Dear Readers...
Valkyrie opened up her pack lunch and looked inside. A limp cheese sandwich and a bag of chocolate buttons. She looked up at Dexter who was biting into a large chocolate doughnut. She broke off half of it and stuffed it in her mouth. Dexter stared at her in horror. "Did you just eat my doughnut without my permission?"
"Uh...chocolate button?" she offered the bag and he frowned and took 3 out.
"You are forgiven this time. But if it happens again..."
"I know, I'll be executed." Valkyrie said and stood up. "I'm going to find Skulduggery."
"Good luck with that. When he disappears at lunch, he doesn't want to be found. He likes being alone."
"Everyone wants to be found."
"I'm pretty sure that was on a cartoon this morning."
"I have a little sister so I have to watch them. What's your excuse?"
"Someone in my house likes watching them."
"Let me guess, someone called Dexter?"
"No. He's really handsome and muscular and all the girls, especially the hot new girl called Valkyrie Cain, want him...oh wait."
Valkyrie laughed and walked off to find Skulduggery. He wasn't with any of the Dead Men and the Monster Hunters were climbing trees. She passed Sanguine who wolf-whistled and Dusk who just stared in that creepy way of his. A girl called Myra was talking to Fletcher. Eventually she reached Scapegrace and Thrasher who were sat with a blue-haired girl. If anyone knew Skulduggery's whereabouts it would be them. "Hey, Vaurien." She jogged up to him.
"Hi, Valkyrie. This is Clarabelle. Clarabelle, this is my friend Valkyrie." Scapegrace smiled. The blue-haired girl waved.
"We're not friends."
"Yes we are."
"Hmm."
"We are."
"Have you seen Skulduggery?"
"Nope. He disappears at lunch. No-one knows where he goes."
"Well, don't you know anywhere where no-one would go so no-one sees him at lunch?"
"Uh the basement I guess but it's creepy down there."
Valkyrie muttered thanks and went down to the basement. The door was locked so she kicked the handle and the wood splintered but the door stayed closed. Sighing, she knocked. "Skulduggery?"
"Yeah?" He replied, sounding distracted.
"It's Valkyrie. What are you doing down here by yourself?"
"How did you find me here?"
"I found clues. And used my brain. Where would someone go if they didn't want to be found? Somewhere no-one else goes. The basement. Also Scapegrace told me kind of. He guessed at it and I checked up on it and lo and behold you're here." Valkyrie waited for an answer but all was silent. Then the door opened and she sort of fell in the room. Skulduggery was at the door and a pretty girl was sat on an overturned box behind him. "Oh, sorry."
"It's no problem. I was just leaving." the girl said coldly. "Have fun, Skulduggery." She walked up to him and whispered in the place where his ear should be. Valkyrie knew she shouldn't but couldn't help listening. "I thought only I knew you well enough."
When she'd gone, Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. "So that's my ex-girlfriend, Marietta. Childhood sweetheart and all that crap."
"She seems nice."
"She isn't. Not anymore."
"Well, I was just going to see if you wanted a game of chess but if you want to stay down here?"
"I'll come with you." Skulduggery shut the door behind them. "Did you break my door?"
"Sort of."
"Do you know how to play chess?"
"No but I'm a good learner."
"Really?"
"Truly." Valkyrie blinked at him. Her heart suddenly leapt as he brushed past her to reach the stairs before her. Immature yet funny. That was Skulduggery all over, she guessed. She'd only known him for what? Two days?
"I'll teach you the basics then I'll whoop your ass at it." Skulduggery told her. "Prepared to take the beating to your pride?"
"I was just thinking the same thing about your ego."
"My ego is too big to be beaten."
"It is colossal." She agreed.
"That's because I have things to be proud and egotistical about." He said and turned round to look at her. "Valkyrie?"
"Yeah?"
"Never mind. It's just...you seem strange."
"Thanks." Valkyrie frowned.
"There's something different about you."
"Oh, you honey, don't you know that already?" She gave him a cocky and flirty smile. "I'm one of a kind."