Chapter 30


    The next day I walk straight past Nina and ask May if she wants to climb some trees with me, Trixie,


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    and Zach I can see out theer of my eyes Nina’s eyebrows crease in confusion as May and I have


    rarely ever spoken to each other, nor have we ever yed together


    Sure,’ she smiles


    Okay, let’s go.’I smile and wave for her to follow.


    Nina stands there watching us, then runs after us. ‘Hey, I want to climb trees too, you know!


    1 stop and face her. ‘No, only my friends can join,”


    ‘What are you talking about, Magnus? I’m your best friend?’


    You were never my friend,’ I growl and regroup with others,


    Nina’s face turns sombre, with a hint of confusion.


    ‘That’s harsh, don’t you think, Magnus? You and Nina have been the best of friends since you were


    both babies,’ Flint says.


    ‘No, they forced us to be friends, our mother’s nning constant ydates every day and if she was


    my best friend, she wouldn’t be getting me into trouble every single day. Nina no longer exists to me,’ I


    snarl.


    Flint and Josie flinch and give each other a sad look.


    ‘You are wee to join us as well, just not Nina,’ Flint and Josie hesitate at first but decide to follow


    us as May grabs my hand with a smile and drags me towards the trees. ‘Come on guys, let’s see who


    can climb to the top first,’ she giggles.


    ‘Sorry,’ Flint and Josie say to Nina, ‘We want to go with them too.’


    Nina looks down at her feet to hide the rogue tear sliding down her cheek.


    We race towards the trees and I’m the first to arrive with May. Momentster, Flint, Josie, Trixie, and


    Zak arrive.


    I could sense Nina watching us y from a distance, but Ipletely ignore her. Gripping onto


    branches one after another, I’m the first to reach the top of the tree. May climbs the same tree and sits


    next to me on the top branch.


    Flint, Josie, Trixie, and Zak shuffle along the huge, thick tree branches and make themselves


    ‘We’re so lucky to live here,’ Josie says.


    I couldn’t agree with her more. A forest of trees surrounds Shadow Crest with mountains in the


    distance. The buildings and houses are the Victorian styles with steeply pitched roofs, painted iron


    railings, andrge porches. I look over at the Packhouse mansion. Excitement fills me for the day I


    be Alpha, but I can’t help but feel something is missing. It’s digging at my heart and soul, eating


    me away inside. I’ve never had this feeling before,


    Are you okay, Magnus?’ May asks. I look to May, who is only one year younger than Nina and, unlike


    Nina’s Brown doe-like eyes, May’s are blue. The rest of her features are like Nina’s, except May’s hair


    is much shorter.


    “Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?


    ‘Well, you seemed to be lost in thought and look sad.’


    “Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about… things,’


    ‘I know we have spoken little before today, but if you ever want to talk about anything, you can


    always… talk to me,’ she says in a hopeful tone


    ‘Thanks, May, I’m sure one day I will open up my thoughts to you,’ smile.


    May blushes and casually looks away


    ‘Last one down is a rotten egg!’ Zak yells.


    We all quickly swing down and drop from one branch to the next.


    ‘I won’ I smirk.


    You only won because Nina isn’t here. We all know she is the fastest of all of us,’ Josie pouts.


    ‘If you mention her name to me again, Josie, then you can join Nina and be non-existent to me,


    too.’


    be too.’


    ‘


    Josie has a hurt look on her face and steps back while Flint res at me.


    ‘Let’s go to Shadow Lake for a swim before we go back to the Packhouse,’ Trixie suggests.


    I nod in approval and head towards theke. With May by my side. Trixie approaches and walks by my


    other side. Unbeknownst to me, they re at each other behind my back.


    We arrive at the Lake; I pull my shirt off, then my socks and shoes and dive right into the cool water.


    Zak and Flint join me in the deep end, while May and Josie roll up the legs of their pants and stay in the


    shallow area.


    ‘I knew we were going toe here,’ she smiles and removes her shirt and pants. She is wearing her


    bather’s underneath and swims over to join us.


    We duck under the water and hold our breaths for as long as we can. Zak and Trixie are the first to


    swim back up for air, followed by Flint. Feeling like I’m not enjoying myself as much as I usually would, I


    decided to swim away from them and hide behind arge boulder in theke. I pull myself up for air


    and peek over the top of the boulder, watching Zak, Trixie, and Flint waiting for me to swim back up.


    Their faces change to that of worry as they think I’m still down there.


    Magnus?’ Flint says.


    They all look at each other and nod. Holding their breaths, they duck back down for a few moments


    while I stay behind the boulder. I look over at May and Josie, who are both oblivious to my joke.


    Trixie swims back to the surface for air and looks around in circles, confused about where I could be.


    Then Zak and Flint swim to the surface and panic.


    ‘Magnus! they yell, grabbing May and Josie’s attention.


    ‘We can’t find him. You don’t think he drowned, do you?’ Trixie asks.


    They all panic. May and Trixie cry.


    Nina sprints out from the bushes and dives into theke with great speed


    ‘Magnus,’ she screams each time shees up for breath, frantic, with tears pooling in her eyes.


    I can’t contain myughter any longer. I lift myself onto the boulder in hysterics.


    ‘Magnus! That was not funny,’ Flint yells.


    ‘That was mean Magnus. We thought you had drowned,’ Trixie cries.


    ‘Not cool, Magnus,’ Zak growls.


    “Come on guys, don’t be like that.’


    I swim to the shore to where May and Josie are. As soon as I step onto the grass, I can’t help but


    sense someone is behind me. I look to see tiny little Nina ring up at me with her hands on her hips


    and tears streaming down her cheeks.


    ‘Don’t be like that! Are you serious Magnus? We thought you had drowned. I thought you had drowned,


    and all you can say is “Don’t be like that?” I thought you were dead,’ she says hitting my chest over and


    over.


    I have that strange feelinge over me again, eating at my inner conscience, my inner soul. I look


    over at Zak, Flint, and Trixie, who are making their way out of theke,


    We better get back home, before mum sends the warriors out looking for us,’ I say, treating Nina as if


    she was a ghost I couldn’t see or hear


    Everyone looks at her with sympathy. I don’t know why. No one ever looked at me that way when she


    had yed her stupid pranks on me.


    We walk back to the Packhouse while Nina follows us slowly in the distance behind us.


    As soon as we arrive at the Packhouse, I freshen myself up and join my parents for dinner with the rest


    of the Packhouse. Nina sits in her usual seat and tries to make eye contact. I pay her no attention and


    watch her shoulders drop out of the corner of my eyes.


    ‘Bed early tonight kids, the weekend is over and you have school tomorrow,’ my mother says


    We all moan and grizzle except for Nina, who stays silent


    ‘Is everything okay, sweetie?’ Leon asks Nina.


    She shrugs and stays silent as she pushes the food on her te around with her fork


    ‘What did you get up to today?’ Amelia asks.


    She looks up at me for a moment, but I keep myself busy eating my dinner.


    ‘I climbed trees and swam at theke with the others, mum,’


    ‘Sounds like you had a fun time.’


    ‘Yeah, fun…’ she mumbles.