Secret Identity

Chapter 7: Kidnapped?

"Hey." I smiled to Keith.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. How many times do I have to tell you that?" I said jokingly.

"Sorry. You just didn't seem yourself yesterday."

"I'm sorry about that." I apologized.

"It's okay. I'm glad you're fine now." He smiled.

"Hey Brown!" Someone said from behind him

"I gotta practice. See you later." He told me. 

"Yup. Sure." I stood up and headed to cheer leading practice. Everything just went smoothly until after practice.

"Stella, what happened to you yesterday?" Chloe asked me, sitting beside me.

"I am sorry about yesterday. Time of the month and I didn't get any sleep." I lied smoothly.

"Oh, I see. That's okay." She smiled at me and grabbed my hand.

"I need to ask you something." I told Chloe.

"Sure. What is it?" She faced me.

"How did you Stephen and Keith meet?" I asked.

"I met them when I was second grade. Keith actually saved my life." She laughed.

"What?" I said confused.

"I fell down the stairs and he caught me. He and Stephen were best friends and they both became my best friends." She explained.

"Oh. Do you know this cafe a couple blocks away from here called Cafe Monaco?" I asked.

"Yeah. Stephen used to work there. He got too frustrated with the coffee machines so he quit. I remember Keith andI used to order a ton of coffee just to tick him off." She laughed at the memory. "That cafe's owned by Stephanie Wood's family. Why?"

 "I applied for a part time job there." I told her.

"Oh cool. That's cool." Chloe said kinda out of it.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Stephanie's family isn't really... kind. Just be careful." She said.

"What? What do you mean exactly?" I questioned.

"It's just Stephanie is pretty close to Chelsea, the head of the cheer leading team. If you do something, she could kick you out. And her older brother owns the cafe." She said

"Ah.." I sighed.

Was that it? Why do I feel like she meant something more than that?

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"Stephen told me to be careful the day I twisted my ankle. And now, Chloe is to. I think it's really suspicious." I told Peter.

"I do too. You think they're the one kidnapping the high schoolers? I don't think it's that simple. They would've been caught by now if it's that simple." Peter said.

"Working with partners maybe." John guessed.

"Do you think Keith, Stephen and Chloe know about it? You want me to ask them?" I asked.

"Stephen definitely knows something. But unless you can ask him without anyone knowing you're suspicious about him, then you can't. He could be working for them and can report you." Peter cautioned.

I licked my lips and thought into space.

"So what do you want me to do?" I questioned.

"We'll keep an eye on Stephen and Chloe but you have to focus on your grades. You're failing Math." Peter said holding up a piece of paper.