A/N: Yes, I know it's been long, but this was a very hard chapter to right. I should be on track now, but if I ever leave it too late, just send me a review kicking me back into shape. And for all those that don't know what a Maxibon is… it's one of the best ice creams in the world.

Mazes

Nate

'You'll never guess what has happened!' Jacinta crows as she walks in. Chris shares a look with me.

'What's happened?' Chris says.

Jacinta's grin now is completely covering her face, which is also covered with extremely intense stage make-up. She walks to the bathroom, grabs a face wipe and comes back out.

'Christian is such a sweetheart,' she says with a laugh, walking over to the mirror. She takes a big swipe and her skin is uncovered, a little smeared from the make-up.

'He invited us over for dinner,' she swipes over her eyes, leaving them black and dripping. With another swipe on both eyes, the make-up is gone. She turns around smiling as Chris makes the dinner.

'He's invited us all to the annual picnic! He wanted to meet you, so the picnic is perfect.'

For a moment I just stare at her. It's like she's had a complete transformation. Okay, I admit, maybe not that far. But without her wacky make-up on, and wearing a pair of jeans and a top, she looks almost… normal.

'What do you think of that?' she asked, still with her usual drawl, but something that doesn't get on my nerves quite as much.

'It's great babe, can't wait!' Chris says, moving her to the side as he gets a spoon out of the draw.

'Picnic?' I ask. Jacinta looks over at me in shock.

'That's right Nate. The De Bourgh's have an annual picnic at their place. It always heaps of fun.'

Chris smiles and gives her a peck of the cheek.

I can't help but feel that this is completely foreign. Coming into this house that they've made their own together. Completely out of place.

I watch them, and the only thought that comes into my head, is how Vida would have felt. She didn't enter a new house, though, she entered a new country. In that way, I'm in awe of her, and for the first time since I've met her, I feel like Vida isn't as superior as I make her out to be.

Vee

I muffle a groan as Evie once again takes me out to the lake.

'Don't you like it?' she asks. I force on a smile.

'Of course I do, it's just when I'm woken at three o'clock by a crazy cousin wanting to see the sunrise I'm not as enthusiastic.'

She grins at me, and makes her way through the dark.

'You wait, Vee. You'll love it.'

We don't go in. We sit on the sand and wait. And she's right. When the first ray seeps over the horizon that the trees around form, it really is beautiful. It creates a sort of milkiness to the sky. Swirling the colours like when you're mixing a cake.

We lie, our hair moulding into the sand. Talking and laughing about nothing, or just thinking in silence.

That's the thing I love about this place, you can just relax and not have to worry about not meeting anyone's expectations.

Nate

The house that stands before me is simply amazing. There isn't another word for it. that is, if you could call it a house. More like a small castle.

'Isn't it just a magnificent sight?' Jacinta asks. I nod in agreement. It seems that Chris and Jacinta suit each other. Or at least help each other. I'm not talking about a major change in either of them. But they both seem more calmed and relaxed in each other's company. It's good for both of them I guess.

The house is Georgian style, and two stories high. It's one of those houses that should belong in old English country movies. Sandstone walls. That's the main reason it looks so idyllic. I think he other thing that makes it look so out of place, is definitely the bell tower spiralling above the second story.

We enter the driveway, three cars already parked in the driveway. I didn't think it was really necessary to drive to our neighbour's house, but in Bowrel, it's definitely something you need to do. Well, at least to get to the De Bourgh's. I can't imagine walking up the driveway and coming to the round-a-bout flourishing with exotic plants. We park and immediately Jacinta describes the house.

'That's the maze,' she says pointing to a bridge covering a small creek, leading to tall hedges. 'Inside is the most beautiful gazebo, you can see all of Christian's property.'

I look up at the house itself, trying not to get distracted in all the things surrounding it. The front doors almost look like a church, with huge stain-glass windows, and climbing roses invading the bricks.

The door opens, and a beautiful smiling girl emerge.

'Chris, Jacinta! It's great to see you,' she says with a laugh. She sees me.

'Nate,' I say, taking her outstretched hand. Her eyes widen a little.

'Evie,' she says with a secret smile.

We go inside the house, polished and immaculate. Evie with her free going way is hard to imagine growing up in a place like this. It's contained and yet so open.

She leads us up to a veranda, which looks a lot like Juliet's balcony. It's huge, with pillars swarming with climbing roses. There, seated waiting for us, is most likely to be Christian De Bourgh. He doesn't turn as we enter, merely sits waiting for us to go before him. In that way, I feel that he is superior to us.

'Dad, Chris and Jacinta are here, and so is Nate. He's Chris' friend,' Evie says as we sit in front of him. She smiles apologetically at the abrupt introduction.

'I'll be back in a second.' She runs off, but not before I see the laugh she tries so hard to suppress.

Vee

Evie sneaks into my room, smiling mysteriously.

'What?' I ask, watching her carefully.

'Did you know that we have practically the same name?'

I shake my head and laugh at her. She could be so random.

'You're not wearing that are you?' she asks. I look down at the grey pants and polka dot top I'm wearing.

'What's wrong with it?' I ask defensively.

'Number one,' Evie says, starting to rummage through my wardrobe, 'it's the middle of summer, and you cannot wearing pants in the middle of summer.' She stops for a moment, frowning. 'Oh!' she exclaims grabbing my hand and running me to her room.

'What was I saying?' she asks, now rummaging through her own wardrobe.

'Number two…'

'Oh yes,' she says distractedly. 'Number two, we have guests and you have to look good.'

I scoff at her.

'Look, I know Chris, he wouldn't mind if he saw me on my worst day. He's a nice guy.'

She triumphantly produces a red dress. 'You're wearing this,' she says. I look at it. Short with a great colour.

'That is a flirting dress,' I state.

'No,' Evie says with a smile, 'this is a dress to have adventures in.'

Nate

I hear giggling and for the first time since I arrived, I feel slightly more relaxed. In bursts in Evie, and following her…

I blink owlishly at her.

'Vida?'

'Nate?'

'What are you doing here?' we ask simultaneously.

'Wait? You guys know each other?' Evie asks with a smile. Vida rounds on her, glaring.

'You knew?' she hisses.

'No,' Evie says, the smile still playing on her lips, 'how could I know that you know Nate?' She goes on, but is silenced by Christian.

'How are you two acquainted?' I shoot a glance at Vida, and see that she isn't the only one that finds Christian's use of language harsh in a way.

'Nate lives next door to the family I'm living with,' Vida says hurriedly.

Chris, staying silent the whole while looks between Vida, and me grinning.

'Maybe we should head down to the garden,' he suggests.

'Yes, you can meet everyone,' Christian says and gets up slowly. Jacinta steals him for conversation of the up coming play, and Evie and Chris talk like old friends.

I wince inwardly, and then glance down at the fields where people are setting up picnic rugs. This would be very awkward.

Somehow, I manage to meet everyone and stay out Vida's way. But that only results with Christian breathing down my back.

'So which school do you attend Nate?' We're all seated comfortably on many rugs in a circle. All heads turn to me.

'Umm, I'm going to Concord Boys,' I say. Some people nod their heads as if they know the school, and others continue on with their previous conversation. I can see Evie and Vida staring intently at Christian.

'I've never heard of it, what sort of private school is it?'

I grit my teeth from preventing me from snapping at him.

'No, Concord is a public school.'

Vida glances at me, almost apologetically, and that's when I snap.

'What? Which of your brothers attends a private school?'

'None,' I say forcefully.

'None? All five attending a public school? Well, I don't know about that.'

'Well it's hard for you to say, isn't it Christian? It's not as if you'd ever attend a public school. Two of my brothers and I got a scholarship for Riverview, but decided not to take it. Concord has a very high reputation with HSC and School Certificate results.'

Christian looks at me as though I'm mad, but then Jacinta decides to distract him throwing me a warning glance.

Half an hour later I'm sitting on a bench under a tree thinking what I did to deserve this. I think it's definitely from being so judgmental, and the world is out to get me because of it. If I wasn't so judgemental, maybe I would have been able to convince Christian that, no, I don't want to play cricket.

'You must come play cricket, you do play cricket don't you?' he said. It made me want to hit him.

'Yes, more a batsman than a bowler, Chris and James have always been better,' Chris clapped me on the back and nodded approvingly.

'Fantastic, you can play for Vida's team, they're batting first. And Vida, does your brother still play cricket?'

Vida looked up for a moment. Looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

'Umm, yeah. He's in the district team. He got a century at his last game,' she said distractedly.

And somehow, it all ended up with me, sitting here, waiting for Ewan (Evie's cousin) and Evie, the first batsmen, to get out. There's only four per side. Vida, Ewan, Evie and me on one side. Chris, Jacinta, Ewan's Dad, and Christian on the other.

Evie takes a big swing at a slow bowl from Chris, and gets caught by Jacinta. Vida quickly walks with me to the pitch.

'Coming to intimidate me Vida? Well, I'll try not to be, even if your brother does play so well,' it's meant to come out light, as a joke, but somehow it comes out very harsh. She looks surprised.

'No,' she says, trying to laugh it off, 'Christian made me captain. I just wanted to tell you that I don't care if you take risks, we really need to get some sixes here,' she sends me a quick smile before going to congratulate Evie.

Two innings, lots of runs, and the prize of winning to our names, Evie, Vida and I bask in our glory, lying in the weak afternoon sun.

'Oh, my God!' Evie exclaims suddenly, smiling a contagious smile. The extended family has left, and the rest of us just laze about eating occasionally and chatting.

'What?' Vida says, her hair splays out as she laughs.

'You both haven't been to the maze yet!' She gets up, drags Vida to her feet and looks at me pointedly. 'So are you coming or what?'

We end up going to the maze in follow the leader style. Evie skipping along, Vida too. Both singing, The Yellow Brick Road. They look so young, but are having so much fun. I laugh along with them until Evie suddenly stops and begins walking very slowly. We pass into a grove of close knit trees with a creek running its way through. We walk over a bridge, white and flamboyant.

'So here's the rules,' Evie says. 'A bit childish yes, but who really cares?' We enter the tall hedges and immediately the maze starts. 'First person to the gazebo wins, alright?'

I nod non committed, but Vida grins at me and turns to Evie.

'I have another preposition. Since you have been telling me all week that you could find anyone in this maze, how about Nate and I hide, you give us a thirty second head start and then you find us. Deal?'

Vida glances between both of us.

'Deal,' Evie says, the challenge glinting in her eyes.

'Deal,' I say nodding.

'Go!' Evie shouts already counting away to herself.

Vida takes her shoes off quickly and chucks them to the side before throwing me a grin, running away to the left. I smile back quickly and run to the right.

I run with no clue as to where I'm going. I hear Evie yell that she's coming, but it just makes me run faster. I hear Vida laughing, and squeal a couple of times. I turn one last left and bang into Vida.

'She's coming!' she yells, her eyes wide. I grab her hand without thinking and run back the way I came, we take some more rights until I feel completely lost. We come to a dead end, and we both stop, breathing heavily. I turn to Vida. She has her back against the hedge.

'Hide me!' she says, she's still laughing, but she doesn't want Evie to catch us.

'What?' I ask.

'You're wearing green, I'm wearing red,' she motions to her dress. 'Cover me,' she insists.

I block her body placing my hands on either side of her head.

'That is a dress to have adventures in,' I say with a smile. She grins and looks me in the eye.

'Aren't I already having one?'

And, as if on cue, Evie runs past us, screaming: 'Found you!'