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H A Y D E N
.....

"She's missing!" I snarled at him, any restraint or patience long since gone. It had been over a day since I last heard from Alys.

"Hayden," my uncle looked down his nose at me, considering my form. "I already told you; I can't help you. I can't tell you anything I know about her."

"But you do know!" I snapped, "I know for a fact you couldn't keep your shit stained nose out of other people's business. The moment we left, you investigated her- I know you did."

"Correct," Mark said coldly back, "And here is my advice on the matter. Stay away from her. She's more dangerous than you think."

I watched him with contempt and disgust. "You really don't intend to help me find her, do you?"

"No I don't. And a runaway is hardly a thing of news. Have you spoken to her mother?"

I let a small chuckle roll out of my lungs dryly. "Oh yes, I talked to Juliana. And she didn't seem too concerned that her daughter was missing, she was more concerned I knew. I was informed it was none of my businesses."

The shattered face of Alys hung in my head. Staring across from her, that disgusting human being who wanted her to become his client. But it was the shattered face that would not leave my mind.

"Why do you care about her?" Mark sneered suddenly towards me. I said nothing and instead gazed upon him, noting his similar facial features and harsh cold eyes. He looked the same as he did that day, the one we first met. But instead of helping me, saving me, he had merely used me as his own pawn. And he would pay dearly for that.

Mark licked his lips as a different thought crossed his head, "She's up to something with you, isn't she? So perhaps she ran away to get away from you Hayden, did you ever consider that?"

I did. She hated me, I knew that. And I had just pushed her towards the edge. I didn't want to believe she was hiding from me. For whatever reason she had been relenting to my closer presence, and she had trusted me enough with parts of her dark past. I didn't know what they were, but I wanted to find out. I just didn't know why.

Before I would have done anything to pry them out of her crazed hands, not caring if it hurt her. I had told her that even on the way back from that store. I will find out these things about you. She was incredibly guarded and enigmatic, and that excited me; another person to use. No, not just another person. Something more distorted and extraordinary. But those same things had captured my interest more than I intended them to. She didn't seem to understand who she really was. How extraordinary she really was.

I stared at my uncle, wondering if he would believe me when I told him how we met, how I decided to get revenge on all the State had done to me. For these last two years of high school, after what Mr. Kinsley pulled back up, I was dealing with the fallout of my past.

Every day I wished I could get my revenge. Every day I was unbelievably angry and screaming on the inside, wanting to punch through the smiling faces around me. Their lives were so fucking simple, so fucking stupid- and yet they believed themselves to be the victims of this world.

Every time one of them complained about being in trouble, about being caught smoking... about anything to do with their horribly happy lives- I wanted to curl my fingers around those idiotic minds and rip out the festering ignorance that lay there. They knew nothing of pain. They knew nothing of torment. I wanted to knock them senseless, hating them with every fiber of my being. But I learned long ago how much easier it was to handle them instead; to manipulate them into at least granting me the power of control.

And then... I met Alys. A girl who had been always in the corners of my mind; my eyes always catching her in my peripheral. How stupid was I to think she was a nobody. I truly believed her to be an insignificant nobody like the rest. 

There had been a person before, one who seemed to wear her face; fearfully watching as Jason fell. I had laughed to myself then, thinking she knew Jason through another player or perhaps had a petty crush on him. But it always stuck me odd she was staring at me dreadfully, not him. But I never pieced it together. Not until now, not until I realized that Alys and that nobody were one in the same. She had seen me since the beginning.

"I know you're lying to my face, Hayden." My uncle growled again, but I still didn't say anything. Instead, I walked closer to the windows... and to his desk. My eyes glanced down and for a cautious moment, I noted he had a file on his folder with a sticky note saying Child's Lie. When all others were filed under real person's names, this note struck me as odd as it covered the tab of the folder.

"When did I lie to you?" I asked pointedly, "I asked questions, and you answered. I hardly see how I've deceived you."

"Stop the bullshit." Mark said roughly, "Your threats to me are nearing an end- you won't be able to use that paperwork against me for much longer. I don't know what you are up to, I don't know why you want to know about the State's School Board, but it better not have anything to do with the Govenor."

I could see Mark's teeth grinding as he continued. "You think I didn't notice it? How that girl has seen the true side of you?" A sharp laugh escaped him, "How perfect she was being harassed; I thought whatever he's up to, he won't be able to show his true face now. You never let anyone outside of your past see what's under your smiling mask. Until yesterday."

At my uncle's words, I realized he was right. I never put up any pretense when alone with him, but if someone else had been in the room? He's right... I would have put more of an effort into smiling and laughing like everything was fine.  Mark continued on without waiting for a reply.

"Why so serious if just asking about names in the school board? If this really is for an AP Class, I get the caution and why you came to me so you didn't interact with the wrong people. But then I noticed it... you were not trying to smile and lie with another person there. You only do that when they know more about you, your past or your background. I realized it instantly. She knew something. She must be involved with why you were asking about the school board. Which means your questions were no longer innocent." Mark's eyes tracked me as I moved.

Involved wasn't the term. She was the power behind it; she just didn't know it yet. For years I was desperately waiting for my revenge. And then the one next to me had snapped and stood and ran, and I knew from Ashley's angry glances to her that there was something I did not know.

That journal seemed to wait for me. My first inclination was this was a repeat of what had happened in the past; someone had discovered my history and was using it against me. But those drawings didn't contain any events, no, just my hidden thoughts and masks. And not just mine... it had them all. Every single one. Including our teachers, including a drawing of a mockery of missing funds, ones that had nothing to do with what Randal and I had found.

As I walked down the hall my mind was burning and racing out of control. Ashley seemed more than willing to shed light on the stupid bitch who was Karri's friend. I walked into the far side of the door to the room she had dashed through. Her hands were shaking, but there was something odd about it. Something not right about her.

When those wide blue eyes finally met mine, I knew for sure- she really could see me. For the first time in my life, the alarm was sung.

She is seeing me.

"Alys has nothing to do with my questions about the school board. But you're right about one thing, I wasn't fully honest. It's not for US Government, but an AP credit by working on a Tribute to the school for our graduation. If you don't believe me, you can ask the vice principal." I said evenly to Mark, "Alys is working on it with me. The only reason I didn't say all of this was because I didn't want you finding out I was working directly with some of the school board now. So, I wanted to ask who to stay away from, without making a big enough seen in front of Alys." 

He was smart not to believe all of my words; I couldn't blame him for that, but I knew I had just caught him off guard by saying he could call and confirm. So clearly some of it was the truth. But he didn't know what, and how much. Or what the purpose of it all was. The only thing that made sense to him, that connected it all to our secrets, was who to stay away from. 

Again, Mark's eyes narrowed and his jaw ground tighter together. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. You get involved with her and you are opening up something dangerous. And now you are telling me you are working on something that the school board will oversee? I am tired of covering your trail and fixing your problems. God be praised the day you graduate and are legally free from me so I can wash you clean from my hands for life!"

The movements of my lips pulling aside never felt like a smile to me. But it always looked like it to others, so I gave my uncle that tight mockery that spread across my face; "Oh, but you get no say in the matter, uncle. Until I graduate, I still have leverage over you- even if you have it over me as well. Even if you won't help me find her... I will. "

His hands tightened upon the rests of his chair. Again, I could see his searching gaze trying to tear itself into my head. Why does he care about her?

It was the same question in my head. I had hated her the moment I laid eyes on her. But she was the answer to everything. Her art was so revealing, so incitingly dangerous... I already could see it used against all those around us. And even more so... a chance to use all Mr. Kinsley bought to light and send it right back to the god-awful school who fucked me over. To the State who started this all.

So why was I worried about her?

She had not returned my phone calls last night and had missed school today. I thought I heard her cry, but the phone had disconnected. I would have driven straight over, but her friend had told me after persistent texting that Alys had indeed made it home fine. So why the silence?

I detestably admitted she was running from me; she had hung up instead of answering me. All morning at school I couldn't focus, I was too angry- too frustrated. I knew it was my fault; these past few days I've been approaching her slowly, trying to keep her from bolting from me like the deer she seemed. I couldn't explain why it pissed me off so much- I knew there was probably another way of finding a valid reason for me working on this mural. But I didn't want it. I wanted this. But if kissing me was so horrible, for fucks sake, she should have just told me instead of hiding from me.

And knowing she was skipping class because of me, it pushed me over the edge; she was even compromising the mural. So, I drove to her house, prepared to yell at her and drag her back if need be. 

That's what I thought would happen... until I finally confronted Juliana about Alys. Until I finally realized something wasn't right. She merely said her daughter needed to take a day off. But she reeked of lies; her eyes were red, her hands were shaking, wine clung to her skin, she nervously watched me, and I could practically see her praying to God that I wouldn't press anymore. The slamming door in my face told me all I needed to know. Something was wrong.

I knew that the uneasiness I felt ever since was evident on my face. I forced myself to remain as passive as I could, but my uncle was more than curious as his eyes searched high and low across my features. He had the same question that had been corrupting my thoughts too.

Why?

"You like her, don't you?" My uncle finally said. "Well, I'll be damned, the callous bastard finally figured out an emotion other than hate."

I tightened my fists into a ball, but instead of breaking his nose, I merely replied with deliberate calmness, "She must have something interesting about her past. Something as you have declared," I paused, contemplating the word and his intended meaning, "dangerous."

It made me smile coldly at him. "Pray uncle, when have you ever concerned yourself with any danger associated with me? As I seem to recall it's always been with your name was instead, something that might damage you subsequently. Every time you've ever "helped" me out, it was to protect you or your interest." my grin practically hurt as I watched him below me, "So on the contrary; I won't stay away from her. In fact, I'm rather curious as to what could cause you so much harm."

My words worked, his face fell and any gratification he had for using her against me vanished.

Mark bared his lip slightly, revealing wet white teeth. "Get the fuck out of my office Hayden. I should have let you rot in the foster system, or better yet, be sent off to live with the Russell's again."

At the mention of their name, I reached forward and ripped his collar towards me, keeping his stunned and furious face away from mine by mere inches. My voice sounded calm, a habit I could never seem to break myself of completely, but I definitely felt each knuckle and joint pop under the pressure of my hand.

"If anything happens to her," I said lowly, "I will personally hold you responsible for not finding her. And I will come back here, for you. Make no mistake about it." And I jolted his head back away from me, before leaving his office with the slam of a door.

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The commotion I made caused the women outside to jolt suddenly in their chairs. The receptionist looked up at me, her eyes large and doe like, I knew she hoped I would apologize for startling her. Instead, I made it a point to look away unfazed as I walked towards the elevator, but my phone buzzed within my pockets. It was Alys' friend, Karri. She finally was getting back to my texts.

Karri: [Where is she!?]

[I don't know, that's why I asked you. I'm trying to figure that out.]

Karri: [If you've done anything to upset her I swear to god...]

[Drop your snarky attitude or fuck off. Her mother said she was taking a breather. What the hell does that mean?]

There was nothing back as I waited for her text. Instead, the phone rang. I hesitated as I watched it; talking meant I'd have to put up a pretense in front of these people. My gaze shifted around as I watched them in annoyance. The call was close to ringing through, so I finally answered it.

"What?"

"Hayden, what exactly did Juliana say?"

"She told me exactly what I texted you, that Alys needed a breather, but I knew she was lying. She had clearly been drinking and crying, though she tried to hide that from me. I've been looking for Alys ever since, whatever her mother was saying it was complete bullshit."

It was silent for a moment, making me suspicious, "What is it?"

Finally, Karri answered... "She's burrowed."

"What?" I said incredulously, "Jesus she's not a fùcking squirrel-"

"Shut the hell up Hayden" she interrupted me, "It's a clinical term, I'm well aware she's not a fucking squirrel. Burrowing is basically going AWOL with no intentions of being found, finding a secluded space to make yourself safe and sound in."

Wait, a clinical term? A therapy term? My fists began to tighten on their own accord. "What do you mean she has no intentions of being found? Why would she need to fall back into therapy?"

Karri mumbled something quietly and it took me a moment to realize she was crying. I stood there dumbfounded, having no way of knowing how to handle it.

"Dear god," she's whispered, "Something bad happened. Oh god, somethings happened and I can't be there!"

My hand tightened on the phone. I had known Juliana was lying about something. She reeked of wine and puke, but I imagined that she and Alys had perhaps gotten into a fight after what I had said at school. But no... with what Karri was saying, something else had happened, something bad enough to make Alys fall back to a coping mechanism from therapy. I remembered her always running away from me, scared of me, when she knew I was angry. I had always suspected...

"It's her accident, isn't it?" I said evenly.

I could sense, rather than hear Karri soberly jolt out of her crying. "I will not talk about this with you." she hissed angrily into the phone. "For all I know you are the cause of this Hayden. No, I know you are the cause of this. Do us all a favor and fuck off. Never come back into Alys' life, do you hear me?"

I said nothing at first, but my eyes were on the room across from me. Legal Stenographer watched me back.

"I'll have you know, you're the one who left her. Not me." I said evenly before hanging up. I walked past the main desk, ignoring the gasp of the front girl and made my way towards the five or so wooded desks the cluttered the room beyond. A few quick glances arose from behind most computer screens, but none were who I was looking for. Finally I found her sitting with her back towards me, staring out a window beside her computer. I glanced at her name plate then to her.

"Ms. Clarkson?"

She jumped at my voice, before swinging her head full round to stare at me.

"Ye... Yes... Can I help you?"

She was in her early 40's, and had some wisps of gray hair through the auburn locks. I noticed there were photos of her and a child along the desk. As the years went by, I never noted a male ever being present.

"I need your help. You knew my friend the other day, Alys Westbrook."

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized again who I was. "Yes, I remember. Please... please tell her I apologize for my outburst, I realize now how rude it was." A small blush arose along her cheekbones and she lowered her head in embarrassment. "It was not my place to call out to her and put her on the spot. I was just surprised to see her."

I gazed upon her, hoping she would understand the severity of my words, hoping my assumption from those photos were correct.

"She's actually in trouble right now. She's missing and her mother won't help me find her. I'm sure you remember Mrs. Westbrook."

My hope was that Ms. Clarkson would instantly feel angered towards Juliana. Even I was aware that that woman did something horrible to Alys. And this woman was obviously a single mother, fiercely protective and loyal to her own child. Surely, she would never understand why a creature like that woman would do what she did. But to my dread, Ms. Clarkson seemed wary and uneasy of me.

"It's best you probably stay out of it." She finally whispered making me realize- for whatever reason- she had sympathy for Juliana as well. "Alys needs people around her that understand her; that know what she's been through. If her mother feels it's best for you to remain out of the-"

"Please." I said roughly. Why? Why was I doing this? Why was this eating me alive knowing something else was happening? I hated her. I didn't give a damn about any pain or dark place she found herself in.

Yet...

Her broken face hung in my thoughts again, her fearful eyes as that lawyer who stood before her. I would have done anything to punch him through the teeth at that moment.

Her broken words weighted my memory; the first person to ever surprise me like that.

"Even if I hate you, I won't draw your suffering. I won't capture your burden. I have no right."

I would have done anything to know how she saw me at that moment.

"Help me find her." I whispered again to the woman before, "I beg of you. Something's not right. Even her best friend who knows Alys' past knows something is wrong."

"I can't tell you." She shook her head soundly. "But..." she hesitated, feeling the prying eyes of those that were around us. "Perhaps I can tell you someone who can. He will know how to find her." She opened her file drawer and begun shuffling through it. Finally, she found a folder and pulled out some paperwork, from what I could see from the upside-down words; it was a doctor's office.

But my eyes began dilating as I peered at another document just barely visible. Her voice was a low tumble against my thoughts as she copied some information down on a sticky note for me.

"Just call this number, if there's anyone that can help you- it's her doctor. After all, it was he who saved her."

But my eyes were still staring at the words below me.

Child's Lie.

.

.

.

"What. is. Child's. Lie?" I growled.

Juliana's eyes widened largely, "How do you know those words..."

I stood there. I couldn't fathom, understand what it meant. In all the years of watching my uncle work, cases became legends for names of persons or corporations. But in the State's system something called Child's Lie was written all over Alys' case file.

"Tell me now Juliana." I hissed to her, "What have you done to Alys? Why has she disappeared?" It was nighttime now. And she was still missing. And the woman before me refused to call the cops.

Her eyes watered. There was something disturbingly fractured about her face, reminding all too much of her daughter. But I felt no sympathy for her. I knew from having watched this mother work, she had done something horrible to her daughter. My uncle knew it, he had his office staff already pull her file, the only reason I had gotten my information so easily. The Legal Stenographer knew something too, and those memories of whatever she had witnessed seemed to break her heart to the core. And Juliana... Juliana knew- of course she knew- and whatever it was, it destroyed her as well.

That was what disturbed me the most; finally realizing she too looked like she was ready to disappear. She shook and convulsed, and I had a sudden remembrance of Ms. Clarkson defending Juliana. Whatever had happened to Alys, it was taking ahold of her mother too.

Juliana fought to keep as much composure as she could in front of me, but the moment I asked about Child's Lie, it seemed to tear a rip in her façade completely. She sat down now, thunderstruck.

"Please god," She whispered, "What do I do?"

"Tell me how I can help." I spoke.

Her head snapped up at my words. "Who the hell are you?" she hissed at me. At first, I wasn't sure what she meant, she knew my name and where I came from- but then I realized she had been glamoured by me before- probably thought me the kindest man there ever was. Until now.

I cocked my head slightly staring down at her with cold impatience. It was true; I didn't ever walk around showing my true self. But I knew smiling and mundane talking would not tell me what I needed to know. And I hated her from what she had done; I most certainly did not want to ease her pain.

"What made Alys snap?" I asked, "I was on the phone with her. It couldn't have been you or someone she was talking with, it happened suddenly, overwhelmingly. So, what was it?"

Her hands tightened on her lap as she glared up at me. "I said it was none of your business!"

"None of my business!" I yelled back, "Your daughter is missing. There is no one left in this town that cares enough to find her but me, and if you even knew how sad that was, a complete fucking stranger..." I stopped myself short, trying to regain control over my anger. Finally, I snapped at her, "I know it has something to do with her accident. And I know you're a piece of shit human being for not saving her yourself."

"That letter is none of your business!" She screamed back. We both froze at her words. She suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth; eyes opened horribly wide at her own words.

"What. Letter..." I demanded with a deep voice. "What the hell was in that letter?!"

She made no move to speak so I searched around the room quickly looking for a piece of paper or envelope but there was none. Her slipup seemed to have finally been the last straw for her sanity. She shook her head, over and over again.

I didn't even know where to begin searching for it, I just needed her to tell me what was in it, but she wouldn't even look towards me- just shaking her head like a human bobble toy; incapable of normal function anymore.

I reached out to grasp her, to shake her out of this stupor she was in, but when my hands reached forward- her eyes opened wide and immediately she covered her face in protection.

I froze, staring at her. Staring at the fearful contorted face I had seen once before on her daughter. That broken face. A phone began ringing it my pocket. I didn't know how I was capable of looking away from her, but the idea that perhaps it was Alys made my hands grasp through my pocket and pull the phone out. It wasn't her. Instead, it was the number I dialed earlier and left a voicemail at.

Without a second's hesitation, I swiped my thumb over the screen and lifted it to my ear, my voice as raw as I felt.

"Doctor Hathaway, I need your help."

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A/N:

Chapter finally split into two. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it :) I am still working on the next one.