Veil of Shadow and Rain ✓ [TSC #1]

Chapter 8 - Oh-So Secret

'We have created our own ... thing,' mumbled Duncan.

Wren raised an eyebrow. 'Last time I checked, Estella isn't a boy.'

'And when was the last time you checked?' Kai pounced at once.

Wren shrugged. 'Forever.'

There was a clatter from inside the room and all four of them turned around to see Jake rubbing his swollen head, staring up at Kai, Duncan, and Estella in amazement.

'Are you in a secret society?' Jake wheezed.

'I can't tell you that,' Kai said.

'That means you are in a secret society, otherwise, you'd just say no,' Jake said in awe.

'No I - I'm not in a secret society.'

There was a small, awkward pause between the two groups. Both stared at each other - girls with folded arms and boys with hands on their hips. Jake was staring at the four of them with his mouth open. Wren found joy inside of her - they were supposed to be the ones lying, but somehow, they'd twisted the whole story around like Uno reverse.

Just when Kai opened his mouth to speak, Estella appeared. She was dressed in her pajamas, looking half-awake.

'I demand for sleep.'

'Yeah ... later,' Kai said, looking at Wren and Ladislaya out of the corner of his eye. Estella noticed the two girls.

'Since when were they part of our society?'

Wren's ears perked up.

'We just caught them there!' Kai said. 'One minute I was walking into the room and the next these two and Jake were bumping into me!'

Estella looked at Wren and Ladislaya inquiringly. 'What are you doing here?'

'What are you doing here?' Ladislaya retorted.

Estella shrugged. 'Mm. Just showing up to a typical secret society meeting.'

Both Kai and Duncan groaned.

'You weren't supposed to say that!' Kai whined.

'What?' Estella said, scowling.

'You just told non-secret society members we're having a secret society meeting. Now the cat's out of the bag.'

'What do you mean? I can't tell people about the secret society?' Estella said in disbelief.

'Well - yeah!'

There was a short pause.

'Why not?' Estella said, disgruntled.

Kai looked outraged and pissed off at the same time. 'Because it's secret!'

'Ohhh,' Estella said after a moment's pause. She snapped her fingers. 'Yup. Okay. I get it now. But now Wren and Ladislaya know it all, there's no turning back now - so why don't we get our meeting started? Chop-chop.' She went down the stairs, whistling quietly.

Jake gaped up at Kai in astonishment. 'So you are in a secret society!'

'Yeah. Whatever.'

Wren and Ladislaya turned to Kai and Duncan, speechless. Kai and Duncan sighed. 'You can't tell anyone this, okay?' Duncan said. 'It's a secret society and it's supposed to be secret. So please don't spill.'

Wren pretended to think. 'On a condition,' she said cheerfully. Kai and Duncan's faces fell.

'What?' Kai said, disgruntled.