Camp Ivory is a home away from home for Astrid, Violet and Harper. Every summer without fail, they pack their bags and drive to the camp and this year is the same as always. However when they finally arrive at Camp Ivory, something feels off. Differ...
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"Do you ever shut up?" I blurt out to Wes, not being able to hold my frustration in any longer.
He had been rambling about a whole load of nothing for the past 20 minutes, and I couldn't take it any more.
"Why would I, when I know it annoys you?" he teases with a smile, pulling my chair closer to his. I try to wriggle away, now laughing, but he keeps a firm hold on me.
Wes, Arjun, Violet and I are gathered around one of the many tables scattered across The Quad, the evening activities finally behind us. We're all focused on trying to spot Astrid and Finn, who we have been waiting for to show us what they found in the journal last night.
Violet is looking around anxiously, as if something or someone is about to pop out of the bushes. Arjun is sitting beside her, his gaze intently fixed on her hands that nervously fiddle with her treasured gold locket.
Eventually I spot the familiar duo walking towards us. Astrid's dirty blonde hair is messier than usual, and I can even see splotches of paint mixed into the strands, alongside her walks Finn wearing a wide smile.
The former takes a seat next to me, her expression cheerful and content, with the latter settling down beside her with a matching smile on his face.
Retrieving the brown leather journal from her pocket, she places it on the table. I discreetly scan our surroundings, making sure our conversation won't be overheard.
"So, are you going to tell us, or are you just going to sit there grinning?" Wes asks, mirroring my impatience.
"Relax Wes," Finn laughs, playfully reaching over and shoving him. "Give us a moment, will you?" I can't help but be reminded of my brothers, by the way Wes and Finn bicker. My brothers - Xander and Lucas, and I have a love-hate relationship. Meaning as much as we fight and argue I can't help but miss them every summer when I'm here and they're back home.
"Hurry up and show us, we've been waiting for you two for 30 minutes." Arjun chimes in with a groan.
"Alright, alright, everyone just needs to calm down." She answers
Violet interrupts before Arjun is able to make a comeback to Astrid's comment. "Come on Astrid, just tell us." She pleads, obviously unable to contain her own curiosity about the journal either.
She sighs. "Last night, while we were going through the journal, we noticed something strange."
"Some of the pages were missing, and certain words had been deliberately crossed out." Finn continues.
A hushed silence falls upon our group. There's a chance it could have been Bailey before she died, not wanting anyone to find her secrets. But on the other hand, she couldn't have known she was going to die, could she? Someone could have found the journal after her death, found information that they didn't like, information that might help the police figure out who killed her, and decided to rip out the pages themselves.
