BETHANY

14

At Highleaf Academy Library

"She loves you."

Terrin blushed furiously and tried to disappear behind the book he was reading for his GCSE's.

"She asked me to tell you," said Bella simply.

Terrin but his bottom lip as he peered at her from over the tome. "Thank you," he replied stiffly. "Did she...did she like..."

"Loved it," grinned Bella. "Said it was the best present she received, much to Dad's dismay. I think she has already read it all. Twice at least." She looked at Terrin as he tried to wipe his goofy smile from his face without really managing. "She asked when you'd go to visit her and-"

"Thank you, Carter."

In The Wilson Home

Quinn read the letter that she had just been delivered. "Oh!" Was all she could say as she reached the bottom of the epistle. She felt very much like Beth: surprised beyond belief about something as silly as a missive. But in her defence, that was not a letter that one received every day.

She sat unmoving on the kitchen chair for what might have been minutes. "Alright," muttered Quinn, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper. "I'm replying already." But she couldn't help feeling her lips twitch upwards into a smile.

On The Highleaf Academy Train

"Have I already told you that she said she loves you?" Asked Bella.

Terrin groaned and wished he was invisible at that very moment. "Today?" He asked with a sigh. "Only twice." He looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to wear me down?"

"Ah!" Exclaimed Bella. "So you are not stupid!" She leant her back against the door of his compartment and crossed her arms, apparently not wanting to leave him alone just yet. After all, it was her last chance to pester him about Beth.

Terrin rolled his eyes. "I was about to read a book," he said sourly. "You always tell us about the importance of reading, so..."

"Well, I always tell you about the importance of going to visit Beth, but I don't see you doing it," she replied calmly.

Terrin groaned. "Please, Carter, tell me something else," he sighed, "anything...tell me again how you got all A's in you GCSE's, or that you have already written you police application letter fifty times over, or how you were-"

"Oh, I almost forgot! Are you applying to be a police officer?" She asked him, smiling and ignoring his river of words.

He lowered his eyes and darkened. "I don't know yet," he replied. "Maybe... I'm not looking forward to you and your cousin driving me up the wall about you-know-who for another three years..."

"I should hope you would go and see her before three years have passed..."

Terrin sighed. "Listen, I have patrol now so-"

"You are not a prefect."

"I meant that you've got patrol..."

"Not on the very last train ride home from Highleaf..." She said quietly with an almost melancholic note in her voice. "I'm going to miss it. Highleaf, I mean... Won't you? When you leave."

"I guess..." He replied softly, almost feeling sorry for her.

"I almost envy Beth, starting next year..."

"She's going to Highleaf?" Asked Terrin, his eyes suddenly wide.

She nodded softly. "Got her letter on her birthday." She grinned and brushed some curls from her eyes. "You better go and visit her before the first of September you know..."