Hi! So obviously, it's not Wednesday! I planned to update yesterday but after the exam I was pretty much wiped out and legit fell asleep thinking it would be a small nap around 5pm but I ended up sleeping from then all the way until the morning Lmaoo

I can't remember the last time I got good sleep but ig it was good that I did.

Anyways, so here's the next update! Enjoy!

Marella's P.O.V

Marella awoke early in the morning, thinking she was the first one up, but everyone was already awake in the kitchen.

She walked in to the wonderful smell of pancakes and bacon and eggs.

Staying in a hotel wasn't the best but it did help to still have excellent meals everyday with a good cook like Edaline.

"Good morning, Marella," Edaline greeted with a smile, handing her a plate.

"Good morning," Marella replied, smiling back. Immediately, she felt Stowy jumping at her feet, begging for food. She shook her head but Stowy kept nagging and added puppy eyes too.

Eventually, Stowy got the idea and moved on the Grady, begging him for food. "No way! Don't even think about taking my bacon!" Grady snapped, glaring at Stowy and shooing him away.

A few seconds later, Dex walked in and sat right next to Marella, giving her a smile.

Marella smiled back but she felt very strange vibes.

Every time she looked at Dex, she couldn't stop thinking about stupid Linda. It almost made Marella wish she'd never looked at those texts. Almost.

Suddenly, the phone started ringing. Edaline rushed to get it and immediately picked up.

Everyone looked at Edaline with curiously, wondering who it was.

Edaline chatted with whoever was on the phone and eventually she gasped, "really?! That's great news! We might finally be getting close!"

Eventually, she hung up and turned around and exclaimed, "guys! Mr. Forkle's group is coming here!"

"Really? How come?" Wylie asked, setting his fork down.

"Apparently they were able to find out that the Neverseen are heading this way! They're going to the hideout that they have here in Tennessee!" Edaline exclaimed.

"How did they even figure that out?" Dex asked

"I have no idea! But this is great! We finally are getting close!" Edaline exclaimed, excitedly.

Marella felt hope rose in her too. This could mean that they could find Sophie soon and everything could go back to the way it was.

"We could probably start working with them to better find the Neverseen," Grady said, finishing his plate. "I think we should do a final brief search before the others come."

"I'll go," Wylie volunteered, getting up.

"Me too!" Dex added, struggling to get up.

"Alright, it'll be us three. We won't go too far," Grady told Edaline and Marella, getting his things.

"Alright, I'll probably go and get a few groceries we need," Edaline agreed. "Marella, you want to come with?"

Marella smiled and shook her head. "No thanks, I'll just stay back."

"Okay, that's fine."

Marella then sat back and waited a few minutes until all of them were out the door.

Once she was sure that they were gone, she slowly made her way to the couch and pulled out Dex's phone from her pocket.

Yes, she took it.

Dex would probably go looking for it soon so she had to do the most she could with it at the moment.

There wasn't much she could do now, so she set it down next to her and waited until Dex got another message from Linda.

Marella tried watching TV but she couldn't focus. She kept looking back at his phone to see if there were any new notifications. She was nervous because she didn't want them to come back without her learning anything new.

Eventually, just what Marella had been waiting for, Dex's phone started vibrating. Even better, Linda was calling Dex.

Marella felt her heart beat faster as she silently debated on picking it up or not.

Well what would she even do if she picked it up?

Marella just decided to wait it out, regretting it when the ringing stopped.

She almost gave up but that was until she saw that Linda left a long voicemail.

Marella bit her lip and without hesitation, she clicked on it to play it.

Immediately, Linda's annoying voice spoke, "HEYYYY DEXY! IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU! I miss you Dexy! So, I was thinking— my grandparents live in Tennessee and I'm staying with them but I'm leaving to go back to San Diego soon! School will probably be starting back up again soon! Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to come over. It would be SUCH a fun time! You know, and maybe...we can finish what we started last time..."

Linda ended the last part with a low and flirty voice.

Marella gasped in shock and before she could process what happened, Linda's loud voice screeched, "WELL BYE DEXY! I HOPE YOU COME! TOODLES!"

With that, the voicemail ended.

Marella blinked fast as her shaky hands set down Dex's phone.

DEXY?! I MISS YOU?! TOODLES?!

WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!

Marella couldn't believe what Linda was doing. At this point, it was TOO far!

AND MAYBE WE COULD FINISH WHAT WE STARTED LAST TIME?!

WHAT ON EARTH DID THAT MEAN?!

A bunch of things started running through Marella's head and none of the scenarios were good!

LAST time?! Did that mean Dex had come over before?! And FINISH what?!

Marella shook her head over and over.

Was Dex cheating?! With LINDA?!

Marella tried to stop those thoughts but at this point it was WAY too obvious!

The fortune teller's words kept ringing through her head, only assuring Marella's theory.

Betrayal. Betrayal. Betrayal.

That was it. This was the last straw for Marella.

Marella immediately deleted the voicemail so that Dex would never hear it.

She was going to put his phone away but then an idea came into her head.

She then opened up Dex's phone again and went to Linda in messages.

Immediately, Marella pretended to be Dex and typed, Sorry Linda! I couldn't call at the moment but that sounds great! I would love to come over!

Marella nervously waited for her response and in less than five seconds, Linda was already responding.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT!

Jeez this girl needed to chill it with the all caps.

Marella then typed back, what's the address?

Marella then set the phone down and laid back.

It was time she would pay Linda her own little visit.