Traitor

8- Does This Make My Butt Look Better?

Maddison

It's 2:30 in the morning by the time we get there. Despite the time, there are tons of people crawling the streets, most of them high, drunk, or both. The 6 of us push our way to the centre fountain, where we stand on the edge and scan the faces.

"I see Sean and Kyla," Alexa points off to the left. Everyone nods.

"Wyatt and Jessica," I say, spotting them under a store sign.

"Where?" All 5 of them ask in unison.

"There," I point again.

"Maddison, there's no one there," Roxy says slowly.

"No, she's right. Look, in the black and white, with the red shoes and hat," Aiden stands beside me, and point to the same spot as me.

"Oh!" The others gasp.

"Wow, how'd you see them?" Julian wrinkles his nose. I shrug.

"I didn't know I wasn't supposed to," I say. The 6 of us stare at Wyatt and Jessica a moment longer.

"Are they-"

"They are!"

Tied around Wyatt's arm and Jessica's heads are two red bandanas, signifying that they're it.

"Let's go!" Ryan says. Aiden jumps off the fountain. He turns to help me but I've already hoped off beside him. Awe, he was going to help me.

"Stay calm. Don't draw attention!" Aiden barks before the others can bolt off in fear. "Last time you just ran Madame Coarsen saw you. She walked right past Maddison and I," Aiden brags. We start calmly walking through the crowds. They all roll their eyes at Aiden's remark.

"Yeah yeah, you're the master of disguise. We know," Alexa groans.

"I'd say Maddison might take his title," Julian says, starting off into the crowd. "If she can find and lose him."

"Yeah right," Aiden snorts, following. "She couldn't out-hide me. No one can. And no one finds a tail faster than me either," Aiden defends himself. I shrug.

"I wouldn't dream of beating you," I mock. He wrinkles his nose at me. "But can you actually tell me more about this talent you have?" I sincerely ask. I really do want to know.

"Aiden's the chameleon," Alexa says excitedly.

"No one has ever found him except for Mr T. At least, that's when he doesn't want to be found," Roxy comments.

"He can disappear in a snap no matter what's around," Ryan adds. "It's scary. One second he's there, the next he vanished."

"And he can also find anyone in seconds. He just looks in the right spot immediately. No hiding from him," Julian shakes his head.

"And you spot or lose tails without any trouble?" I ask. Aiden nods proudly.

"I'm also the best tail in the school," he flashes me his crooked smile. "As I have been for years. Even when I was younger, I was better than the older kids," he says.

"Impressive," I say, nodding. "So I'm the first person to ever catch you?" I ask. Aiden scowls.

"It was a slip up on my part. You wouldn't have found me had I not stepped on that stupid branch," he retorts. I want to tell him that I did in fact find him and stalk him when he didn't know I was there. But I stay quiet and bite my tongue. Better he continue underestimating me than overestimating.

"Fine," I say, glancing over our shoulders. No sign of Wyatt or Jessica. There's no telling if they even-

"Ah!" Alexa screams and shoves Julian off to the right. Roxy reacts quick and runs left, Ryan following her. Running at us from straight ahead is Jessica. Aiden doesn't move, and I don't either. Not because I'm following him, but because Jessica doesn't see us.