I'm hoping to get a few more chapters up today. Definitely two at least. So stick around. Also, there is something wrong with my reviews page, so it wont let me reply to any of them. :/

Well, Caleb is a little scared of Will, but as far as I see, he often seemed a little threatened by her in the cartoons. Maybe it was just me who saw that though..

Picture day..

Every girl gets up early that morning..

Putting on jewelery..

That extra dash of make-up..

A new top..

All to make sure that a single photograph is nice..

But does each girl's glossy smile truly make a difference..

To who they will see in that photo in years to come?

"You hypocrites!"

"What!"

"What do you mean 'what!'?" Cornelia mimicked Irma's voice, one hand on the pale pink dress top that covered her hips, the other motioning to Irma's fancy get-up, "Oh, 'Idon't care what I look like; I care about who I am!'. Nice shoes," Hay Lin looked down at her pink, starry pumps guiltily, "Are you going to the Wizard of Oz after school?"

"It's not like you didn't dress up!" Hay Lin swung her leg nervously.

Cornelia looked at the girls, "Well we all knew I was lying!" Cornelia spotted that Taranee was approaching, carrying a green backpack, "Oh! And here comes Miss 'I get dizzy in high heels'! Nice bag; is that for your cape and tiara?"

Taranee stopped running when she reached the group and bent over, heaving air in and out of her lungs. "It's Will's backpack! It was on the sidewalk. The crystal is still in it!" To prove her point she pulled the orb out by the necklace' string.

"She just dropped it?" Hay Lin suggested hopefully.

"And didn't notice! Get real, do you know how heavy her textbooks are!"

"We've got to go get her!" Hay Lin hissed to the others; they had created a tight circle to avoid over-hearing ears.

"Seriously? On school picture day!"

"Hel-lo! Will's been seized by the forces of evil. We need to go find her and bring her back!"

"We don't know that! And I said that I'd go with you. I did not sign up for going in powerless though!" Cornelia crossed her arms, her mouth in a tight line which showed her distaste for the plan. "We don't even know how to find her."

"Uh, we don't, but that thing seems to." Hay Lin pointed to the necklace Taranee was still holding as the crystal seemed to try to tug away from her hand. The girls looked at it with shock, Cornelia with skepticism.

As the bell rang and crowds trudged towards the Institute's main entrance, the four girls pushed through in the direction the necklace had been 'pulling' them. In the restricted areas, under the school, Taranee flicked the light switch and took in the school basement, "I liked it better when I couldn't see."

The girls continued through the long, pipe lined passage in accordance to the Heart's direction. "So, this is where they store all the dust from when they do their annual vacuum of upstairs." They were approaching a corner where the light already appeared to be on. 'Shoot,' Taranee thought, 'If we get caught down here, we'll be in so much trouble'.

The buzz that seemed to have been echoing lightly through the halls seemed to get louder and they turned the corner to find a large, circular blue fizz of electrical energy. "A portal? Will's on the other side of that?" Irma spoke for the first time since Taranee had arrived at school that day. She sounded terrified.

"This is crazy! Like I said, we don't have any powers until she puts that on! We can't just play hero for a day and save her!"

"Cornelia, 'her' name is Will. She could be in horrible danger!"

Taranee looked at Cornelia, "Last year I was the new girl; you never acted like you have to her with me!"

Irma's lips trembled as she spoke, her blue eyes never leaving the matching blue portal. "I like her. She's funny and smart."

"Have you seen her attempt math?" Cornelia grumbled in reply.

Hay Lin turned to Cornelia. "Look, you don't have to come if you don't want to."

"Oh believe me." Cornelia hid her fear behind a steely expression, "I know that." After that she turned to leave, grumbling something about Elyon waiting for her. Irma didn't seem to be surprised, but the others simply gawked at her as she walked away.

Once she turned the corner, Cornelia peeked back as the three remaining girls disappeared into the fizzling blue light. She looked at the portal with repenting eyes, but shook away the guilt before striding towards the exit leading to the school grounds.

. . . . . .

Hay Lin peered at a slimy creature that rested on a rock at the edge of the water they had landed in. The seemed to be in a swamp. "Except from the tentacle things, this bug looks just like a frog!"

"Shh! Hay Lin! All of evil's gonna hear you!"

Hay Lin looked from the crystal to Taranee, "We've got no signal here!" As Hay Lin spoke Irma cried out happily, diving from the portal into the thick greenish water, creating a huge splash.

She shook the water from her hair like a dog, grinning. "That certainly wakes up your underwear!" Hay Lin laughed and then the Heart began glowing and moving on it's own once more.