7 Split.

VIXX

The note shook in her trembling fingers as she crushed it in her hand and pushed it into her pocket.

Attempted murder, the words rang in her mind.

Who had Christopher tried to kill?

"Espcially Kyle," Dylan had said.

How was Kyle involved in it?

She was too confused to think straight. Kyle had been nice to her but when she thought about it, he was rough before he had quickly relaxed. She remembered how he had pressed down hard on her shoulder with his fingers but she assumed that was because she had angered him by following him without his consent.

She tried not to think about the story she had heard again, atleast during the mechanics lesson.

The rest of the periods passed by in a blur. The strain of pushing away all that she had learned was difficult. She hadn't expected her first day to be so eventful and it left her feeling drained. She wanted to be alone to think but Livia had the same lessons as her and it was only during the break that Vixx finally had time to herself.

She had no appetite after hearing about Stey and Christopher while she had so many questions she wanted to ask them. She didn't know how Kyle was involved but she decided to look for him, first. He could help her sort out the truth from the exaggerations.

Someone grabbed her shoulder and turned her around as she was deep in thought, walking alone through the locker corridors.

"Have you seen Stey?" She recognised his voice from earlier and she sighed with relief. It was Kyle- she finally got to see his face clearly and as Stey had stated, he wasn't ugly. He had almond shaped eyes that were a brilliant blue and blond hair that fell in curves around his face. It was not too long and it shone, reflecting the light from the windows fixed horizontally above the lockers.

"Kyle?"

He shook her shoulder, his eyes filled with worry, "Yes. Have you seen Stey?"

"No," Vixx shook her head, "Not since this morning but-" he strided off, not allowing her to finish her sentence. She wanted to tell him that she had upset him but as she watched him leave she realised she wouldn't get the chance.

That was the second time today that she was deserted; Stey and Kyle had a knack for doing it.

She, now understood why people disliked the two and were so ready to talk behind their backs.

"Vixx?"

Knowing who it was, she took a deep breath and faced the boy walking towards her; he was grinning. He had sandy brown hair and blue eyes like Kyle, but they were darker than his.

"What did he want?" he gestured at Kyle's retreating figure with a turn of his head.

"He was looking for Stey," Vixx answered, curtly and started walking towards the cafeteria. To escape Livia's company she had come away from there so all she had to do was retrace her steps.

"Weird," Dylan stated.

Vixx said nothing, knowing completely well that Dylan was ready to utter any nonsense about a person, whether it was real or not.

"Kyle never speaks to any of us. Mostly he just walks past us all like we're ants."

"You don't seem to like him."

"We used to be friends. Good friends," he walked beside her, his hands swinging fast, "Until Christopher showed up, that is. Darn, Kyle was one messed up mate. He totally ditched us and spoke less and less to us. Eventually we just cut ties."

"You don't consider Kyle as your friend anymore?" Vixx asked, "Sure, like you said, he ditched you. Didn't you try to find out why?"

"Couldn't be bothered to. Mates like that, who are so ready to leave you behind, aren't worth it," Dylan countered.

Vixx wanted to say alot of things. She would never let go of a friend so easily without understanding why. If she ever did, then she wouldn't have been a friend in the first place.

"Hey," Dylan walked ahead of her and turned around, blocking her path. "Want to see something?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood."

"It about what I said earlier about Christopher and Stey. There's some proof to their stories in The Block."

"What block?" Vixx questioned.

"The old school building. We call it The Block. There's an old classroom in there that had a- "

"No," Vixx stopped, "I'm really not in the mood. I'll see it later. I'm sorry."

-

STEY

Her body was being held in the burly arms of a man, mid air, as she woke up screaming. They were moving her left and right as the man walked and fear grasping at her throat, she continued to shout and kick at her kidnapper.

"There, there, easy girl," the man spoke. His voice was gentle and soothing, it was as if he was calming down a wild horse, Stey thought, but it helped her relax a bit.

As her vision cleared Stey recognized the man in his blue uniform and the familiar scent of the police station she was being carried into. So he wasn't her kidnapper.

"Oh no," Stey sighed as her parents came into her peripheral view.

"Yes Miss Stey, you've done it again. How many times has it been so far?"

She frowned but said nothing. It was the seventh time, to be exact, that she was taken to the police station after being named Missing. She hated going there but a part of her was glad because it was the only place that she could get information about Christopher.

"Stey, are you alright, dear? Keep her seated here, Officer," her mother directed, her voice whiny and annoying. "Oh, my darling child," she cried wiping the sweat from Stey's face with a cloth.

She pulled Stey in for a hug, making her stiffen and grimace, how annoying, Stey tried to move back but he mother's hold was tight.

It was a routine every time she was brought there. Stey would have preferred it if her mother had yelled, but as she watched her father glare at her, she knew it was his territory to take that action.

"How could you let this happen AGAIN!" He started, "You weren't home for two whole days and they couldn't find you anywhere in school!"

"Don't be so loud, dear," her mother spoke up, "People are watching."

"People already think we're a crazy family ever since THIS girl," he pointed at Stey his arm outstretched, "has taken it upon herself to go hiding once a month in the most bizarre of places!" He turned to Stey, "WHAT-" he stopped to take a deep breath and speak in a lower voice, "What were you thinking Stey? Being found in a karaoke room, how embarrassing."

Oh, Stay had wondered where she had gone to and now she knew. She didn't recall going to the Blues and Blues but she wasn't surprised. She had found herself there and in other places at odd times, sometimes without her realizing she had come of her own accord.

Blues and Blues was a karaoke bar that she hung out in with Christopher many times. They had had their first fight there and the place was precious to her.

"Stey!" Her father shook her body, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry. I-"

Her father didn't want to hear her apologies, "Get her a hot cup of coffee, Reyn," he ordered, turning to her mother. He walked away from them and out the station.

Her mother, Reyn Carrie, as short and petite as Stey followed behind, rummaging in her purse for change.

Stey looked around hurriedly, she was surrounded by tables and chairs arranged in small squares around the office. The lights were switched on and there were no one else except for the officers so she assumed it was after dark.

Her eyes skimmed the room and paused when they landed on the youngest officer, Dan.

She turned to make sure her parents had gone and quickly made her way to him.

"Hi, Officer Dan. Good evening," she said, smiling.

"Quite a bit of trouble you gave us there, Stey," he mentioned, relaxing back into his chair. He dropped the pen he was using to write and closed his notebook.

"I'm sorry, Dan but what exactly happened?"

"We got a call two nights ago from your parents and patrolled the area looking for you. None of your friends could reach you either. We went to all your usual places but you weren't there. The owner of Blue's called us tonight and told us about a knocked out young girl, curled up in the corner of the room. John and Rudy went to pick you up." He paused to ponder about something, "Blues and Blues? That's a new one. Why were you found there?"

Stey shrugged.

"Be careful, Stey. The world isn't a safe place for a young girl to sleep walk through the streets."

"I know. I'll be careful." She scanned his table, hoping to find any document with Christopher's name on it but she saw none.

"Dan, how's he doing?"

The young officer looked at he strictly, "You know you aren't allowed to ask about him. Your father has forbidden you to know."

"Please, Dan. Just tell me anything about him," she pleaded, "Is he sick? Does he eat well?"

But Dan only shook his head as a response to her words and with dread, Stey knew he wasn't going to answer.

She had managed to weasel answers out of him twice before but he had caught onto her.

"Please," she asked one more time, hearing her mother's voice come from the direction of the entrance.

"I'm sorry Stey, but not this time," Officer Dan declared, standing up. Stey kept her eyes fixed on his notebook as he walked away and with trembling fingers was about to reach out for it when someone tapped the table she was seated at.

"Hey little girl," the face of a cop she didn't recognise looked at her pitifully. "Are you curious about your friend?"

She nodded furiously, extremely grateful to him, "Yes please. How is he doing?"

"He's alright, no trouble from him at all. Oh and he's being transferred tomorrow."

"Transferred?" Her stomach churned, "To where?"

The officer frowned, "I don't think I can tell you that."

"I- okay. It's alright. Thank you officer," she hoped that would make him tell her but it was fruitless. Her mother appeared and when she saw her speaking to the new cop, she rushed over wailing.

"What did you tell her? What did you tell her?" she cried.

"Nothing. He told me ABSOLUTELY NOTHING even when i begged him to tell me. I demand to know! I have every right to ask about him," she bellowed, "But you PEOPLE tell me NOTHING. I-" Her father, who had come with his wife, stormed up to her and slapped her in the face making her gasp.

"Shut up, child. You will not speak another WORD, do you understand me."

He wasn't asking. It was an order. Stey was fuming, angry at him and furious at Christopher for being transferred. She stomped away and didn't turn back, ignoring the sorry eyes of the officers.

She didn't need their pity, she could survive on her own just fine.