I've been accused of not responding to comments and other stuff.

Well, at some point, it got hard for me to keep track of all my comments especially in the former books, but I'll try as much as  I can to get to 80% of the comments.

It's not a promise, but okay?

◇◇◇

WHILE LOOKING FOR decent clothes to wear, I discovered Blake's gift sitting at the bottom of my box.

Smiling, I unwrapped it, before going out to meet with Diana.

“Where to?” I ask, sitting next to her in the car.

“I'll show to our school first and then, we'll go to the amusement park. I got us tickets. After that we'll get some Australian dishes but we won't sit out or else, Tony will have my neck...” Diana rambles and I just let her.

My brother showed me how to use the camera, so after checking for the memory card, I turn it on and start taking pictures.

“You can't take pictures in the amusement park though.” Diana informs me, although I'm sure I pretty much can get away with anything through my dad's influence.

“Got it.” A thought crosses my mind. “I've always wondered. Why are Xavier and Tony living alone. Where are their parents? I mean I've met their mother back in America but doesn't she-”

“They were adopted. Their adoptive father doesn't approve of them so he got them that house so they could live away from him.” Diana explains.

“That sucks. What have they ever done? They've been nothing but good to me since I came here.”

Diana throws me a look that says I should stop talking. “It's a shady business if you ask me but don't go poking around, Hazel.”

Sufficiently warned, I decide to mind my business.

Minutes later, we're at the school. Still inside the car, I glimpse at the serene environment and white, tall buildings.

There's a giant white sign at the front over the metal gate that says “Charleville State High School”

Since it's a couple minutes past four, there are still students milling around, all trying to go home.

“It looks nice.” I say, facing Diana. She nods, but keeps her eyes on her phone.

Not long after, some boy comes straight to the car and taps on my side of the window.

Diana unlocks the car and he jumps into the backseat, groaning.

“Today was the worst day of my life.”He says, catching my eyes through the window. Curiosity lurks in his gaze.

“Who's she?” He queries.

Diana starts the engine. “This is Hazel. She's going to be staying with us for a while. And Hazel, meet Alistair Anderson, my unfortunate best friend?"

I lean over just in time to see Alistair crack a sardonic smile. "You don't look like a Hazel, you look like a Charlotte or Caroline to me."

I match his stare with my steely one. "And you look like a douchebag to me."

Alistair bursts out laughing before nodding in approval. "I like this one, Dee Dee. Feisty little thing."

Sighing, I settle back in my seat, facing the road. "I'm not a thing." I mumble.

"Don't let Alistair get to you. He's a big pain in the head. Like that stupid hangover that won't go away." Diana taunts, smiling back at Alistair who scoffs.

"Hangover sounds minor. How about that after taste of vomit that won't go away." I inserted.

The two friends made faces showing their varying degrees of disgust.

“That's disgusting.”Diana replies, laughing at Alistair's pained expression.

“I've been compared to everything possible, but never something so disgusting like vomit. Dee Dee, where are we going to?”

“The carnival. Hold on tight my friends.”

The car lurches forward, and I'm glad I put a seatbelt on about a minute ago.
Alistair however yowls in pain when his face collides with the center console.

Guess he deserved that.

▓▓▓

“Let's go on the Ferris Wheel.” Alistair demands with childish fervor. While they're arguing over what to do first, I gape at the abandoned amusement park.

I expected to see lots of people here and not silence.

“The park has been abandoned for a year now but a couple of things are still functional.”Alistair says, appearing next to me.

Grunting, I walk away, following behind Diana.

“I take it you don't like me much.”Alistair gains on me

I smirk. “Ha! Captain Obvious right there.”

“Don't be like Xavier though.”He says. That catches my attention immediately.

“What does that mean?”

“Xavier hates me.”Alistair explains, still fixing his gaze on me while we walked.

“I see why. Maybe I'll just join the hate team.” I say even though I'm not so sure why Xavier hates Alistair. All he's done is be annoying and I can deal with that.

Alistair hums then he catches up with Diana who has been awfully quiet since we got here. She nods at whatever he says in her ears and then he goes off into a small canopy beside the Ferris Wheel.

When the engine starts, he emerges again. “Ladies first.”

I take one of the seats, Diana and Alistair follow, trapping me between them.

The sun has begun to set. What a good opportunity to take a photo.

“Are you into photography?”Diana asks, eyeing my camera as I poise to take a picture.

“No. Just a hobby. My brother gifted me this before I came here.” I explain, capturing the fields in the distance.

“He sounds nice.”Diana says.

I scoff. “Nice is the last objective I would describe my brother with. But I'm sure he and Alistar would be best of friends, were he here.”

“Alistair” The boy corrects but I ignore him. Diana chuckles.

“So, do you guys come here often?”I question, checking the pictures I have taken.

Diana nods. “Yes.”

“What's the backstory?”

I regret asking that question when the two friends stiffen beside me, like I hit a sensitive topic.

“Um. You know what? Forget I asked that. Let's talk about kangaroos instead.”

And just like that normalcy was restored.

They talked about a lot, told me stories from their childhood, school experiences and whatnot. We talked until the sun went down and Diana decided it was time to go.

We waited until our seat reached the bottom and then hopped off. Alistair went to turn off the engine while Diana and I walked ahead.

Dad called, and I spoke at length to him, describing my stay so far. He put mum on the phone and we spoke too.

When he got off the phone, I realized that coming to Australia wasn't so bad after all.

∞∞∞

The two brothers are in the living room watching Super Sports. Tony is the first to glance away.

“You left me.” Tony accuses, pouting.

Laughing, I shrug off my cardigan. “You were the one that said eat first, talk later. I got bored.”

“Yeah, Tony is literally the most boring person alive.” Diana taunts, shaking her hair out from the ponytail before going over to the door leading to where our rooms are.

“Where did you guys go anyway?”Tony asks.

“Not telling.” I glance at Xavier but he's too focused on the television to notice me.

Sighing, I leave the boys alone.

When I unlock my phone, there's a text from Shawn.

Shawnee: we need to talk (8:00p.m)

My heart misses a beat because usually when that phrase is used, it means only one thing.

Never good.

PARDON ANY ERRORS PLEASE...