I felt my heart lodge itself in my throat as I wondered how on earth I was going to break the news to my friends; especially Aiden.

Ever since I had met the twins in the first year of elementary, I had never seen them apart. After seeing a boy and a girl playing together in the sandpit I had approached them and asked to join. From that day on, we had become fast friends, but I never saw one twin without the other.

I didn't want to be the one to break the news, but I had no choice.

Another person gone, because of you, my inner self taunted.

I shook the negative thoughts from my head before a jolt of pain hit my chest at the reminder of my father. I turned to return back to the campsite when I heard a rustle of leaves. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, before the sound of a stick snapping reached my ears.

I whirled around. "Who's there?"

Aiden stepped out of the bushes, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Where's Addison? I need to ask her something."

"She's probably... taking care of her business." I felt a rush of guilt and something else run through me before I continued, "Why? I can pass on a message for you."

Aiden's dark eyes scrutinised me, and I willed myself not to look away.

"It's not important," he replied, turning and returning back through the bush.

I felt guilt eating away at me as I watched him leave.

Why hadn't I told him? It would have been so easy just to tell him and sort out any disagreements alone.

Maybe you're just scared, Levi, my inner consciousness berated.

Maybe you think this will be just like what happened when your father disappeared, but this time, your friends will leave you too.

No. I refused to let that happen.

I glanced back towards the direction of the campsite and bit my lip, feeling my heartbeat speed up. I would have to tell my friends...

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Was I even a villain? Granted, I didn't want to be one, but having being brought up in that environment I supposed some evil should have rubbed off on me.

I thought back to the lesson with Ms Bowde over a week ago and hid a smirk. Then again, with the events that had happened recently, it was no wonder I wasn't feeling particularly evil.

Sighing, I steeled myself and stepped over a couple of brambles before reaching the campsite. I glanced up when I felt eyes on me.

"Where's Addison?" Were the first words that came out of Brandon's mouth, and I felt an unreadable expression stir in my chest at the worried expression that he sported.

No time to feel guilty, Levi. Just tell them.

"Uhm... I-" I couldn't help but glance at Aiden's accusatory stare as he waited for me to answer. I gulped. "I think she's..."

"She's what?" Aiden demanded, and I was taken aback at the amount of venom in his voice.

"I think she's missing..." My voice trailed to a whisper as I felt my heart thud in my chest.

I held my breath and glanced up at Caleb's impassive stare before moving onto Brandon, and then Aiden.

There was a pause when no one spoke, and then a sharp voice broke through the silence.

"What do you mean, missing?" Aiden spat, turning on me incredulously. "You told me she was taking care of her business."

I paled slightly, taking a step back.

"W-Wait, Aiden. At that time I wasn't sure-"

"Why didn't you tell me when I asked you?!" He glared at me, the hatred in his eyes making me stumble back.

"I-"

"I went on this stupid journey to save your father for Addison and when she goes missing, you don't even care to tell me?!" He shook his head and glared at me once more, as if daring me to rebut his statement.

I felt my heart plunge in my chest as I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

Aiden turned around and pushed through the undergrowth, making my eyes widen.

"Aiden-" I tried to say before he trained his dark, hatred filled eyes on mine.

"Don't follow me." He disappeared into the bushes and a tense silence fell over the campsite.

I stared at the space in the bush where Aiden had left through, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I schooled my expression and slowly, I turned around and met the eyes of Caleb.

He shrugged noncommittally and I realised it was probably because he had only met us the previous day. From the impassive look on his face, I knew he probably felt that Aiden was overreacting, and a part of me wished that I felt the same way.

But my friends had put their lives on pause to help me find my father.

It was my responsibility to make sure they all made it back okay.

I glanced at the two boys that were still at the campsite, after our group had been sliced in half.

Brandon and Caleb.

I opened my mouth, even though I wasn't sure what I wanted to say when Brandon cut me off, a dark expression on his face.

"I told you he'd only bring misfortune," he muttered, before turning away and disappearing through the bushes after Aiden.

I felt my heart sink in my chest as a feeling of emptiness came over me.

What had I done? Because of my stupid mistake of falling asleep, our group was falling apart. Addison had been kidnapped, Aiden was mad at me, Brandon had some sort of grudge against Caleb and Caleb...

I glanced up to see him staring at me with a concerned expression and it took me a moment to realise there was a tear trickling down my cheek. I reddened, brushing away the tears with the palms of my hands before sitting down on the nearby log, my bangs falling over my face.

"I'm pathetic aren't I? Go ahead," I mumbled, placing my head in my hands. "Laugh."

I heard Caleb walk closer and take a seat beside me on the log.

"I don't really know what's happening with you guys..." he paused, causing me to look up and when I did, I was startled by the proximity of his face.

His yellow-green eyes bore into mine, as if searching for something in my own dark ones. There was a brief moment when an unidentifiable look flitted across his face before it was gone. The look sent shivers down my spine, but I wasn't sure if they were the good kind.

"But," he continued as if nothing had happened, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "All I know is that you need a hug!"

He wrapped his other arm around me, pulling me to his chest. My eyes widened as he lifted me off my seat on the log and enveloped me in a spine-crushing hug.

"Ha- Caleb!" I rasped. "I- can't- breathe-!"

Caleb immediately let go, laughing slightly.

"Sorry," he grinned, ruffling my hair, not looking too sorry.

I glared, brushing my bangs back in place, my earlier worries forgotten. Caleb smirked and I couldn't help but want to wipe it off his face. I reached up and mussed up his own hair causing his grin to dissolve quickly.

"Oh no you didn't-" He leapt up, reaching over to ruffle my hair again when a clearing of throats made us freeze.

I turned to see Brandon with stormy expression on his face.

"If you guys have time to be all over each other then why don't you use that time to try and find the twins?" He growled, eyes narrowing onto Caleb's hand encircling my wrist.

The line of Caleb's jaw hardened and a feeling of unease stirred in my stomach.

"We aren't all over each other, thank you very much. And if you had stayed to realise, Levi was actually beside herself with worry. If she kept going on like that, she would have snapped."

"You would know," Brandon muttered and I saw Caleb tense, the yellow-green of his eyes glinting dangerously.

"You don't know anything about me, and don't think you do." Caleb seethed, his grip on my wrist tightening to a point that it hurt.

"We're leaving, Levi." His tone had a finality to it as he dragged me toward the opposite side of the clearing. I stumbled, startled when Brandon placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to pause mid-step.

"No, Levi's staying here. She needs to help me search for the twins."

I felt a wave of annoyance rush through me and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. Gone was my short bout of depression, and gone was my good mood.

"I think I get to decide where I go, thank you very much." I glared at the two guys, shaking their grasps off. "And you two are making it very easy for me to decide."

They stared at me, mouths slightly agape as if they had forgotten that I was even there in the first place.

Caleb was the first to recover, the easy-going smirk back on his face causing my anger levels to rise further. "And where's that?"

I sent him my most withering glare.

"Away from here."

I made sure to bump both their shoulders as I stalked away from the campsite. I didn't care where I was going and pushed through some rough branches, wincing as a thorn scratched deep into my arm.

A bead of blood formed on my skin and it soon dropped onto the leafy ground, causing my eyes to glance to the floor.

The dry leaves on the surface of the ground had been broken, as if something had recently disturbed this area. I glanced at the silver metal of the fence glinting quite a few metres away.

I was still in the sectioned off area of the National Park, so it could only mean one thing.

Addison.

a.n.

Not really edited... sigh. I really gotta step up my game XD I feel like these chapters are getting worse and worse.

Anyways, see ya next time!

SpiderPrincess

Weeks-that-I-have-updated-on-schedule-Tally:

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