THE NEXT DAY – NEW YORK CITY
The moment I opened my eyes, anxiety gripped me like cold steel. I could feel it crawling under my skin, pulsing in my veins.
"All okay, Serena? You and Tom have been so quiet lately," Mom asked, concern softening her voice as we sat at the breakfast table. The food smelled heavenly, but I couldn't even look at it.
"Nothing like that, Mumma," I replied with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"They're probably stressed about academics," Dad added from behind his newspaper.
"When's the camp, by the way?" Mom asked.
"Which camp?" I blinked in surprise.
"The school camp," Tom jumped in quickly, trying to save the situation.
"What's going on with you, Serena? You seem... off." Mom pressed gently.
"I'm fine," I said with another empty smile. But inside, I wanted to collapse into her arms and cry out all the pain I'd been holding in. The guilt, the grief, the chaos—it was crushing me.
"Dad..." I hesitated, unsure whether to ask the question that had been haunting me.
"Yes?" he asked, peeking over the top of the newspaper.
"Do you think… Uncle Benjamin will ever come back?"
Tom's head whipped toward me, his eyes wide. His expression said: Seri, what the heck are you doing?
Dad didn't answer immediately. Silence fell heavy. I called his name again.
"Dad?"
He lowered the paper slowly. "I think he will," he said firmly. "Though I've told you kids to forget about it so you don't keep hurting… I haven't given up on him. My brother will come back. I believe that."
His words shattered me. Tom and I exchanged a look—one filled with heartbreak, helplessness, and secrets we couldn't share.
"Dad, I think we should—" Tom began.
"We're getting late!" I interrupted, grabbing Tom's arm. "See you later, Mom, Dad!"
And we rushed out the door before either of us broke down.
---
AFTER SCHOOL – BEHIND THE SCHOOL GROUNDS
Everyone was there—like some kind of secret council meeting. Though we'd made it through Sunday, the fear still lingered in all of us, buzzing quietly beneath the surface.
"So, what's the next clue?" Michael asked.
"It's… weird," I said, pulling the note from my pocket.
"Read it out loud," Jared said, eyes locked on mine. I hadn't told him anything since yesterday, except a short text asking what he meant to tell me. His answer? After the mission. Suspicious, yet his tears had shaken me. Maybe they were real. Maybe not. But the mission came first.
I took a deep breath and read:
> "In the northwest, there lies a forest
The tree of Banyan will unfold,
The fortune of Gold—if you get it, take it home
But remember, not all that glitters is gold."
"What the hell…" Tom muttered.
"This one's more cryptic than the last," Shawn added.
"Agreed," Jason said, frowning.
"Maria? Any ideas?" I turned to her, hopeful.
She sighed. "No. Sorry."
"Let's break it down word by word," Aphrodite suggested. "It mentions a forest in the northwest."
"But… aren't there wild animals in those woods?" Jason asked, alarmed.
"Wait—what about the giant banyan tree near Lake Sars?" Aphrodite said suddenly. "That's in the northwest!"
"Yes! There's a legend about that tree," Maria added.
"But what about the 'glitter and gold' part?" Alan asked.
"We'll figure that out when we get there," Michael said. "The real question is—when are we going?"
"Our parents won't let us out at night," Jason reminded.
"YES!" Alan blurted, making us all turn. I gave him a gentle, pitying look, which he met with a soft smile that seemed to say, It's okay.
Jared saw it and his face darkened—just a flicker of envy in his eyes.
"So… what now?" Tom asked.
"Well, next week is the school camp," Aphrodite said. "What if we skip the first day, go to the forest, and join the camp from the second day onward?"
"That's actually brilliant," Michael said.
"Yeah, our parents will think we're already on the trip," Shawn added.
"It's a solid plan," Tom nodded.
"Let's goooo then!" Jason shouted, raising his fist in the air.
I leaned toward Maria and whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I don't know," she said quietly. "I feel like a mouse walking into a cat's den."
I stared at her, suddenly uneasy.
"You two look like you just saw a ghost," Shawn said, narrowing his eyes. "Everything okay?"
"Yes! Totally fine," I said quickly, forcing a smile. Maria and I did our best to act normal.
"Shawn, listen," I said hesitantly. "If you're scared or unsure, it's okay to skip this and just go to camp. I don't want to force anyone—"
"Shhh," he interrupted. "Are you crazy? You think I'd let you go without me? Yeah, I'm a little scared, but Serena—I love you."
My heart skipped.
"Platonically, of course," he added, grinning and placing his hands on my shoulders.
"I love you too, dumbass," I said, hugging him tight.
"No, I love you more." He squeezed me closer.
"More than Michael?" I teased.
"Shut up, Serena!" he groaned, and I burst into laughter.