Creative Writing

Chyenne sat by the window watching a normal day in Manhatten, New York. As she slowly brushed her waist-lenth black hair, her blue-gray eyes filled with tears. She would have given anything for her mother to be here on her first day of high school. If she had at least had her father to take her, she would have felt better. But ever since the accident, her older brothers and sisters had taken care of her. They had done a good job, but still. She sighed.

"Chyenne!" Her sister Sarah called up the stairs. "Time to go, Cody came home so he could walk you to school."

Chyenne felt a little better. Cody was her oldest brother, and she had always felt protected when he was around. She didn't see him much since he had gotten married and now had a little child of his own. "I'm coming Sarah!"

She rushed down the stairs, grabbing her 7-times-passed-down jacket. That was only expected, since she was the youngest of fourteen. Eight girls and six boys.

Cody smiled. "You ready?" Chyenne stopped to catch her breath. Cody opened the door and they walked out in to the snow. Chyenne sighed.

Cody grinned. "Don't worry. You're really smart, you'll do fine. Just watch out for the Unafraid. Oh, and theres a map, a map of the school that a new kid gets every four years. It's a fouth year this year, and who knows, you might get lucky." Chyenne gave a half smile.

Chyenne walked through the door, expecting a warmth that all buildings in New York had when you walked in, but felt nothing. It was just as cold in here as it had been outside.

Chyenne turned and faced the long hallway that looked like it could swallow her up. She squared her shoulders, and walked forward.

The school was so big! It seemed huge, and still it was nose to nose when class let out. Chyenne walked near the edge of the wall, just trying to stay out of everybody's way. She had her favorite song stuck in her head, and she loved looking around, it was like she was making her own music video...Her music was the only thing that let her get away from crowded Manhatten. Chyenne looked around, wondering all the sudden where everyone had gone. The only people in the hall seemed to be boys dressed in black...Someone pushed her aside, and someone else grabbed the back of her shirt and pushed her down the hall. She looked back, it had all the sudden become so dark that she couldn't see who was behide her, but as they walked in to the light, a tall tan haired boy let go of her. He was panting as he struggled to catch his breath..."Sorry girl, I didn't mean to scare you or anything, but the Unafraid are about to make their daily walk around the school, and you don't want to be in their way...Are you ok?"

Daniel Wes...The second most popular guy in the whole high school, he had just saved her from something everybody but her seemed to know about. How did everybody else know that the Unafraid made one daily walk around the school? Oh well. She knew now. She walked in to Science, the second to the last class of the day. She sat down in an empty desk. "Hey" said a deep voice from above her. "That's my seat." She looked up and quickly looked back down. Then she picked up her bag and moved to a desk in the back of the class. She sighed. This was probably where she was destaned to stay for the next four years. How she was ever going to learn anything from this place, she had no idea.

Chyenne was walking out of Algebra, her last class of her first day at a real high school. She was pretty pleased with herself, she had managed to avoid The Unafraid and their leader, Braison James. As she pulled herself out of her mind's world, she saw a blonde, green-eyed senior looking down at her.

He smiled. "Hi, I'm Steven." Chyenne turned pink. Steven Trace!! The most popular senior in the school!!!

"Th-Thanks." Her insides were bubbling with something she couldn't quite identify.

"I saw the look in Braison James's eyes when he saw you. You are one of his main targets."

Steven came closer still. "I'm going to help you all I can. But I can't be there all the time. Take this, it won't help you in strenth against Braison, but it will help you avoid him."

Chyenne was walking down a nearly desserted hall. It had been about three months since Steven had given her the map. It showed the school, the grounds, and lots of little secret passages and hiding places, so far she had avoided Braison. Although she had a terrible downfall; she was terrible at getting rapped up in her own thoughts. She didn't see the gang of boys coming down the hallway. From the middle of the group stepped Braison James. He grinned, not mischieviously, but wickedly. By the time she realized who it was, it was too late. He was only a foot or so from her. She tried to run, but he caught her. He took her by her neck and held her against the lockers, a foot off the ground. He tilted his head to the side. "Hello Beautiful"

"You will know how we do things. You can't run from me. You won't be shy next year, you won't be scared. Won't that be nice?" Chyenne gulped. How long would he hold her here? Until he thought someone was coming? That could be tomorrow when school starts again. Braison smiled. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I could hold you here until school starts tomorrow. And I could. I don't have anyone to report back to."

Chyenne knew if he didn't let her go fast this was going to be it. She couldn't breath. Everything was closing in, it was getting dark.....

Then out of no where, a strong voice rings out in the hall. "Let her go Braison!" Braison laughed. "Make me." Steven jumped the remaining space between them. He grabbled Braison's arm and pulled it off the locker. Chyenne felt herself slide to the ground.

Several days later Steven Trace was sitting out on the school lawn with all his friends. Braison and his friends come walking by. Steven calls out; "Hey Brais! Uh, how's your mom doing? My dad told me she has been sick." Braison blushed like a setting sun as all Steven friends started laughing. Steven looked at his friends with unbelief. "Guys, I was serious." He turned again to face Braison, but he was already gone.

It's the middle of the High School Hockey Championship game. One of the players has been injured and can't play. The back up player was getting ready. Braison and his friends went the back way in to the locker room. They grabbed Jake Johnson, the freshman who was going to be filling in and knocked him out with one hit. Braison grinned. Steven was going to pay for what he said, he was going to pay for shoving his hand off the new girl, that had supposed to be his moment. He suited up. The coach walked in. "Come on Jake, Daniel's ankle looks like it might explode it's swelling so much. You need to get in that game." Braison grinned under his helment. "Yes Sir."

He stood there for a moment looking at his options. Steven Trace had the puck in his possesion and was coming this way. He skated out. He got so close to Steven that there was only about a foot between them. He quickly closed the space. He stuck his hockey stick in the path of Steven's skates. Steven tripped and almost fell. He yelled "Hey man, what are you trying to do?" Braison called back over the noise of the crowd and skates scraping on ice, making his voice sound high and kinda scared like Jake's: "I'm just trying to help you Steven!"

They were getting close to the goal, Braison knew that he had to do it quick. He stuck his stick around the bottom of his skates, making it look like he tripped over his own stick. He fell on to Steven just as he was hitting in for a goal. An evil grin and a bad pain on the back of his head were the last things Steven remembered for a long time.

Steven looked up, he didn't know where he was. There was some quiet whispering in the background, some where deep in his head. He closed his eyes; just trying to concentrate on getting his thoughts straight. He heard a sound he had heard many times in the school halls; the steps of the large black books that Braison James wore. Steven sighed. He didn't think he was at school, so why was Braison here? He heard soft laughs, then a deep but amused sounding voice; "So Trace, we meet again. According to the world, we're brothers now. Can you believe that?" Steven was confused. He opened his eyes; he was right, it was Braison. But what on earth was he talking about being brothers? Steven didn't have a brother, or a sister for that matter, he was an only child, always adored by his father. His father. Could it be possible? Could dad really have remarried? It had always been just him and his dad, it had been since the day Steven was born; his mother had died giving birth to him. But now...Steven sighed again.

He remembered now. His dad had told him the night before the hockey game that he had asked Ms. James to marry him, and that she had happily agreed. Braison's dad had died in a car wreck about ten years ago. Could Ms. James and his dad really have gotten married already? How long had he been out? He closed his eyes again. Braison laughed.

"Braison, listen. I know we got off to a rough start, you still being upset about loosing your dad-

Chyenne was walking around the school building after the last class. Everyone was trying to digest the news, Braison James' mom and Steven Trace's dad had just been married! The whole school was going crazy! The two were now brothers?!? How on earth was that going to work out? Steven trace had still not been heard from since the hockey game. The rumors were that his dad got married was he was still out cold. Braison just acted like nothing happened, nothing had changed. He was still his same old self. Chyenne rounded a corner, wrapped up in her thoughts, and there he was. She looked up and started walking backward, a look of wariness and almost fear in her face. Braison reached out to her.

"Hey boy, come on Steven, we're going home." Steven groaned. He could feel the pain in his head again, the second to the last thing he wanted to do was move, and the last thing he wanted to do was go home to Braison.

"Listen Steve; I know it's just been me and you for a long time, but I think Leanna will be good for both of us. She has a son that's only about a year younger then you, won't that be nice?"

"I knew you would understand Steven. You know you'll always be my boy. I'll always be there for you." Steven smiled, but somewhere inside his heart, he knew things would never be the same.

Chyenne was proud of herself. She had actually gotten away from him! The sneakster actually thought that after what he taught her that she would come to him. He was dumber then she realized. She wondered what on earth made him think that that would work. Oh well, who cares? It's over. Her past; her quiet, shy personality, was behind her.

Braison put his head in his hands, letting his long black hair tumble down his shoulders. He should have known that she wouldn't fall for that. He had had one chance, and he blew it. How on earth could he ever get her to trust him? That one time, when he had been holding her against the lockers, the one time he actually looked in to her eyes. He had fallen head over heels. How was he supposed to tell her what he felt? And how would she ever believe him? He felt terrible about the way she had looked at him; the fear and caution in her eyes. He felt something he hadn't felt since his dad died when he was seven; sadness. When ever something happened that brought tears to everyone else, he had just been angry and blamed someone else; God. He felt worse now. Tears fell hard and he didn't try to hold them back.

Chyenne was happy; Braison hadn't bothered her at all. She would say she scared him off, but she knew better then that. She wondered what he was up to, he didn't even walk past her anymore. It was like he was avoiding her. Ah, well, she didn't care, whatever he was planning, she could take. She felt so powerful.

Braison walked in to the mall. He didn't go there often, he didn't like all the popular guys that usually hung out there. He wondered what you get a girl when you want her to know that you're spending a lot of your time thinking about her. There was a store that looked all pink, it totally stood out from the rest of the mall. When Braison looked in to the window, he turned pink at what he saw. He was NOT getting her anything from this store. He walked along for a while, debating if he should ask someone for advice, or if he should just keep going until he sees the perfect thing. He kept going over what he knew about her in his head. "She's not that girly. .She's quiet, or, she was quiet. " He saw so many things, but what on earth would give the right message? He didn't want to sound like he was ready to take her to the Alter, because he wasn't. He's not even 17 yet. Gosh! But he wanted her to know he was thinkin' about her, but mostly wanted to be friends. Perfume, candy, clothes, make-up, jewlery. How was a guy ever supposed to make up his mind? He decided against clothes, what if they didn't fit right or something? She might not like the perfume scent. He could get her candy, but what if she's allergic to chocolate? He decided on some kind of jewelry. He walked in to James Avery; he wanted to get her something that would last. The moment he saw the gold chain with the small heart locket, he knew that was the one. He bought it, and then practically ran for her house.

Chyenne's sister Sarah was just washing up the dinner dishes when the door bell rang. She wiped her hands on the drying towel, and walked into the front living room.

Braison stood at her front door. He was nervous, he had never done this before. What if her dad answered the door? Then what? He ran his hand through his hair, yanking some tangles. He panicked. he had completely forgot to try and look presentable! He probably should have ran a brush through his hair and put on a nicer shirt. He looked like a homeless guy! He desperately tried to throw himself together. Why couldn't he have thought of this earlier?

Sarah looked through the window near the door. It was quite a strange sight. Someone, it looked like a guy, with long hair and baggy jeans, was running his hands through his hair and straightening his shirt. He looked like he was standing on hot potatoes. She was tried not to laugh, went over to the door and opened it a crack. He didn't even notice her, he kept fiddling. She cleared her throat. "May I help you?" He jumped. "Oh, uh, yeah." He flattened his hair one last time, said a quick prayer, and stood up straight. "I was looking for, uh." He forgot he didn't know her name. He thought fast. "Yes. I heard that someone from Manhattan High lives here, and I'm supposed to talk to her about the up-coming class elections." Sarah almost burst laughing again, but she held herself. "Oh, yeah, of course. Come in. I'll get her." Braison walked in. He took in the clean, simple living room. The girl called something up the stairs and someone else yelled something back. The girl walked back in to the living room. "She'll be right down. Have a seat." Braison nodded. He sat down in a comfortable chair. He heard light footsteps on the stairs. He almost stopped breathing when she walked in to the room. She was wearing a black "Manhattan High" sweatshirt and blue jeans. He thought this was strange since it was already 9:oo pm. Oh well. When she saw him she almost screamed and started to walk back out of the room. He jumped up and came to her side. "Stop, please. You don't understand. It's not like that, I want to talk-I need to talk to you!" She turned around. Braison took a step back. "Well' she said with a bit of a attitude. "What do you want?" He relaxed a bit. "Come sit down. Please?" Chyenne sat down. Braison sighed with relief. This might not be so hard.

Chyenne had been lying on her bed studying the map for the millionth time. It seemed she found something new everytime she opened it. As she stared at the piece of lined paper with a detailed hand-drawn pictures of the school and school grounds, she jumped and pulled the paper a little closer. She was sure she had seen a place on the map labled "The Bravests' Breakdown".

"The Bravests' Breakdown"? What on earth could that be? She scanned the map looking for it. What was it? What was it's purpose? Did it have a purpose? Where was it? She looked at every inch but didn't find it. She sat back fuming. She heard her sister Sarh's voice up the stairs "Chyenne! There's someone to see you!"

She slid off her bed and out the door nearly walking in to Leon who was standing in the hall trying to picture a set for a movie. Leon's biggest dream was to direct a movie. Chyenne rolled her eyes. Leon had some crazy dreams. She started decending the stairs. Stephan was peering threw his normal spying crack in to the living room. Chyenne ruffled his hair as she walked by. "who is it Steph?" Stephan put his eye closer to the crack. "A weirdo by the looks of it." Chyenne laughed. Her family thought the most of her friends were wierd. She opened the living room door expecting to see Lauren or Brianne. Her jaw hit the floor when saw who was sitting on her favorite spot on the couch. Braison James! what was that little freak doing here? She turned to walk right back out. He jumped up and came to her. "Stop, please. It's not like that, you don't understand. It's not like that, I want to talk--I need to talk to you!" She turned back around. "Well, what do you want?" Braison gulped. "Will you sit down? Please?" Chyenne nodded. This was her house. She would be protected, Stephan was watching. Braison sighed. It was kinda cool seeing him nervous. He shook slightly as he sat down next to her. "I--We--how..."

He took a deep breath. "I-I like you. You're nice. you're pretty. I like you. Please?" Chyenne snorted "Nice try. Please what?" Braison tensed up again. "Please believe me" he wispered. Chyenne raised her eyebrows. "Believe you? Believe that this isn't trap? You taught me too well. I never trust anybody anymore. No one. I can handle everything and anything on my own. How does it feel getting a taste of your own medicine?" Braison hung his head. "I know. I deserve it. I'm sorry. What I did was wrong. I hope you can forgive me." Chyenne choked. "Forgive? You speak like someone who is near to Our Lord. Only people who have the bravery of Jesus ask for forgiveness. Do you even go to church?" If Braison felt any worse his head would hit the ground. Chyenne was getting impatient. "Well, do you?" Braison looked up. He looked misrable. "No. I don't. But I have every intention of going this Sunday." Chyenne laughed. "You have 'every intention'? Yeah right. Go home Braison James." Braison jumped. "I can't. I got something for you. Hopefully this will help you change your mind about me. I'm not that bad." He reached into his jean's pocket and pulled out a red velvet box. As he opened the box, Chyenne was awed. There lying on the velvet was a small heart locket on a gold chain. It shined beautifully. She studdered. Braison smiled. "It's ok. You don't have to say anything." Chyenne fell silent. Braison undid the beautiful clasp and went around behind her. She started studdering again as he gently layed the neclace around her neck and re-hooked the clasp. "Braison I--" Braison smiled. "It's ok. Just know that I thought of you. I gotta go." Chyenne stood up. "Braison, I don't know how to thank you. I--" Braison gave her a hug. "I just want to be friends." Chyenne nodded as he let her go. Braison smiled. "Bye girl." Chyenne smiled.

Braison walked down the street mentally patting himself on the back. The first bit had gone a little rough, but it smoothed out. Oh, her face when she saw it! Braison grinned. It sure was a beautiful night. Then he remebered, oh he started kicking himself.(Mentally) He didn't ask her name!!! Gosh he had to find out. He turned around but passed her house and walked on to the school. He picked the lock and started scanning all the boards which showed the honor-roll students. "Gane, Haley. Gray, Renee. Gregg, Sammy. Grann, Rolie.....None of the pictues next to these names looked anything like her. Aha!! Yes, here she was. Chyenne Lee. Braison smiled. FINALLY he knew her name.

Chyenne paced back and forth in her room, occaisonally fingering the small gold heart at her neck. How on earth can this have happened? Braison James, THE Braison James, the sneakie creepster, the one that hates the world and strutts the hallways looking for someone to pound, actually saw something beautiful in her! She started to reason with herself. She did have long black hair...oh this was just stupid! what would--? how could--? Argh. Chyenne sat down on her bed. She covered her face with her hands. This was so confusing. There was one thing she was glad of though; although Braison was a creep, she never saw him flirting or playin' cool for any girl. She thought that was strange, what bad boy didn't like showing off? She thought about this for awhile. He asked her for forgiveness, although she had smoothed it over, she had just about hit the floor when he said that. She looked at her digital alarm clock; 11:59 pm. She smiled. She walked over to her closet. She pulled out her favorite long blue dress. She wanted to look perfect for Mass the next day. She held Braison to his word that he would be there.

Steven only felt half way at home as he lay on his bed looking up at the posters of famous hockey stars he had had above his bed since he was a small boy. He heard voices from the kitchen. That was the first thing that was wrong. If he wasn't talking, there wasn't another voice in the house. Now that there was more then just him and his dad, there was almost always someone talking. His new mother, Ms. James, now Mrs. Trace, loved to talk on the phone. She was so different from her son. She was a blonde, she had laughing blue eyes, and always seemed to smile. Steven guessed Braison had been dropped on his head when he was a baby.

Braison pulled back his sheets, but didn't know if he would be able to sleep. He had layed out the nicest clothes he had for church the next day, he had already set his alarm, there was only one thing he wanted to do before he came face to face with Jesus.

He stood up and walked over to the door, opening it quietly. He slipped out and over to Steven's room across the hall. He gently knocked, and Steven, probably thinking it was his dad or his new mother, bade him come in. As Braison walked in, almost closing the door, he saw Steven sigh. Braison felt horrible about what he had done, but Steven needed to know the truth, even though he had probably guessed. Braison walked over to the bedside, kneeling down on the floor so that his face was about even with Steven's. He cleared his throat. Steven looked over. "What is it Braison?"

Braison felt as misrable as he had at Chyenne's place. But he looked Steven in the eye, opened his mouth, shut it again, and looked away. He was scared. Would Steven get mad? Even if he did, he needed to know. Braison looked Steven in the eye, he took a deep breath.

"I--Well, uh. Ok, I'm just going to say it. Don't interup me." Then the whole story poured out. Braison talked about how he snuck in to the locker rooms, knocked out the puny whimp who was going to take Daniel Wes's place, getting out on to the ice, trying to trip Steven, then about how he felt about Chyenne,

How he made up to her, how he was going to Church tomorrow, and that he needed to have Steven's forgiveness if he was going to be able to go in front of Christ. He opened his eyes, Steven was looking at him with a small frown. Braison shifted nervously.

Steven was tired, when Braison walked in, he knew it was going to be a while before he got to sleep. Now he was slighty wider awake. Hearing Braison's story had been interesting. He, of course, had guessed it was Braison, but hearing him confess to it, AND ask for forgiveness...it was just over whelming. He looked up at the boy, his long black hair framing his pale, yet blushed face. His electric blue eyes, though extremely dark, still seemed to glitter. Steven almost laughed. High School guys did not usually have this kind of talk. He grinned. "Of course I forgive you. Steal that girl's heart, if you're as nice to her as you were to me, it should be no trouble."

Chyenne was looking in the antique miorr hanging in her room. Her whole face seemed to light up, maybe it was because she was so happy. Her sister Sarah walked in, already dressed in her Sunday best.

She looked at the neclace around Chyenne's neck. She raised her eyebrows. "Steph says you had an interesting visit last night. And Steph would know, he saw it all." Chyenne beamed. "Yep. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't want to be late." Sarah sighed. "Ok, but be careful. That freak that was here last night, boy, he didn't look like the kinda guy you want to be running about with." Chyenne turned away from the miorr, confused. "Sarah, you really think so?"

"Oh yeah girl, he does NOT look like the kind of guy you would pick. I'm suprised." Chyenne bowed her head. "You're right. I was stupid. He won't be here again." Sarah nodded. "That's good. Now come, we don't want to be late." Chyenne nodded slowly. She un-hooked the small gold chain from her neck, laid it on the dresser, and followed her sister out of the room.

Braison sat on Steven's bed laughing his head off as he attempted to comb his hair. He was already in his Church clothes and shoes. Steven had just said the FUNNIEST thing, but if you had asked him at this moment he couldn't tell you what it was to save his life. It had just sounded so funny coming from Steven. He slowly pulled himself together and finished combing his hair. He said bye to Steven and headed to the Church. He entered through the back door. He saw Chyenne's family in the upstairs balcony and headed up. He sat in the pew a few away from theirs. He tried to catch her eye, but she never looked at him, not once. She wasn't wearing the necklace. He wondered what was up. She had loved the necklace, he had been sure. Now...

As soon as Mass was over, he followed them down to the back of Church. He ran to catch up to Chyenne. He smiled. "Hey Girl"

Chyenne turned and walked away. He was confused. How do you change your mind like that in less then 24 hours? He ran back up to her. "Come on, tell me. Is something wrong?" Chyenne turned around. "My only problem is you, now go away and leave me alone!" Ouch. That hurt.

Steven was so happy Braison had found himself a good girl. He couldn't wait to hear how Church went. He couldn't go because of his fall. The doc had said he was to stay around the house for a week or two. Steven got up and streched, which was more then he had felt like doing the last couple of days. He almost fell back on his bed as the front door slammed and Braison came racing in looking like he could murder someone. Steven stumbled. "Yo Brais, what's up?" Braison turned on him like an angry pit bull.

Steven was quite suprised. "Uh Brais, did she like, forget your name or something?" Braison turned around and ran at him like a wildman.

Steven almost laughed. "Dude, I have a big 'ol cast on my leg, and a big 'ol bump on my head. You think I have no problems?" Braison ran at Steven again, this time throwing him back on the bed. "You, you, you just leave me alone and-I-will-leave-you-alone." Braison had sunk his fist in to any part of Steven he could reach as he said the last six words. Steven felt the fist alright, but he could tell Braison's heart wasn't in the punch. Braison whipped out of the room, out the front door, and out on to the street. Steven sighed and shook his head, trying not to laugh. It was so wrong, but Steven thought the whole event was pretty funny.

Braison kept running. He didn't think he could ever stop. He ran what felt like miles and miles. He would run to his favorite land mark telling him that he was on the other side of town. Then he would run back home, after doing that a few times, he just began to run wildly. It started raining after awhile and he slowed down. Then he began at full speed again. He was just coming upon the school as lightning lit up the entire sky. Some how the day had past very fast and according to the big creepy town clock it was 9:00 pm. It was just 24 hours ago he had seen Chyenne in her beautiful "Manhatten High" sweatshirt and plain blue jeans. 24 hours ago...As lightning struck somewhere very near him, Braison figured, even though it was almost ok with him if he died right now, he better stay in the school until the storm was over. There was a lot of hallways he could run in. He tried the door and found it was already unlocked. Maybe he forgot to lock it last night. Oops. Aw well. He walked in soaking wet. He ran, slipping occaisonally, through the empty hallways. He thought he was at the end of his strenth. He was wrong, he ran around the gym and through all the class rooms. He fell, completely exausted, just past the "Dark Corner", the place all the bad boys hide when they're waiting to jump out at someone. His face agaist the cold floor, he could feel his heart beating, he thought his lungs might colapse, he could not seem to get enough air in them. He wondered what she had meant that morning. 'my only problem is you....' The words bounced around his head. He opened his eyes. He saw a human size hole in the wall that hadn't been there before. He slowly got up and crawled through the dark hole, not knowing or caring what was on the other side. He fell on something extremely soft. It felt like a ton of the cushy pillows his mom used to try to get him to punch instead of making holes in her wall. She never asked why he was so mad, and he didn't get it when other kids would complain about their parents being 'on their case', or 'wanted to know where they were 24/7'. His mom had never asked him anything over what he wanted for dinner. And she didn't do it often. As he crawled deeper in to the cushy pillows, he saw a faint light in the distance. He crawled toward it. Right by the light was a sign. It said "You have been brave, you chased after the girl, it's not your fault if something comes in the way. Here you can rest and feel peace. Welcome to the Bravests' Breakdown." Braison didn't know what this was, and he didn't care. He was so tired. He laid his head down and was instantly asleep.

It was storming. Chyenne hated it when it stormed. She kept looking at that small chain and heart on her dresser. She loved that thing, she wanted to wear it. When she thought of it, she thought of Braison. But Sarah had said that Braison wasn't the kind of guy for her. She had always taken her sister's advice, and it had always led her right. But this time....She picked up the phone and put in Cody's number, she needed a second opinion.

CHYENNE: He is not a freak, ok, he might be a freak. The only reason she doesn't like him is because of the way he dresses.

CODY: That's not really a reason not to like him, does he have a good personality? Does he treat you right? And for goodness sake WHO IS HE????

CHYENNE: He has a great personality, and yeah, he treats me good. Hang on, I'm getting a beep in.

"This is the Manhatten Police Department. We're calling in regards to Mr. Braison James. Do you know anyone with this name?"

POLICE: Yes, they called us. he won't answer his cell phone, and they've searched everywhere they can think of, and we have police cars partrolling the town. We talked to his step-brother. Explaining that this was a serious situation, and that we needed to know anything he could tell us, he told us that Braison had been very upset and Steven didn't know why, but he guessed it had to do with you. Can You help us?

CHYENNE: I can try. Let me get back to my brother, I'll come help you look. good-bye.

CHYENNE: I need you to come get me, I have to go look for that guy, they can't find him anywhere, that was the police on the other line.

Chyenne put down the phone. She scrambled in to some presentable clothes. She grabbed the map off her dresser, the necklace that was on top of it fell to the floor. She didn't stop to pick it up.

She hurried down the stairs and opened the front door. She grabbed Sarah's cell phone, she might need it. She stepped out the door, she didn't want Cody to ring the door bell and wake up the whole house. It was a a freezing cold night and there was ice everywhere. She saw Cody in the distance and walked toward him. Cody shivered.

"Would you like to tell me what I'm doing out here on a freezing cold night when I should be at home in bed?"

Chyenne shook her head. "I have to look for one of my friends, here, take the map. Look on it, and tell me if you see any places that a Junior boy about Braison James's size might hide."

Cody looked at her funny. "Why are you looking for a guy whose about Braison's size? I didn't know you went for guys like that. Plus I didn't know there was another guy Braison's size at the school. Wait, I know there's no other guy Braison James's size, we're going after Braison James aren't we?" Chyenne grinned weirdly.

Chyenne frowned now. "Don't mind the stories, tonight we're going after a good guy with a perfectly good heart. Did you find any place on the map?"

Chyenne opened the door, and after giving Cody the I-told-you-so look, moved through. The hallways were really dark, and, from what they could feel through their feet, extremely slippery. Chyenne went slowly, looking everywhere she thought Braison would hide. When she came to the 'Dark Corner', she saw a huge hole in the wall, but it was closing up. Chyenne yelled for Cody, so he would know where she was, and then jumped in to the closing hole. She landed on something extremely soft. It felt like the pillows her mother used to tell her to hug when she felt sad. Chyenne held the pillows tight, and for a moment, she just wanted to curl up and sleep. It was warm and cozy in here, not like the cold hallway above. It gave her a sense of peace. But she had to find Braison. She crawled through the pillows, looking everywhere for a body, or for some sign. She saw a light some where in the distance. She started crawling faster, she felt like she needed to get to the light. As she came up to the light, she saw a sign. It said 'You have been brave to come looking for your friend. You crawled in to a closing hole, not knowing where it might take you. Welcome to the Bravests' Brakedown, where the brave can rest'. Chyenne thought about this...She was sure she had heard of the 'Bravests' Breakdown' before. Then something snapped in her head, the night Braison had come, the night he had given her the neclace, last night. And there, almost under the light, was the boy himself. Chyenne gasped. "Braison!" She crawled over to him. His black hair was all in his face and his pale yet blushed face, and he seemed to be asleep. Chyenne shook him. "Braison, Braison wake up! Everyone is looking for you! Come on! Get up!" Braison rolled over. "Not everyone is looking for me..." Chyenne rolled her eyes. "Of course the whole town isn't looking for you, but everyone you know is looking for you." Braison turned again. "Not everyone. There's one girl..." Chyenne rolled eyes again. "What girl? If you're thinking of your mom, she is looking for you. She's worried sick." Braison came closer to the light, still not opening his eyes. "No, not my mom. Chyenne...She doesn't like me. She seemed to love that necklace, but she didn't even wear it, and she said I was the only problem in life, I've been a problem to my mom and to the school I go to every day since I was born, and for once, I wanted to be wanted...I guess some things are too good to be true." Chyenne sat back. "Braison if you open your eyes, you'll find you are mistaken. Chyenne thinks a lot of you, she didn't wear your neclace because her sister didn't really aprove of how you dress, and she warned Chyenne against hanging out with guys like you. Chyenne likes you. Please open your eyes...." Braison opened his eyes a small bit. He was all the sudden wide awake. "Chyenne! You came looking for me? I never thought--why did you--? How come--?" Chyenne laughed. "You don't have to talk, let's go."

Chyenne walked in to school after summer break. She had gotten a really pretty tan and was feeling great. As she walked in, some of her girlfriends spotted her. "Chyenne!" They came running over to her. She smiled.

But Chyenne was only half listening to her friends. She had spotted someone. His black hair was sticking up in the way it always did, he had the sleeves cut off his "Manhatten High" tee shirt, and his eyes were those striking blue. She smiled. "S'cuse me girls." She walked over to him. He smiled, that smile she thought that was evil, but it was just the way he smiled. She liked it now. "Hi Brais"

Chyenne laughed, "You know what Brais?" "What girl?" She laughed again and moved in to his arms, the small gold locket in between them. "Brais, we just don't fit it" Braison smiled, "Maybe that's a good thing"

We just don't fit in

by Faith Nemec