A Lover's Responsibility

Chapter 4

*The next day* As Xena walked to her first period, she saw Brandon and he looked really sad and beat. “Hey, Brandon… are you okay?” Xena asked. “Y-yeah, im fine…” he said quietly. “Is it Rylie, or Cantu?” Xena pressed. “It’s both…” Brandon said “What happened?”  “So, Rylie sent me a text saying that I have to break up with her and she said that Cantu said that if I don’t, then he will kill her…” Brandon says with tears streaming down his face. “Aww, it will be okay Brandon. Rylie sent me a message saying that yall could still be together, but it would only be in  secret...How do you feel about that?” Xena says. “What did she have in mind?” Brandon said with a smirk on his face. “Well, she said that you guys could fake it, like fake your love for each other…” “Wait, I’m not following…” “You two would have to pretend yall don't like each other, but yall secretly do!!!” Xena said with excitement. “Okay... but do you know where she is?” Brandon asked with a concerned look. “I wish, but sadly, no… she doesn't know where she is, or how she got there…” “Okay, well...Should we go look for her? Like I mean, we’re able to skip school… We only came here for each other, so we should stay together!” “Okay, then should we go get Vienna, to help us find Rylie? Like, they have been good friends for a long time… She should know where she is.” Xena says to Brandon. Bandit walks into the hall that Xena and Brandon are in. “Hey Xena! Oh, hi Brandon…” Bandit says. “Hey Bandit…”, Says Brandon. Bandit looks at Xena and their eyes meet, Xena smiles and then quickly pulls her hoodie over her face so no one can see her blushing. “What are you guys talking about?” Bandit asked while he was still looking at Xena. “Well, we were just talking about going on an adventure with Vienna…” “Could I join?” Bandit questioned. “Sure!” Xena said. “We should leave like, NOW!” Vienna said. “Woah! Where did you come from?”  Brandon said as he jumped back. “ WE HAVE TO SAVE HER! SHE IS MY DAMSEL IN DISTRESS!!!” Brandon yelled.

*Everyone stops what they’re doing, and then the group just leaves the school grounds and they walk into the woods where Vienna was first captured. They see Noah talking to someone, but they cant see who it is.* They heard the name ‘Max’ and Xena made hand signals to the group explaining that she would go talk to Noah, plus whoever he talking to. ¨Hey Noah… who is this?¨ *points in the direction of the dark cloaked figure (its at night!)* “ Oh um, a person! Shove off Xena, will ya?” Noah replied. “Woah! Wait, do you like her Noah? OHHHH!!! SOMEONE HAS A CRUSH!!! SOMEONE HAS A CRUSH!!!” Xena sang happily.

“YES I HAVE A CRUSH, BUT NOT DEVLIN! I MEAN COME ON, REALLY XENA! MCCULLOUGH IS MUCH CUTER THAN HER!” Noah blurted out. “Sorry, was that out loud?” Noah started to blush. “I feel offended!” Devlin stated. “Loomis, you have a crush on McCullough?!?!” Ty said as he stepped out of the shadows. “Well, as soon as this mess gets all sorted out she’s MINE! Understand Loomis?” Ty said with a deathly glare. “Uh, says who?” Noah shot back. “And were you eavesdropping Emmert?” “OF COURSE I WAS! DUH! I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD KNOW WHERE RYLIE WAS, SO OF COURSE I WOULD WATCH YOU!!! AND PLUS… LET ME JUST SAY, RYLIE DOESN'T LIKE YOU!!! SHE LIKES ME BETTER THAN SHE HAS IN A WHILE AND NEVER WILL LIKE YOU!!!”  Ty said with an angered tone. “Danggg,” Xena said. “Boys be getting feisty over here!” “WAIT, EMMERT, WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE RYLIE IS??!?!?!” Xena asked. “Well, er, I just wanted to know if she was safe or not, well cause, u know… Cantu has been keeping secrets from us and I hate secrets and I just wanted to know if if she is okay!” Ty said in a very, very, very calm voice which surprised everyone. “NACHO CHEESE!” Xena screamed. “AHHHHHHHHHHH!” Everyone else screamed (except for Ty). “MENU CAR!!!” Ty screamed. “What are we doing with our lives...” Devlin questioned. “Okay back to the matter at hand everyone… RYLIE IS MINE!” Noah yelled. “No, SHE’S MINE!” Ty screamed.

*The two boys get into an epic fist fight* “STOP THIS STUPIDITY AT ONCE!” Cantu yelled. Cantu held out his hand and everyone (including our friends hiding in the bushes nearby) dodged all the explosions the simple gesture had made. “Woah, calm down Cantu!” Devlin shouted. “Don’t tell me what to do Devlin! I’m the one in charge here!” Cantu yelled back. “Ohhhh, he’s getting angry people! He’s bound to do something terrible soon!” Ty yelled. “Vienna, we’ve gotta get out of here before Cantu finds out we’re here!” Brandon whispered to Vienna. *Brandon and Vienna slowly back away into the woods* “Wait, what about Xena?!?” Vienna asked, stopping suddenly. “She’ll be fine Vienna!” Brandon replied. “As of right now, Cantu thinks that Xena is loyal to him.” What about you Brandon? Vienna questioned. “He questions my loyalty at the moment, because he found out that I was dating Rylie…” “Well, that's sad… and that is why we need to go save her! And also cause she is my friend…” Vienna retorted. “Let’s just go already…” “Wait, but do we even know where Rylie is?” Brandon asked. “Shot! I didn’t think of that!” Vienna said.

“Wait, what if we follow Devlin?” “Good idea Brandon! Let’s wait for here to leave and then we’ll follow her.”  Vienna whispered to Brandon as they walked and crouched by some of the bushes that were not burning from Cantu. Finally, Cantu said “ Get back to tracking down Max and Trevor everyone! They are essential to my plan… Devlin, continue on with what you were going to do when this insolent jerk *Cantu pointed back at Noah* who decided to interfere AND start a fight with Emmert.” “Okay Cantu, see ya tonight!” Devlin replied. Cantu and the rest of his group (along with Xena) teleported away. Devlin pulled her hood up over her head again and walked deeper into the forest. With that, Vienna and Brandon silently followed her into the great abyss of darkness. *A few hours later* Vienna and Brandon stalked through the darkness as they followed Devlin deeper and deeper into the the forest. At last Devlin came to a door carved into a large rock. She pulled out a skull key and unlocked seven locks with it. Then Devlin went over to a pad next to the door and started typing on it. “Deactivating traps,” a mechanical voice said. Devlin opened the door and went inside silently. Brandon and Vienna slipped in the door right as it closed. They followed Devlin down countless passageways and hallways.