Chapter 3

Today is my birthday and if Aven was telling the truth it was his too. My birthday is the 13th of February. The last day of the month. I was sixteen today. So far I had gotten a Music voucher, a few notebooks and pens, fifty dollars and I had a feeling that the locket was supposed to be a present to.

I opened the locket just before I school in the girls toilets but before I did I had a good look at it. It was the shape of a love heart and had weird designs that I thought were supposed to be plants and vines.

When I finally got around to opening it I was frozen in place. It just looked like an ordinary locket but when it was open a white block covered in writing. I moved my hand to touch it. It wasn't a projection. My hand moved across the screen.

It read: The monthly W.A.W competition is extra special this month because we have Lucas Anderson from January coming to join the people of February. The reason for this is that his best friend Aven Clarke is in the February division and may be his best competition. Aven Clarke's twin sister, Roselaine, has been missing for ten years and the search is on to find her in time for the February W.A.W competition. The competition will also have Clover Haymitch, one of the most talented witches of her time. Wish them all luck.

It's true. No, no, NO, it can't be true. I just have to believe it. I will believe it.

As I came out of the toilets I put the locket around my neck. Aven was right outside the door.

"I knew you would be here," Aven paused for a second and then went on, "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday, I didn't mean to overwhelm you,"

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that and I believe you. By the way, Happy Birthday,"

"You remembered! Happy birthday to you too," Aven sounded cheerful for the first time in days.

"You should have told me you had a best friend named Lucas as well as Clover and me," I punched him lightly in the shoulder as if for pay back.

"You heard about that did you? Hmm…. Well I'll have to make you forget with the tickle treatment," He started tickling me in the middle of the corridor and I started laughing loudly. Everyone turned and stared.

"Good to see you two are having fun again," We both jumped. Clover snuck up on us. We all started laughing.

"Are you all having fun, are you?" I knew that voice anywhere. Principal Garland.

"Yes, Mrs. Garland. Is that okay?" Aven answered.

"Have you not heard that it is rude to answer back to a teacher?" Mrs. Garland asked

"Yes, miss, but is it not rude to answer back to a parent, adult or even child?" answering a question with a question, classic Aven.

"So it is. I'll let you of this time but next time… Now of to class," At that she stalked down the corridor to tell yet more innocent teenagers off.

"What did we do wrong? Is laughing a crime?" I asked.

"Someone should make a petition against teachers like that," Aven declared.

Clover pulled us down the corridor and ignored our cries of protest.

When we made it to our first class, Home group, it had already started. After we got told off by Mr. Randall we moved to our seats.

"So it was all true?" I had to make sure.

"Yes, how could we make that up?" rhetorical questions really annoyed me, especially ones from Aven.

"So when is this W.A.W. thing?" that I'm in. I didn't add that last bit but I should have.

"They'll come and get us when they're ready," I had a feeling that he didn't mean me.

"Meaning: you and Clover. You do know that they're looking harder for me at the moment and that they'll probably find me since I'm not really hiding,"

"Yes meaning Clover and I and if it bothers you so much, go hide,"

"Maybe they should find me. It's not like they're never going to find me,"

"They could kill you for doing the littlest thing wrong and you didn't grow up having to do everything right," Clover contributed.

"They could kill you," I mumbled and then said louder, "You've obviously never met my mother,"

"No Roselaine, just… no," Aven looked used up so I just dropped it.

We were at Aven's again. I noticed something different today, the way Aven and Clover looked at each other. "Love," I thought aloud.

"What?" Clover demanded.

"Never mind just thinking aloud," I said too quickly. They were so going to pick that up.

"Love," said Aven and when Clover looked at him weirdly he said, "That's what she said,"

"Why?"

"No reason," It wasn't true but it was something I could believe.

Knock, knock, knock. There was sure a lot of knocks on the door lately.

Aven and Clover exchanged a look. "You get that and I'll hide Roselaine," Aven suggested and while Clover disappeared into the hallway we looked rapidly for a hiding spot.

Under the bed, no. In the cupboard, no way. Under the desk, no. We had run out of hiding spots and we couldn't get out of the room without getting caught. We were stuck and we knew it. I felt like a fly caught in a web, you don't know what's going to happen but you know it's going to be bad.

The opening door told us that we failed. Three men in black filed in. "oh, Aven, who is this? You have been naughty haven't you," the first man said.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," I snapped at him.

"Guess, Jasper," Aven had given up.

"Miss Roselaine, right?" Jasper asked and when I nodded he went on, "I'm Jasper. This is Ash and Lance," he pointed at the men in turn.

"Hi," Ash chimed and Lance just nodded respectfully. "You have been gone for a long time haven't you?"

"Ten years, I believe," I answered

"Oh, that long. Did you know that we have search for you for that long?" more questions.

"Yes, I did," I was going to strangle him in a minute.

"Ash, that's enough. You don't need to overwhelm the poor girl," thank you Aven.

"I'm going to have to ask you to come with us," Lance said. He looked… bored. For lack of better words.

"I figured that,"

Jasper grabbed my arm and I struggled in his grip. "Get off me. I'm quite capable of walking by myself,"

"I know this is no way to treat you, miss, but I must, otherwise you might run away,"

"And my brother and Clover would pay for that right?"

"Well, you are a smart one aren't you?"

There were three vans parked in the driveway. I got pushed into the first one.