Chapter 3 UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

"Do you have any idea what happened between Zane and Max?" I asked, eager for any insight into the mystery surrounding them.

Carissa paused, took a sip of her juice, and continued to eat her lunch.

"Oh, that?" she replied, her tone casual. I was staring at her, waiting expectantly for more.

"Honestly, I have no clue. Nobody does, maybe except the Phoenix 4," she said, and I sighed, feeling let down.

"But it all started four years ago," she continued. "Max was the lead singer back then, and he and Zane were practically best friends. They were inseparable."

"Really?" I interjected, feeling intrigued.

"Yeah. Max was more of the quiet type, while Zane was the outgoing one, always the flirt. Evan, Leo, and Caleb were just like Zane, always partying and having a good time."

"But then, unexpectedly, Max just vanished. It was like he disappeared off the face of the earth, and nobody's heard from him since. Zane had to step up as the new leader of the band, but things have been different ever since..."

"Like with the deaths of his girlfriends?" I added hesitantly, and she shrugged.

"Yeah, exactly. After losing two girlfriends in such tragic ways, things got really complicated for Zane. It's like a dark cloud followed him after Max left. He fell in love twice, and both girls ended up dead."

"What do you think?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. "Do you think that's just a coincidence?"

"I really don't know. Like I said, it's complicated. Maybe it's just bad luck, or maybe not. But one thing's for sure: something major happened between Max and Zane, something really heavy."

A brief silence fell between us as we contemplated the weight of those words.

"I heard there are no female staff in the Phoenix 4 mansion," I said to break the silence.

"Yeah, that's totally Zane's doing," she replied. "He's been making an effort to avoid any contact with girls."

"Why's that?"

"Well, Zane's dad passed away, and his mom, along with his little sister, Madison, lives in the mansion because she has a demanding job. She travels out of the country a lot, so she relies on the Phoenix 4 to help take care of Madison when she's gone."

"Sounds rough. Why not just hire a babysitter?" I asked, puzzled.

"Girl, hello? I just told you there are no female workers in the mansion," she reminded me. "Zane's mom has hired like eight different babysitters, but they all quit within 24 hours."

I gasped. "Wait, you mean Zane scares them off?"

"Not quite him, but Madison. She makes some kind of complaint or treats the babysitters poorly until they quit. But it's rumored Zane's the one behind it; he doesn't want any girls around, even for cooking."

"Wow. But why is he so determined to stay away from girls?" I pressed.

"I guess he's just scared of falling in love again. I mean, after what happened with those other two girls. Still, I really can't say."

I nodded, looking down at my plate, the earlier excitement fading as I mulled over it all.

"Okay, but on a lighter note, who's your favorite in Phoenix 4?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Carissa's cheeks flushed bright pink as she smiled, clearly caught off guard.