Monday, September 5th, 2016

There was an excited tension in the air that Sid didn't understand. How could anyone be excited about the first day in school? The first day of a full year of classes. Early mornings, long days, endless homework-assignments, graduating.

It was like any other day in school, aside from friends who were excited to see each other after a few weeks of summer break, while Sid zigzagged through the crowd of cheerfully chatting teenagers. It wasn't helping him that he wasn't exactly a morning person; at all.

He loved the peace that night-time brought with it. With most people asleep, only people like him awake, not bothering each other. No expectations, just freedom to do anything he wanted.

While people were excited to see their friends again, Sid at least shared that excitement. He hadn't seen his girlfriend Annika in weeks. She had been on a four-week long vacation and it was probably the longest they had ever gone without each other.

The weeks prior to her vacation in the Bahama's, Sid had spent three long weeks in the burning sun in Africa, where his father—a doctor—helped out taking care of sick people in the poor regions of the continent.

He still couldn't believe his father had thought Sid would enjoy joining him on his safari trip.

It had been seven long weeks in which Sid hadn't seen his girlfriend, and it was the only reason for him to arrive in school early that morning.

He was searching the crowd, trying to find her long curly ginger hair, and as soon as he did, a smile made its way on his face. His annoyance dissipated, his mood changing to a happy one within seconds.

"Come here you," Sid mumbled into her ear as he slid his arms around her waist, kissing her cheek while she giggled.

It was like music in his ears, and his stomach flipped at the sounds. The sweet scent of her skin reminded him of vanilla. The feelings she caused inside his mind and body where indescribable.

He couldn't put his feelings into words. It was as if his heart exploded every thud of his heartbeat as he looked into her green eyes, staring at him amused.

"Hey Siddey," she hummed, leaning in to connect their lips in an ever so sweet kiss.

"I missed you so much," Sid whispered as he leaned his chin on her shoulder, his arms hugging her close to him.

"Ah Siddey, I missed you too," she replied, pecking a kiss on his cheek. "Dad suggested for you to join us on our next vacation, because I was moody most of the time."

Sid chuckled, knowing the feeling. He smirked and nodded. "My parents said the same thing. Mom nearly killed me for my moods. She asked if I couldn't book a ticket to..."

"Okay, that's enough," Davy, Annika's twin brother and Sid's best friend, told them, while he pulled Annika away from Sid. "There's another Bray that missed you," he joked, pulling Sid into a brotherly hug.

Sid laughed out loud, slapping him on his back before shoving him aside. "Yeah, I missed your ugly face too, Dave."

Sid grabbed Annika's wrist to pull her closer again, putting his arm around her shoulders as soon as she stood beside him again.

"Oh, Siddey?" Annika turned her face to look at him. "Mom wanted to know if you're coming over for dinner this Thursday. It's her birthday and she would love for you to be there too."

"Of course I will," Sid answered, nuzzling his face in the croak of her neck. "Any second I get to spend with you..."

"Iew, get a room, perverts," Amber told them with a laugh.

Her voice was annoyingly high, and Sid pulled a face shortly, before he turned to face her with a smirk on his face. "Amber, baby!" he called out, "what's wrong? Want to smooch a bit yourself?" He wiggled his eyebrows, causing her to scrunch up her nose in disgust.

"Iew, gross, Sid!" She pushed herself away from him with a chuckle. "I'm sorry, you're all handsome and whatnot, but I prefer girls, remember?"

"Any luck in that department lately?" He asked, sitting down at the picnic table that they claimed as their own a few years before.

Annika instantly sat down beside him, kissing his cheek again.

"Let's agree that they're allowed to be clingy, one day," Edward—Sid's other best friend—suggested while he sat down in his spot. "And after that, the girls get to hit Annika whenever she's too clingy, and Dave and I get to beat up Sid's pretty face."

"No!" Annika called out while she grabbed his face protectively. "No hitting Sid in the face."

"Not in the face?" Sid frowned while Annika pushed his cheeks in a way that caused him to pout. "Howwabout no-atall?" he murmured, right before she pecked a kiss on his pouting lips before releasing him.

"One day, to make up for seven weeks without each other," She told him with a wink.

"In that case, your place or mine?" He winked back, while her face flushed.

"Sid!" She hissed, slapping his chest teasingly. "Don't be disgusting."

"Making love isn't disgusting."

"You know the rules, Sid." She giggled. "No talking about it in public," she quickly added, kissing his cheek again. "Mine," She whispered in his ear. "Parents are out until late."

"O, my, god!" Amara came running towards the group, sliding into her seat next to Edward. She quickly greeted him with a kiss on the cheek before she turned to the group.

With her arrival, their personal Triple A was reunited; Annika, Amber and Amara. The three girls became best friends years before, and thanks to Sid's friendship with Davy, he met them—and with that Annika. Edward was the last to join their group, meeting his girlfriend Amara thanks to Sid.

"You guys won't believe who I just saw!" Amara called out excitedly.

"The most beautiful girl in the world, after four weeks?" Sid frowned, looking at Annika, and lastly towards Davy. "The Bray's are back."

"Oh, right!" She shuffled in her seat excitedly. She wove a hand in their direction. "Welcome back! How was your vacation? The Bahama's must be awesome! I heard about it and I'm so, so jealous... But seriously guys, guess who I just saw?"

Sid snorted, while Davy slapped his face, and the rest laughed because of Amara. She could be a bit... much, with her hyperactivity, especially in the early mornings.

Besides, Amara loved to gossip, which was why Sid knew she wasn't going to forget what she was trying to tell them when she arrived.

"Who did you see?" He asked casually, not really interested in her answer.

"Cory Dunn." She nodded, seemingly sure of her case. "Cory, motherfucking Dunn."

"Don't make things up," Annika slapped her arm playfully. "Cory Dunn is... you know..." She turned a finger at the side of her head, indicating he was a bit crazy. "It's nothing to make fun of, really."

"No! I'm not making things up! He's in school. I saw him when I went to pick up my locker key..."

"You really want us to believe you saw Cory Dunn?" Davy asked, crossing his arms. "What's he doing here?"

"He's in our class, guys. I was curious as to what he was doing here, and I heard Mrs. Brand tell him he's in our class. He's joining school again."

"But, isn't he..." Annika repeated her movement, causing Amara and Amber to roll their eyes. In the same time, Davy, Edward and Sid couldn't help but chuckle.

"I guess he's better now." Amara shrugged.

"Dude!" Sid nudged Davy when he got an idea. "Do you think he'd be willing to tell us what happened?"

"Oh, yes dude! We have to ask him. Maybe we will finally find out what is in the woods anyway."

Cory Dunn's story wasn't a simple story about a kid getting lost in the woods, spending a night in there.

No, Cory Dunn came running out, screaming, crying, terrified of something. Nobody was able to calm him down, not even his parents.

One story claims he was hunted by a rapist, another says he was hunted by wolves. But whatever the truth was, all stories came to the same conclusion; Cory Dunn went nuts, and he was taken to a psychiatric ward two towns over.

The only thing he ever said before they took him there, was how he wanted 'it' to leave him alone. And then he decided to remain silent for months.

Nobody ever found out what really happened, and now, Cory Dunn was back.