Nyx's Descendant

Chapter 15

Shawn looked away at the comment. I didn't look at any of them. I didn't want to continue this conversation. I thought that we would all be on the same page. That we would have similar thoughts. I guess we weren't as similar as I originally thought. I believed that we would have each other's back. I guess I was wrong. I may have others best interests at heart, but the remainder of the world would clearly be selfish. I stood up and walked towards the entrance. I leaned against the glass and looked at the blank black sky. A dull silver circle floated above us.

The only way to tell the difference between night and day. "Zeke?" I jumped and turned around. "Raz, what can I do for you?" I asked, trying to get my heartbeat back under control. "I didn't mean to scare you. I wanted to ask you a question," he said to me. He looked a bit nervous and uncomfortable. "What is it?" I asked in a collected voice. I couldn't help but keep thinking about everything that happened. Xavier missing, and the past couple weeks. So many crazy things have been going on and I couldn't keep track of it as another typical day.

"How close are you to Xavier?" he asked. I snapped my head to glare at him. "Excuse you?" I hissed. "I only mean is he just a friend or is he something more?" I couldn't stop my face from flushing. "He's not anything special to me. He's just a really good friend," I snapped. "Hey, I didn't mean to imply anything. It's okay if..." but I cut him off. "Just because he's gay, and he's a friend. That doesn't mean we are anything together," I snapped at him. I acted like I didn't see it. He never got angry with my temper. He never lost his cool.

"Zeke, I'm fine if you are or the fact that you say you're not. It's fine. I just wanted to know the depth of your interest in finding him. No one else seems to be concerned," Raz told me. I forced myself to calm down and take some deep breaths. "I know. I don't have many real friends. Zeke and I weren't especially close. I do think we were better friends than many who are orphans," I told him. He nodded. The message behind his eyes told me that he understood what I meant. I don't know how that would be possible. "We are going to find him," Raz promised me.

I nodded at him. I couldn't think of anything to say that would express my appreciation. The next two classes went by fast and by the end of the week, and into the weekend everyone seemed to have completely forgotten about Xavier. The only one who clearly remembered was Gertrude. She and I talked about it as often as possible. No one else seemed to be worried. Inos, Jesi, and Alexa were at a dead end. They promised me that they wouldn't give up. They just had to find a new direction to go. I nodded and appreciated everything they were doing.

The entire school was called out of the last period for an assembly. The seniors wanted to put on a show for the athletes and cheerleaders for school spirit. The football and baseball teams were in the final game before spring break and semifinals. This game would determine if we went to the state finals, or not. As it would also be the last for the seniors if we lost this upcoming game. They wanted to do an assembly for luck and appreciation for their dedication. We all were seated in the auditorium. I sat in the back and Raz sat next to me, away from the others. I gave him a curious look. He only shrugged with a neutral look and said, "I'm not one for being surrounded."

I wanted him to elaborate, but he wouldn't. I decided to let it go. We watched as the football team and baseball team made their speeches and the cheerleaders did their cheers. A large projector screen dropped down, and they started putting up slides of the athletes and the achievements from the school. I then started noticing something mixed into the slides and what the messages displayed. "What is that between the photos?" I asked quietly. I glanced at Raz, and he clenched in fists tightly. I saw Jesi, and Inos further down next to Alexa. They were looking enraged as well.

"What's happening?" I asked. "Look closely at the small photos in between the school displays," he said through grinding teeth. I did. My heart raced in anticipation. Then my blood ran cold. In between the photos of the football and baseball teams. Little clips of security officer photos were slipped in. 'Orkta found dead.' I continued to look closer. I saw photos of a large field where the security and healers were moving a body that was brutally stabbed, slashed, burned and electrocuted. A newspaper clipping that read: