PLAY.

It was when they visited the Greek Theatre. This time Perrie had been filming.

Hayne took off his white t-shirt, once again letting Perrie see his solid chest, and hung it around the back of his neck. They walked into the crumbling theatre, video-Perrie shivered, shaking the camera. She could really feel the history to the brick building. It had a very large audience space and a fairly large stage at the bottom of the seating.

"Welcome to the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, or teatro Greco – if you're Italian; it means 'Greek Theatre'," the tour guide announced.

Video-Perrie swung the camera to the bottom of the theatre, where Addy stood on the stage area. She knelt down on one knee with her hands skyward.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," she said in a bold, melodramatic tone. Some tourists from other groups started to applaud – which only encouraged her.

"That's Romeo and Juliet – idiot!" video-Perrie yelled to her.

"Don't diss Shakespeare! And besides I don't know any Greek plays!" Addy yelled back. "Now get down here and do a scene with me!"

On her command, video-Perrie passed the camera to Hayne before she jumped down the join her best-friend.

Perrie went to the side of the stage and raised her hand to her head, pretending to search for something in the distance. The tourists were still watching as she said, "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

"But, soft!" Addy continued. "What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."

Addy grabbed video-Perrie's hand and bowed to the tourists, who had been filming them. They all clapped for their bad performance of an English play in a Greek theatre. Addy made video-Perrie bow to the camcorder as well.

"Bravo!" Hayne laughed over the film.

The clip shook and there was a flash of grey concrete as video-Perrie took the camera off Hayne. She filmed her best-friend who's brown hair was still managing to stay neatly tied up in a bun.

"I cannot believe we just did that!" Video-Perrie's voice was high-pitched over the camera.

"Well, I bet that you can't race me to the top," Hayne teased.

Video-Perrie swung the camcorder round to Hayne's smile and his bare, muscular chest. "I'm about to open a big can of ass-whooping and put this egotistical man in his rightful place. Addy hold the camcorder."

The camcorder was tossed about but it managed to catch Addy giggling. "Trash talk: I like it!"

She settled the camcorder and filmed video-Perrie point guns at her. Then video-Perrie ran to the bottom of the steps that led up to the top of the audience. Hayne had done the same on the other side.

"On your mark!" Addy shouted. "Get set...GO!"

Video-Perrie bolted up the steps, looking like a crossbreed of a monkey and a cheetah. She reached the top of the steps by a fraction of a second before Hayne. She threw her hands up in the air, celebrating.

Hayne's voice was faint on the clip but was still able to be heard. "That's it," he said. "I'm done for the day...too hot."

Video-Perrie said something but only parts were able to be heard. "Don't...blaming...weather...just too quick...you."

"Hey guys!" A voice shouted over the camcorder. Addy spun the camera round to reveal Eric in his blue vest top, flashing his too-white teeth. "Look at me! I'm Rocky Balboa!" He did a deliberate slow-motion jog to the top.

Addy was mumbling. "Oh dear." She sighed and complimented the clip by humming the theme tune as she climbed the steps after him.

PAUSE.

Something made Perrie get up from her desk and peer out the window. She expected the group of teenagers to be standing outside again – which was their ritual. But instead no one was around. Perrie shrugged and told herself she was going crazy.

But just as she went to step away something caught her eye. A black, shadowy figure stood beneath the willow tree in her front garden. It raised its head, clearly looking up at her. She gasped and stepped out of sight.

Her heart hammered in her chest and her hands shook. But she still slid to the side of the window frame and forced herself to peer out. The black, shadowy figure wasn't under the tree anymore. She glanced around at all corners of her front garden but couldn't find him. That's not good.

The doorbell let out a sharp ring. Three times.