Will I tell him? Yes. But what if he… So I won't tell him. But I can't hide it forever, and leave him in the dark. Ugh, keeping a secret is hard! Especially one like this. Why did I have to be…?

Riiiiing!

"Waaah!" I was jolted from the argument I was having with myself. Good, before I started to answer back. Or start staying stuff out loud. That'd go down well. Not.

I sighed and collected everything for my next class. Yay, French with Miss Kinsella. My favourite. Sense the sarcasm?

As I pushed my way through the throng of upbeat teenagers, I decide that I will tell him. Continuing down the hall, avoiding looking at anyone, I know I have to tell Ryan about me. The real me.

Because it's too dangerous for him not to know. To let him know could save him from - most likely – me.

I took my seat in the French room. Miss Kinsella hadn't shown up yet, which was good, since I had to decide how to tell Ryan…the thing.

I wasn't really in the classroom, more in my own head, as I placed my books on my desk. Nothing outside registered. Until someone practically jumped on me.

"Heya Ju-Ju!" sang Lexi.

"God! You know I hate it when you do that Lexi! Especially when I zone out!" I shunned her, but with a smile on my face.

"Alright then, space cadet! It's just that you looked like you needed help with something. You had a strange face."

"Thanks." Lexi knew me too well. That's why she was my best friend. And vice versa. We clicked the first time we met on my first day at this school.

"Nah, it's ok," I answered. "It was nothing."

"If you say so… See you later then. Teacher's coming."

She walked off and took her seat just as Miss Kinsella arrived through the door. How did she know that? Weird, I thought as I sat down. Ryan sat behind me, so it would be easy to pass him a note during class. That's what I'll do.

I really hoped he wouldn't freak out or anything, because I really liked him and wouldn't want to lose him, even as a friend.

When the teacher was writing some form of verb on the board, I scribbled on a scrap of paper:

Meet me in the forest after school.

Don't ask why, I'll tell you then.

Trust me.

Juliet

I folded it and threw it behind me, hoping it would land on or near his desk. Soon after, I received a reply.

Ok, be there.

See ya!

Those five words were all I needed. He trusted me. I couldn't back down now, I got him to come. The rest of the day seemed to drag by at a snail's pace.

It was freezing. I had been waiting for ten minutes before he arrived. I should have been able to tolerate temperatures like that, but maybe it was nerves.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"I had to go to my locker," he said sheepishly, as he held up his bag.

"Fine, whatever. Just come on," I murmured and stomped into the forest.

When we reached the heart of the trees, I turned and faced Ryan. There was a look of bemusement on his cherubic face. He gazed in wonder at the emerald canopy above us.

"This looks beautiful, don't you think?" he whispered, awestruck. He didn't usually pay attention to stuff like that. Something must have been off.

"Yeah sure… Ryan, I need to tell you something. Important."

That caught his attention. His head snapped back and he looked straight into my eyes. It was slightly unnerving, but I couldn't look away because it would be portraying the opposite of my intentions. I stared back, not saying anything for a minute or two.

"What is this important thing then?" Ryan said with a small but noticeable amount of bite to his words.

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise that you won't, can't tell anyone else. Ok?"

"Fine."

I took a deep breath as I prepared to tell him my deepest and most well kept secret. That only he will know from now on.

"Ok…. I'm a part of the Magical Assassins Academy," I blurted. I held my breath, waiting for his reaction. A 'what the hell?' Or him fleeing. But no. All I got was silence, a wide eyed stare and a dropped mouth.

"Well?" I stammered, after too long moments of quiet.

"You can't. I…No!" Ryan turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm to stop him. I didn't think he'd even know what that was.

"What's wrong, Ry? Don't you believe me?" When he faced back at me, I saw tears in his eyes. "Are you ok?"

Before he could answer, there was a rustling in the bushes to our left. When I looked round, Lexi appeared from the foliage.

"Lexi?" I said in disbelief.

"Juliet, why couldn't you tell me? I'm your best friend!" Her face was the picture of rage.

"I'm sorry Lexi, I really am but…" I wasn't allowed finish.

"Don't start. I have my own 'dark secret' to tell you. But Ryan already knows. How does that make you feel, letting a guy know before your best friend?" There was a terrible chill in her voice.

I just stood fixed to the spot, staring open-mouthed at her.

"I am also part of your surreal world Jewels, a place of magic beings. I'm just not on the – how would I put it – good side," she said with a twisted smirk. "I just happen to be a Courier."

"What?" Couriers were the worst a person from the MAA could encounter. Ever. "Ryan, you knew about this?"

"I…I, uh…" He glanced at Lexi, and then to me, before looking at his feet. "Yeah."

"Why did neither of you tell me? And why does Ryan know if he's normal?" I cried.

"I could ask you the same now Ju-Ju," Lexi sang. I couldn't stand that monster using my nickname.

"I don't care!" I yelled. "Why?"

"I'm one too," Ryan joined in the dispute.

Suddenly, and I suppose relevantly, hazily, a quote from Romeo and Juliet came to mind. Something along the lines of love coming from hate, and loving an enemy. Y'know the one, Juliet falls in love with Romeo, he's the rival family's son, blah blah. Which is what I was doing. Oh nos!

It would explain why Lexi could always sense people before they arrived, as all Couriers had a heightened tracker. They also can read minds to different degrees, depending how long they had been a Courier. But Ryan never showed any signs.

"That's because he's only a youngling," she said, peering into my head.

"Stop eavesdropping!" I countered. We sounded just like we used to. But now is different. My instincts were about to kick in, and I would have to kill her. My eyes teared up at the prospect. My bow and sheath were in the hollow tree closest to my right, stored for hunting. I grabbed them and had the bow loaded in one movement.

"So long, best friend," I said sardonically, as I aimed at her forehead and fired.

A shriek resounded through the trees.