyes on Zane as he worked his own acting skills-
Which were surprisingly decent-
But more than that...
Who would have ever known Zane Truesdale to actually have a little bit of a prankster somewhere in there...?
Maybe it comes from him being an older brother?
I'm sure Syrus has tried to pull pranks on his big brother once in a while when they were younger...
Most younger siblings tend to that I know of...
But still...
She smiled softly, appreciating the effort, and doing her best not to blow the older student's cover while he worked.
Chazz's two lackeys wrapped arms around each other in fear while Chazz stood with a wide eyed shock.
Wh-What the hell...?
He thought to himself.
"Who...DARES disturb my sleep...?"
Chazz stood in stunned silence before narrowing his onyx eyes and letting out a huff with a slow clap.
"Ha Ha...you got us~" he groaned, "Very funny, Mia... but...how the hell did you manage to get your voice that deep?"
"GEEEET OOOOUUUUT~!"
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH! YOU DON'T GOTTA TELL US TWICE!" said Chazz's followers, each of them running for the hills in defeat.
"Hey!" Chazz snapped, "GET BACK HERE, YOUR COWARDS!" Chazz huffed as he went to chase after them before stopping in his tracks as realization hit him, "Dammit, MIA!" he growled and quickly turned heel running back to search for the brunette he had all but pushed into the creepers of the night-
"Mia, Where are you!?" he called out for her "Mia, Are you all right? MIA!" he huffed, "All right you Freak, you better give Mia back, you hear me!? You won't like it when The Chazz gets angry!"
"Wow, Mia...He seems really worried about you..." Alexis said softly with surprise in her tone.
"Good!" Mia huffed, "Let him worry a little longer while I catch my breath~" she said as she took in a deep breath between the few laughs she just couldn't keep hidden.
"All right, I think we worried him enough..." she stated, "Besides..." she snorted and shook her head, "I can't hold it in anymore...!" with that the two girls finally burst out into laughter, even accompanied by a few light hyucks from Zane himself-
Though he did try to keep it subtle...
"What the hell...?" Chazz blinked, "Is that...laughter?"
"Oh, shit, I think he's on to us!" Mia wheezed.
"W-Well...n-naturally..." Zane said between chuckles, "I mean...it was only a matter of time, Mia..."
"Yeah...Chazz isn't THAT Dumb you know!" Alexis snickered.
Some heavy stepped shuffling sounded through the shrubs that led to the hiding spot where three guilty parties sat with victorious grins on their faces.
"Are...you...KIDDING ME!?" Chazz huffed, completely red in the face.
"Serves you right, Chazz." said Alexis, "It's what you get for trying to pull someone else into your nonsense."
Mia gave him a smug smile and elegantly waved her fingers, perfectly fine.
"You...little WEASEL!" Chazz huffed, "I thought something had SERIOUSLY happened to you!"
"Awww, were you worried about me, Chazzy~?" Mia winked, batting her lashes before snickering once again.
"Wh-" Chazz blushed, "AS IF I was worried about you!" he huffed, "I just didn't want to be the number one suspect on your MURDER case!" he declared as he turned on his heel before storming off into the night, "Screw this! I'm going home!"
"...So did I pass the initiation?" Mia asked.
"SHUT UP!"
"...I'd take that as a yes!" snickered Alexis.
"All right, ladies..." said Zane, "We've all had our fun for the night...it's starting to get really late now...If we get caught out here, we're all busted and that won't look good on my record so close to Graduation..." he stated "Come on...I'll walk you back to your dorm."
"Awww...but things were FINALLY getting interesting..." Mia groaned.
"Actually...I have something I need to do first..." Alexis said softly as she reached back behind a broken pot. It seemed there was a rose hidden there, carefully placed before they decided to roll with this little ruse, "Don't worry...I'll follow soon after, I promise." she said with a broken smile.
With a knowing posture and understanding eyes, Zane gave her a gentle nod.
"Be careful, Lexi." he said to her.
"Promise." she said back.
"...All right then..." he shifted his eyes over toward the brunette, "Come on Mia." he said to her, "Let's go."
xxx
The two walked side by side together in an easy pace, holding a long silence between them.
Mia kept her eyes averted, cheeks flushed and a pout on her lips pondering on ways she could distract him from noticing that she was being distracting-
"SO..." Mia said softly cutting the silence, "That was unexpected." she smirked, "You...you're secretly funny~"
"Heh." Zane chuckled and managed to crack a small smile, "Why thank you...I've been brushing up on my comedy routine." he joked.
Mia blushed harder.
Was that a joke?
Jokes?
Zane's cracking jokes now!?
"HaHa, keep it up." she said back, "I'll have to be sure to buy a ticket to your Stand-Up!"
"I'll hold you to that." he chuckled.
"...Please don't, I'm not really gonna go."
"Ow..." Zane chuckled, "That was below the belt..."
Mia couldn't help but let out a little laugh at that one.
"You think that's below the belt?" she chuckled, "You're so serious all the time I thought you were like- super boring."
"Excuse me?" he blinked.
"Yeah you know...a real stick in the mud~" she snickered.
"A stick in the mud!? Why would you even- I can be fun!"
Wow-
That was more emotion than she has ever seen Zane express before-
"I got it- you proved it- chill"
"No-" He said with a mischievous smirk. He had stopped dead in his tracks and as Mia took a step in passing he had grabbed her lightly by the wrist and gave her a tug into his chest.
"I want to hear you say it~" he smirked. He had one arm wrapped around her middle while his other hand still held her wrist in captivity above her.
"Say what?" She huffed, feeling a flush on her face as she attempted to wrestle herself free from him. It was purely playful between them, in fact he wasn't trying very hard at all-
"That I'm not boring!"
"OKAY you're not boring!" she chuckled.
He smirked and continued to playfully over power her, pinning her against one of the passing trees as he smiles smugly and whispers "And...NOT...a stick in the mud~"
"Excuse me-!?" she huffed, now blushing in her new-found position.
"Say it~" his voice went down low, and commanding, sending a subtle shiver up and down her spine, which she disguises with a stubborn huff of annoyance-
"Okay- okay!" she laughed, "So you're not a COMPLETE stick-"
"Hmm? What now?" he probed on playfully, pressing in closer, cupping a hand over his ear, "I can't quite hear you Mia Hastings~ you need to speak louder-!"
"DEEP in the mud!" she laughed out softly.
Relief washed softly over his face...
It was nice to see her smile...
He hadn't in a while...
So he was glad to be able to do that much for her...
"I'll take it." he chuckled softly, as he finally pulls himself away and releases her as pertained to his silent promise.
"Honestly...I'm just glad to see you coming out of your shell a bit more..."
She paused, shifting her gaze over to him while she fixed her slightly creased uniform... and she was met with...
A surprisingly gentle expression...
"You used to be so expressive...at the championships..." he chuckled, "I don't know what happened after the Award ceremonies...but you seemed...so much more distant after our duel...I thought I did something...or said something-"
"Oh that- That was..." she pauses, lingering awkwardly on her silence for a while as his curious expression tried to probe some kind of answer from her.
"That...wasn't you." she said softly, "It wasn't anything you did."
"Oh..." he glanced away awkwardly...he was relieved to hear that it wasn't him- but if that were true...he wished he knew what it was.
He wanted to ask her-
But it didn't seem like she was all that willing to talk about it...
So he thought it best to just let it go for now...
"Well...here we are, Ms. Hastings." said Zane as he walked her all the way to her door.
"Gee...thanks...Oh and..." she blushed, "...Thanks for tonight too." she stated, "You know...you and Alexis...helping me out back there..."
Zane stared a moment before breaking a gentle smile.
"Any time." he said to her, "Happy to help-"
"D-Don't make it a habit or whatever!" Mia huffed blushing, "I-It's not like I WANT your help!" she huffed, "I mean..." she mumbled, "I-It's not like I need it, or anything..."
"...I never thought that, Mia." he said to her softly, "...Not even once."
She shifted her blue eyes upward toward his, to which he rewarded with a smile that made her blush a little more-
"I know you're a strong Duelist, Mia." he said to her, "And you're a strong person too." he stated, "...But just because you may not need the help...doesn't mean that it's not okay to accept it every once in a while." he chuckled and turned away slowly, stopping short after a few strides.
"By the way..." he said glancing back at her, "...I never got the chance to tell you this, earlier." he stated, "...Congratulations, Mia...On your victory earlier today...You certainly didn't waste any time, did you?" he smirked.
"Nope." she said back firmly, "And I don't plan to either. So stay on your toes, Zane!" she stated, "...Because I'm coming for you."
And with that, she walked into her dorm room and ended the conversation there with a click of the lock.
Zane stood in the hall way a while...
Eyes closed, replaying images of her and their time spent together on this night...
Seeing her smile...
Making her laugh...
And even holding her small body in his larger hands...just for a little while...
He opened his eyes once more and softly glanced down into his palms with a smile on his face before tucking them away into his pockets.
"Heh..." he chuckled softly, "...I look forward to it." He said in a gentle voice as his heavy soled shoes pressed to the floor with each step while he walked away.
To Be Continued