After what seemed like hours of walking, we heard a car behind us. I quickly turned to see who it was. The man in the car saw us, but ignored our signals to stop.

"What a jerk!" I exclaimed.

"Did you note his number plate?" asked Jamie.

"No. Why?" I asked, surprised.

"There was a dead body on the back seat," he rolled his eyes. "Do you have any common sense? Of course to sue him in court for not stopping to give the great Mary a lift," he replied.

I gave him a disgusting look and quickened my pace.

After a few moments of silence, I asked Harvey, "why do you have a house in the wilderness?"

"It's not wilderness in the summer. At the back, there is a very beautiful lake. Me and my cousins come here to spend a fortnight or so. It's a very secluded and peaceful place. We swim, play games, go out in boats and make barbecue. It's a change from the boring life at home. No elders to stop us from stupid stunts. There's only a nanny, whom no one listens to. And a maid for cooking and cleaning, but we prefer to make our meals by ourselves," explained Harvey.

"Like camping," added in Jamie.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Harvey.

I felt a pang in my chest. 'Boating. Barbecue. Camping. I have never done these things. Just because I am an orphan.'

'Stop thinking like that Mary,' I scolded myself.

I distinctly remember boating with my uncle and aunt, along with Simon, Lily and Margaret. But it was a one time thing because we were all very little to enjoy these types of things.

I couldn't really blame my aunt for not being lucky enough to experience these things. My cousins didn't get to have any more fun than I did. After uncle's death, aunt had tried her hardest to take care of his business, but was faced with a lot of difficulties. She had to get a huge loan, on profit, to stabilise it. After three years of hard work, she finally achieved her goal. But she owed a lot of money to the bank. Last year, she paid back all the loan and debts, and after a few months bought Simon a car, so that Simon, Lily and Margaret wouldn't need to take the bus. Even now there wasn't a lot of money rolling in, but it was enough for us.

When times were difficult, aunt worked hard herself. She never forced me or anyone of her kids to get a job. The principal of my school gave me a scholarship because I was an orphan, and my aunt was going through rough times.

As much as aunt made me feel horrible by saying that I was a burden, I couldn't really hate her for it. Her words did hurt me, but in a sense she was right. She had seven kids to take care of, and I was a bonus. The thing that hurt me was that she could have considered me like her own child. What if she had eight instead of seven? But the fact remains that as soon as the business stabilised, my aunt started paying my fees herself, because she knew I hated being the charity girl. I will forever be grateful to her for that. And I will try to repay her.

'As if you aren't repaying enough by doing chores all day long.'

'No Mary, don't forget she let's you live under her roof, feeds you, and pays your fees.'

'It's her duty by law.'

'But she can still force you to get a job. Don't be thankless if you can't be thankful.'

'Okay okay. I get it,' my bad side agreed to my good side whenever I thought about how bad my life was.

'Times are getting better. Maybe we could go on a vacation this summer. I should ask aunt as soon as I reach home. I'll find a job to pay for myself if she doesn't agree. She also needs a vacation. She's getting too cranky,' I thought, on hearing about Harvey's beautiful summer time.

"Cool! That's great," I replied when I realised I hadn't commented.

There were a few moments of awkward silence and then Harvey said, "maybe you would like to join us this summer?"

"What?" I stopped walking and turned to face him, thinking I had heard wrong.

"I didn't mean to offend," he said, looking uncomfortable at my reaction.

"No. I'm not offended. But I am too young to die or go to jail," I replied, starting to walk again, covering up my earlier awkwardness.

Jamie snorted while Harvey gave me a questioning look.

"You and me living together in a lot of hustle and bustle. Any murder can be disguised as an accident. Maybe I will "accidently" slip and fall into the lake. Or maybe you will "accidently" get a barbecue stick through your heart, or maybe neck," I replied cheekily.

Jamie burst into laughter. Realisation dawned on Harvey's face before he doubled over with laughter. Their laughter was contagious and soon I joined them.

We stopped to laugh comfortably when Harvey said, "I'm laughing my head off right now. Mary, you are such an idiot."

"Pick it up before it rolls down the road," replied Jamie.

This brought a fresh wave of laughter. I clutched at my side as I laughed, at the same time reprimanding my self for laughing with them. Our conversation wasn't that funny. Maybe I was just looking for a reason to laugh. I stopped laughing but my gloomy mood changed for the better.

"You laugh like a croaking frog," said Jamie to Harvey.

"And you like a barking dog," retorted Harvey.

Their increasing argument kept me entertained. Somehow it steered towards the topic that who was better at frog jumping.

"I'm way better than you," said Harvey.

"You fell on you face the last time we were frog racing," said Jamie.

"That was a one time thing," said Harvey.

"Why don't we frog race again?" asked Jamie.

"Till that tree. Mary see who wins," said Harvey, pointing to a tree about a kilometer away.

And without waiting for my response, "one, two, three, GO!" yelled Jamie.

Both the boys hopped along the road in full speed. I ran after them like a human being. Jamie reached the tree, a few seconds before Harvey did.

"You didn't hop properly," panted Harvey.

"Sore loser!" I said.

"Hey, are you siding with him? I've known you longer," said Harvey.

"And thus have annoyed me more," I replied.

"But I love you more too," he said.

"No, I love her more," said Jamie.

"You don't even know her," said Harvey.

"Guys, stop talking like I'm not standing right here," I said.

"So, who are you with?" asked Jamie.

"No one! Both of you tied because Jamie was faster, and he was faster because he was not properly hopping. That makes you both winners," I said.

"No, that makes him a cheater," said Harvey.

Their bickering stopped only when we reached my house.

"Bye," I said and turned towards my house.

"Not a single word of thanks," said Harvey.

And at the same time Jamie said, "you are welcome."

"No need for sarcasm. You took me there in the first place and it's you who should apologise for making me walk such a long way," I said.

"I did offer to pick you up," winked Jamie.

"Is that how you repay us for making fools of ourselves just for your entertainment?" pouted Harvey.

"Oh and don't forget to ask your fathers to keep your bail money ready," I said, ignoring their remarks.

"You are going to inform the police?" asked Harvey, looking appalled.

"Of course. Why not?" I shrugged.

"You wouldn't do that to us, would you? Have you forgotten all the good times we had together," asked Jamie.

"How can I forget," I scoffed and turned to go, when suddenly I remembered something.

"My backpack!" I exclaimed.

"Where's my backpack?" I asked turning to Harvey.

"You didn't pick it up before leaving the house?" he asked, as if it was all my fault.

"Excuse me for wanting to get the hell out of the place I was taken to after being kidnapped," I said angrily.

"I'll bring it back tomorrow," said Harvey.

"I want it today. Thanks to your standing in front of my locker, I had all my books and assignments in it," I said.

"Nope, you can't force any of us to go all the way back to get you backpack. We have to get ready and go to a very important family gathering and my dad will kill us if we are late," said Harvey.

"Yeah, because last time we shook the soda bottles and sent up soda fireworks," snickered Jamie. "Everyone got covered in soda. So we can't afford to be late today."

"I'll call the police, they will go there, see your car and my backpack inside the house. They'll come and get you," I threatened.

"How will you prove you didn't go there by your own free will?" laughed Jamie.

"The police will obviously find the chloroform dipped scarf, and the bottle. And..." I paused for a dramatic effect, "I also have an eye witness. Lucas saw you kidnap me," I finished smugly.

"We can say it was a setup against us," said Harvey, looking proud to think of such an amazing plan.

"The police will know at once that Lucas is telling the truth," I said confidently.

"Don't worry buddy," said Jamie, placing his hand on Harvey's shoulder. "Let's go finish Lucas off."

I face palmed my self. "You are willing to get the police involved. Think of a cover story. Create fake alibis. Go and murder Lucas. But you can't go back and bring my backpack," I said.

"Fine! Jamie will go and bring your backpack," said Harvey.

"Me? But I hate her?" said Jamie, sounding surprised.

"I thought you loved her?" said Harvey.

"I don't even know her. You are her class fellow," replied Jamie.

"But I hate her more," said Harvey.

"Again, I'm standing right here," I said, keeping my face neutral, while I wanted to laugh at their fake solemn faces.

"Okay, we'll both go. Get in your house Mary before I kidnap you again to take with us. The journey will be dull without you. Just as the night is dull without the moon and the stars," said Jamie, winking again.

I rolled my eyes and turned to enter my house, when I heard Harvey say from behind, "I hate you, Mary."

"And I hate you more," said Jamie, before I shut the door in their faces.

Author's note: (please read)

Phew! At last I wrote this chapter and posted it. That's why you can read it.

Now, I have a very important announcement to make. I want to thank each and every one of you for reading, voting or commenting on this book. It's your support that made me write this long.

From now on, I'm going to mention a few readers in every chapter who commented anywhere, even if it was a single comment, along with a comment of theirs. Just to make it clear, I can't mention without following. Does that happen to you all?

And of course there will be a special mention in every chapter.

So here goes the first batch:

Thank you and a big virtual hug to:

anna_099302 ":-) This is wonderful writing"

dance_draw_write "Another great book"

safeena_shiraz "Really nice, love it"

Bita_unicorn04 "Love it! Amazing writing!!"

ILuvWaterfalls "Poor, poor Mary"

ForWhomSheWrites "Great chapter"

AuyaAbdellatif "Really great first chapter!! Can't wait to continue"

pearls4falasteen "Very interesting!"

Special thanks and dedication to,

travestiously

for your amazing comments which made me laugh out loud.

I can't mention the readers who voted but not commented because the notifications of the votes disappear after sometime, but I can see the comments anytime.

I love you all, even the silent readers, but I do wish that you may comment or vote. It doesn't take very long, but it makes my day. But it's your choice. I'd still love you like the others.

One more thing. I'm free now a days so I'll update frequently.

Stay blessed everybody.

See ya.