JAKE DUPREE

Markus and Oliver helped Elise take me back to my room but then she changed her mind and told them to take me to her room instead.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"I'll be able to keep an eye on her if she stays with me. She shouldn't be alone in her condition." she answered seriously.

"Okay." he.responded.

They took me to her room and laid me down on her bed. Markus and Oliver left after complaining and saying they were worried. Elise left the room with them and I opened my eyes. I looked at the open door and saw a shadow, probably Elise's, moving around in the corridor. When the footsteps became louder I shut my eyes and I heard Elise's light footsteps stop at the door. She stayed for a while longer and then she came in and shut the door.

"Leave her alone." Elise said and I turned rigid wondering who she was speaking to,"You have broken the rules by revealing yourself."

Was Jen back? I broke into a cold sweat and felt someone touch my neck. I know for a fact that it isn't Elise because she hadn't come this close to the bed. Elise then moved closer and pushed the hand away from me. I opened my eyes and saw Jen's face just above mine. My heart made a long and painful pump and I fell unconscious.

In the morning I woke up to a half naked Elise getting ready to go to class and we were back in my room. She was wearing her breast holder and panties and she was holding some shorts to put on.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked me walking closer to the bed.

Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and her black eyes where focused on me. She sat down on the bed and her cold hands next to my bare skin made me shiver.

"Your hands are cold." I said and she pulled her hand away from me,"I had a bad dream."

"Dream? What about?" she asked narrowing her eyes at me and I gulped down my saliva,"Oh and if you don't mind I sort of dry cleaned you so start getting dressed."

"Dry clean?" I asked and she nodded.

I got off the bed and realized that I was butt naked. She cleaned me so what's the harm in her seeing me like this now. I walked to the wardrobe and started getting dressed.

"The dream. What was it about?" she asked.

I looked at Elise who was now sitting fully dressed on the bed. She won't tell me where the tunnel leads or why the tunnel is there in the first place but I can make her aware that I know something about it. She might become nervous and say something, right?

"Well....I was sitting on the bed and it was dark. The....the floor opened up and someone came up some stairs."

Her pupil dilated and I smiled inwardly. At least I'm getting a reaction from her.

"The person was dressed in black and when I tried to run from them I found the ghost, the one that has been following me around."

"The floor? Strange." she muttered to herself and for a second her eyes locked onto a specific part on the floor.

Is there actually something hidden there?! She sighed and left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. I got dressed quickly and got down on the floor, crawling loudly to the place she had looked. I brought my face close to the floor and tried looking for a crooked part or something sticking out. There was a small hole that was filled with mud or something that looked like mud. I got up after convincing myself that I'd come back with Ollie and Markus.

I got my bag and left the room as well. I met up with Oliver and he told me Markus had been summoned by one of the brothers and he had to go.

"Is it true?" Ollie asked in a whisper,"Is there really a hidden tunnel in your room?"

"Markus already told you? I wanted to tell you myself and make it dramatic." I said pouting and he smiled.

"You can make it dramatic even now Vee." he said patting my back.

"Well Markus and I were on the bed."

"Pardon? Bed?"

Oh no! Busted. What will I say we were doing on the bed. Oliver's eyes were focused on me and it made me shiver with how serious he looked.

"Yes. When he brought the thing someone was walking around in the passage so we had to hide. I pretended to be asleep and Markus had no time to get under the bed. So he was there with me."

"I'll give him a good beating for this. I am certain he did something else."

"Nothing happened!"

"Morning!"

Oliver and I turned around to see Maria with a bright smile on her face. She jogged towards us and gave me an unexpected hug then she shook Oliver's hand.

"It feel like we haven't spoken in forever." she said and I nodded my head wondering what she was so happy about.

"You seem excited." Oliver pointed out with a confused look on his face.

We were almost reaching our class and Maria didn't seem to want to spill the good news. She hooked her arms on our shoulders, pulling Oliver down because he was tall then she giggled.

"Can you guys keep a secret?" she.asked and we both nodded,"Sr Patronelle is coming back! Yay!"

Patronelle? I heard that name last night from Sr Drevin. The first person to have almost caught me with Markus. I'm definitely not as excited as she is. It's kind of funny how she expects us to be excited about someone we don't know.

"Oh right....you guys don't know her." Maria said in realization and Oliver nodded tiredly,"I'm sure you'll love her though. She likes people with dimples for some reason. See you later."

"See you." Oliver and I said.

Maria turned to leave but Oliver stopped her and Maria looked a little excited by it.

"What grade are you doing?" he asked with narrowed eyes and pouted lips that made his chin dimple show.

"Tenth. Why?" she responded.

"Tenth?! Then how are you the head girl?"

"Hahaha. It's like asking how Markus is head boy. We are appointed on merit. Bye!"

Maria left and I let the information sink in. Yay! Three years with Markus!

"Why are you smiling?" Oliver asked me and I realized I was actually smiling.

"Oh nothing. Let's go. We don't want to be late for class."

"We're going to check out the tunnel, right?" he asked blinking cutely at me.

"Dah...Now come on."

He squeaked excitedly and we jogged to the classroom. Once we sat down Jen walked in, I mean, Ms Heathers. She was wearing a long beige dress and some slippers. She had evidently cut her hair and it was now at shoulder length. She looked nice.

"Good morning." she greeted us and the class responded with a chorused good morning.

Her class was quite boring and so we're the ones that followed. I was happy when Markus came to announce that classes would end early, at lunch, but I wasn't happy to know it was for general cleaning. Apparently Sr Patronelle wasn't happy with the state the school was in and she had talked the head mistress into agreeing with her. The potions were to be allocated to each class instead of individuals which means I could get the boys to go check out the tunnel with me!

Poor Markus looked exhausted. Maybe I'll give him a kiss later to make him feel better. It was easy to find Ollie after classes were dismissed but the same cannot be said about Markus. When I saw him he was with this other huge looking guy and they looked alike. Did Markus have a brother? Ollie and I were in a secluded area while our classmates were resting elsewhere. He waved at Oliver and I as we weeded but he didn't say anything. It hurt to see him looking so pale. The boy he was with was reluctant to leave.

"Won't you introduce me to your friends?" the boy asked and I felt a shiver run down my spine; he's voice was so deep!

"I'm busy right now Jake. You can talk to them if you like but you better do your share of the work." Markus said sighing.

"Sure thing bro." Jake answered and he ruffled Markus' already ruffled hair.

"I'm not your brother." Markus said pushing Jake's hand away.

"Go on. Let me talk to my wife over here." Jake said wiggling his brows at me with a mischievous grin.

I rolled my eyes at him and Oliver stood in front of me protectively. Markus who wanted to leave earlier came back and pushed Jake away. He didn't have his jacket on so I saw how his shoulders became tense and for some reason he seemed taller. Jake laughed at him and tried to come closer but Markus pushed him away again with more force. Jake lost his bearings and when he was firm on his feet he was serious and evidently upset. He also came to push Markus but Markus didn't move at all and before I knew it they were fighting.