*Unedited*
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"Are we almost there yet?" Camilla muttered to their driver who once again ignored her for what felt like the hundredth time that drive, though she knew it was probably more than that. From the illegible scratches in Fabian's leather notebook that sat between them both in the large car she knew he had been taking note.
The two had just flown from Cairo International Airport and landed into London. The plan had been for their Uncle Abe to collect them from the airport and the three would travel up to Liverpool together and he would drop them off at their school. Of course, that didn't happen. As the pair sleepily but excitedly wandered to the Pick-Up/Drop Off area instead of seeing their nervous bumbling Uncle in his red suede with elbow patches - the twins knew he had sown on himself – they were greeted with a tall no-nonsense man in a suit and sunglasses holding a clipboard with one word written on it 'Rutter'. Too tired to really argue the twins clambered into the sleek black Land Rover, next to the man and as the car rumbled to life they knew it was going to be a long 4 hours drive for them, made worse when the man didn't say a word at all during the first 30 minutes when the twins peppered him with questions about why it was him picking them up not their uncle.
Fabian glanced up from a thick manuscript he had been reading – their dad's latest book about his latest discovery. The twins had seen the dig over the last few years of their lives as his father found the tomb of a wife of Ramesses II. Though from what they had gathered during the end of the dig his big prize or discovery was a set of hieroglyphics about her birthing more than just a son before her death. Of course, Jonathan Rutter had run with the idea that this proved the great pharaohs bloodline could be continued, though from the mutterings of his people Camilla wouldn't be surprised if that's all she and Fabian heard for the next few years. When their dad found something, he became obsessed. Thankfully his new book was all facts, he knew that is what sold.
"Anything interesting?" Camilla murmured to her brother after shooting their silent companion
"Just stuff about how jewellery connects her to Ramesses II and her life, and of course the scroll of Papyrus paper they think has spells on it to hide a bloodline along with dads new ridiculous theory being hinted at," Fabian smiled over at Camilla in a sleepy way, "Mum's new book, is way more interesting, though her obsession with the boy king is slightly scary now." This causes Camilla to snort.
Annabeth Rutter had made it her life goal to find out more about Tutankhamun than any living person to date – or so Camilla thought. On this trip she even brought Camilla and Fabian to see the Tutankhamun after hours to see if they could see anything, she hadn't. Of course, everything they pointed out she waved off but it was one of the few highlights of the trip to see something so old and historic without no one else around.
Fabian looked out the window just as the car turned left past a sign that welcomed them to Amun Boarding School, both twins instantly relaxing as the car passed through the gatehouse and they were on Amun grounds.
"Home Sweet Home," Fabian told Camilla who sent him a grin. They were finally home. They could relax and just be kids once again.
The sounds of students greeting one another hit Camilla and Fabian like a wave as they opened the doors and jumped out the car.
"Dude, it was great talking too you." Camilla sarcastically told their silent companion who glowered at her as he passed over her large suitcase which she had painstakingly put glow in the dark stars all over in her favourite constellations and her well-worn, well-loved, dusty brown rucksack which she was sure still had sand, notebooks, baggies and brushes in it from the digs in it but ah well. Fabian burst out laughing as Camilla kept talking, pulling his twin rucksack on his back too, "honestly, I think we should become pen-pals, we have soooo much in common."
At this point, the man rolled his eyes – or she assumed he did as she saw his eyebrows raise – before he turned on his heel and climbed back into the car. Finally leaving the Rutter twins to their new school adventure.
"You really have a talent Cam," Fabian told his twin, as she looped her arm in his, the two exhausted twins helping each other walk to Anubis house.
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The majority of their housemates were outside their house chatting, none of them noticing the sleepy-looking twins as they turned the corner until Amber and Camilla locked eyes. The two girls knew they should have warned everyone, but at that moment they didn't care. If anyone had said to them the year before they would have been missing each other as much as they did the two would have laughed, yes, they were friends but come on. Then they lived with each other for a year and something incredible happened, they found a sister in one another. Texting and face timing all summer was okay, but as both girls let out high pitched squeals and ran into each other's arms, they realised how much they actually had missed one another.
"Okay, now my eardrums are burst," Fabian muttered as he approached the blonde and his twin, causing an apologetic smile from Camilla as Amber hugged him too.
"You two look positively sun-kissed!" Amber told them both as she stepped away, the two finally seeing the mountain of pink luggage with Amber's name on it to somehow get into the house.
"That's what 3 months in the Egyptian sun, will do to a person Amber," Fabian laughed, as he led the girls over to the rest of the Anubis house who had turned when Amber let out a squeal and sprinted off.
The house was quiet when Fabian pushed open the front door, and the noise of them all clattering in with their things caused Trudy to bustle out from the kitchen with a wide smile on her face, "Hello!" she greeted them all with hugs all around.
"Where's Joy?" Patricia asked Trudy.
Fabian instantly following up with, "Oh is Nina here?" this question causing Camilla to roll her eyes at Amber who let out a giggle as the two girls dragged one of Amber's cases into the house along with Camilla's. Amber had been Camilla's sanity, along with Jerome and Alfie, that summer. All Fabian wanted to talk about was Nina, how Nina would have found X, Y and Z interesting and for the first month her brother was grumpiest she had ever seen them because their parents told him they wouldn't be paying for him to go to America to see Nina. To their parents, they were free archaeologist who probably knew the techniques and research better than some of the team they hired. They were there to work and work the twins did.
"Oh, they're both on their way," Trudy reassured the pair, before glancing behind them to see Mick and Mara, "Oh, how lovely to see you!" she squealed again growing her arms around the two. "Now go through, I've been baking all day." This got sounds of delight from everyone and Fabian, Patricia, Mara and Mick rushed through to the living room as Amber and Camilla with a very unfeminine grunt managed to push Amber's case into the hallway. Camilla dropping her bags by the staircase instantly.
"Oh, you've brought enough luggage, have you?" Trudy teased as she took in the large suitcase that took two girls to pull in. Noting the twins had the same small suitcases from the year before, probably all clothes from their Egypt trip. The boxes that had arrived for them during the week before probably held all their uniform – that's how the Rutter's did things anyway.
"Oh, these are just shoes," Amber told Trudy with a smile, "actually just my wedges, the rest are in the drive." With that the girl launched herself into the house mother's arms for a hug, before turning to see where everyone else had gotten too, Trudy following behind with a smile on her face. Her chicks were all back under her roof, just the way she liked it.
Camilla glanced up to see Victor who had been glowering down at them all from the upstairs balcony. Seeing Camilla look up and send him a smile, a small smile quirked onto his face before it fell again and he stormed into his office, causing an even bigger smile to grow on Camilla's face. Victor clearly hadn't changed that much, he just now was more than her grumpy caretaker. He was her magic teacher too. She had a feeling there was more to Victor and in her story, he wasn't the bad guy everyone assumed he was. "Cam, Trudy has made you Rocky Road!" Amber called to the girl causing her attention to look away from the balcony and towards the living room where everyone was settled and chatting.
Camilla instantly sat on the arm of Amber's armchair as Trudy handed her a letter. "What you got?" Fabian asked from across the room, glancing her knowing Camilla wouldn't care about sharing this early into the term.
"I applied to the big sibling program, this year," Camilla explained, "it's probably telling me more information about it. Mrs Andrews said at least one member of Anubis had to do it as no one has in like 3 years,"
"Why didn't Mrs Andrews come to me?" Mara asked confused.
"Maybe she thinks you've got enough on your plate? You are student body president and you're doing more classes than anyone else in this house," Camilla explained, "she probably doesn't want to burn you out, plus I'd like the opportunity to corrupt the next generation." This caused Mick and Amber to laugh as Camilla bit into a brownie.
Fabian raised an eyebrow at his sister's words but couldn't say anything as Joy came into the room, causing Patricia to grin and run across the room to hug her best friend, "Joy!"
"Oh, its soo good to be back!" Joy let out a sigh as she took in the room.
"It's good to have you back," Fabian smiled at her.
"Thanks, Fabes..." Joy replied sending him a flirty smile which instantly caused Amber to shoot Camilla a look. They had worked too hard on getting Fabiana together for it to crumble apart now. Thankfully no one saw the look between the two girls and Joy turned her attention to Mick and Mara who were being cute and sweet on the couch, "and you two? I didn't see that one coming," she honestly told them causing chuckles all round as none of them saw Mick and Mara coming but they all agreed it was rather cute.
"oh, I know," Mick was the first to joke, "the athlete."
"and the mathlete," Mara added with a grin on her face.
"She can't run and he can't add," Patricia added causing, even more, laughs from everyone and Joy grabbed a plate to join in the conversation as Camilla took in her letter from Mrs Andrews. The letter was all words and no information, she wouldn't know who her little sister or brother was for a few more days because the lower school had to do personality tests. Camilla rolled her eyes and folded the letter and put it into her pocket. What a waste of paper.
"Remember when Fabian got the brownie mix smeared..." Joy started as she picked up a brownie, though as Nina came into the room at that moment causing another squeal from Amber.
"Nina!" the blonde exclaimed as she got to her feet to hug the American, Camilla and Patricia on her heels.
After giving her three girl best friends a hug, and Mick and Mara, Nina looked around at them all with a huge smile, "hi everyone!"
"So, how are you?" Amber asked.
"Still American?" Patricia couldn't help but add with a smirk.
"Still Patricia?" Nina was more than happy to tease back causing laughs all round until she set eyes on Fabian. Camilla smiled at the sight, no matter what she knew Nina was Fabian's first love and she couldn't wait for the day that someone looked at her with the awe and adoration Fabian looked at Nina.
Camilla and Amber looked at one another and the urge to let out an 'Aww' sound and embarrass her brother was high though Camilla fought against it. Fabiana needed their moment after a long 3 months apart, she could start the annoying sibling embarrassment later.
"Time to make a discreet exit everyone," Amber told them all with a smile, Camilla being more than happy to lead them from the room.
"Do you want to come see our new room Joy?" Patricia told the girl as she pulled her from the room, "we share with Mara now."
"What was wrong with our old room?" Joy asked clearly confused.
Patricia went to tell the girl as Amber clicked the Living room door shut but she was interrupted by Alfie who had just come racing into the house, Jerome on his heels. If everyone thought Amber and Camilla's greeting was dramatic then it was nothing compared to the greeting of the two best friends. Normally they got to spend some time together over the hols when Jerome came to the Lewis's Camilla was normally invited too – Fabian going to Micks or going to stay with their Uncle Abe. The two never really spent more than a month without seeing each other, but this year was different. After their parents put their foot down about Fabian seeing Nina meant Camilla had to abide by that rule too. So, she hadn't seen either of her best friends for almost 3 months which was way too long. Alfie clearly felt so too as within moments of seeing each other Alfie and Camilla had run to each other and Alfie had lifted the girl in a spinning hug.
"I miss the hell out of you, Lady Camilla!" Alfie told her after he had settled her back on the ground.
"I missed you too, Sir Alfred." Camilla grinned before she felt her arm being pulled as Amber had an iron-like grip.
"We need to decorate Camilla," was all Amber told her as she dragged her friend.
"but now Amber is a calling...." She waved to her two best friends as they laughed at her being dragged up the stairs to re-decorate their room.
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Decorating a dorm room with Amber meant a lot of holding up lights, putting photos on their walls, re-rearranging their beds back to the place they were in last year as well as mainly doing what the blonde asked before Trudy called them all for dinner. Dinner first night back was always the best dinner in Camilla's personal opinion, mainly because she missed Trudy's cooking that much. As their housemother called them all to say dinner was ready, she and Amber weren't the only ones to go racing to the stairs. Camilla, however, paused as Patricia, Mara and Joy went thundering down them, Amber saw the girl look towards Victor's office and gave her a smile. Camilla had told Amber and Fabian about what Victor had said to her last term, about teaching her about her magic and about what being Isis's Protector meant. She hadn't had time yet to talk to him, and she wasn't sure if she would have time. Once school started the next day life seemed to always start to go in fast forward or so Camilla thought.
"Go talk to him," Amber told the girl with a nudge, "I'll make sure Alfie doesn't eat all the food."
Camilla couldn't help but give the girl a smile. The thought of her magic classes had been one of the few things that had kept her going all summer. She did have a few bad 'incidents' over the holidays – which wasn't surprising because her parents brought up a lot of negative emotions within Camilla – but thankfully Fabian had been around and the ridiculousness of some of the incidents made it easy enough for the two to lie or brush off. Giving Amber's hand a quick squeeze as a thank you – more for saving her food because they knew too well how bad Alfie could get on a regular day on the first day back it felt like he ate 5 times his normal amount – before Camilla made her way towards the grumpy Caretaker's office as Amber gracefully made her way downstairs to the dining room.
Victor didn't look up as Camilla opened his office door and wandered in, in fact, he didn't speak until she was using one of the chairs on the opposite side of his chair as a lean looking a little out of place as if unsure what to say to him to start the conversation.
"I was wondering when you would come to talk to me," Victor spoke softly, closing the book he was looking at with a snap. Finally looking up at the nervous-looking girl.
"You said something about teaching me," Camilla started carefully, "About my magic, about what it is to be Isis's Protector."
Victor looked at her for a second before smiling at her, "I did say that sit down, you are going to find you have a slightly different timetable to your fellow housemates from now on,"
Camilla couldn't help but smile back as she settled into the chair, she was safe and, at that moment, she knew she didn't need to fear her magic anymore.
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Camilla wasn't sure what Amber said to her brother, but he looked at her with a concerned glance as she walked in, though the moment she pulled a face at him he relaxed a little. Maybe he was becoming paranoid, it wasn't like Victor was going to kill her or anything. Settling down in what was normally her seat next to Alfie she now found that Jerome was sat there.
"Alfie wanted to be next to Amber," Jerome murmured at her unasked question, as he put spaghetti onto her plate. Camilla didn't even bother to question it; she had been up for almost 24 hours and she knew the only way to beat jet lag was to stay up until their normal bedtime. From next to her Fabian suppressed a yawn, clearly, he was struggling as much as she was.
Her brother, however, perked up as Nina wandered into the room and sat down, the two instantly holding hands, causing a smile to form on Camilla's face. The two were honestly so adorable. "Hey," Fabian whispered though Camilla next to him and Amber – next to Nina- could hear him, "I wondered where you got too."
"I just had to fix something at the school," Nina reassured Fabian.
"All okay?" Fabian asked, and Camilla didn't need to see his face to know his brain was jumping to all the worst-case scenarios. Nina laughed and reassured him all was fine as Joy walked into the room, her smile falling as she saw Nina and Fabian's hands and their smitten expressions to one another.
"its got very couply around here..." She commented as she walked around the table to take her new seat next to Patricia.
"Well, you're not wrong there Joy!" Alfie happily said as he tried to take Amber's hand which she skilfully avoided before shooting him a confused look, both of them ignoring the laughs coming from Jerome and Camilla across the table.
"Eh, what are you doing?" She asked him in confusion.
"Eh, being couply?" Alfie asked in equal confusion.
Amber waved at Camilla and Jerome as she spoke, "well go hold one of their hands." As she spoke, she cocked her head at the pair her eyes squinting. "Why aren't you acting all gooey? What happened to Jamilla?"
Camilla's eyes widened before she glanced at Jerome who looked equally taken aback, the two silently had a conversation as Fabian burst out laughing, along with Joy, Mick and Patricia. Mara frowning looking oddly at Camilla a look Camilla did not have the energy to try to understand.
"We.... Kinda broke up?" Camilla offered the blonde, who clearly didn't get the same memo everyone else (bar Mara) got about them fake dating.
"We were better off as friends," Jerome added with a smile before putting an arm around the small girl next to him and pulling her into a side hug, "the best of buds, are me and Milly."
"It was almost as if we never really happened at all," Camilla bit her lip as she felt Jerome's body shake at her last comment. The two both desperately wanting to laugh at the fact Amber really thought they were dating last year and also at the ship name Jamilla; though it had a sweet ring to it the fact the girl had gone to such lengths as to think one up was strange to the pair.
Fabian got the hint that his sister needed the subject changed so Fabian turned to Nina, "your last mail," Amber looked at Camilla at this, the girl had failed to mention Fabiana were sending letters to one another – how romantic! Fabian missed the look and kept talking, "mentioned something about your grandmother coming over?"
"Yeah, yeah," Nina smiled looking around the table as everyone listened in, Jerome and Camilla sharing smiles still, "she's coming to visit, she's staying at a little hotel in town. She's really excited to meet you all," Nina turned to Fabian grabbing his hand again before adding, "especially you. I've told her a lot about you."
"Yeah, we do breed better geeks over here!" Patricia joked causing laughter once again from them all, well all of them apart from the 'geeks' aka Mara, Nina and Fabian. As this round of laughter went about Amber pulled Nina to whisper something in her ear before winking at Camilla. Nina now knew about the Sibuna midnight feast the blonde had planned whilst she and Camilla decorated their room. Suddenly, a phone started ringing and Mick picked it up to look at the caller ID. Jerome instantly shifting about nervously.
"You're popular for once?!" the sporty boy laughed before asking, "who's Poopy?"
Jerome didn't answer straight away however, in fact, he got out of his seat and reached over the table to take the phone from Mick, "my... life coach..." Jerome lied not as easily as normal causing glances his way all round as he hung up the phone and put it into his pocket.
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"Its 10 O'clock!" Victor's voice came booming from downstairs causing all Anubis residents to smile from their beds. As annoying as curfew was, hearing the man's proclamation on the first night back always made them realise they were back at school for another year of chaos and fun. "you have five minutes precisely and I want to hear a pin...." There was the ever-dramatic pause... "drop!"
So a Sibuna Midnight feast on the first night back probably wasn't the best of ideas, but they were Sibuna... when were any of their idea's good ideas? The girls snuck out easily all of them clutching bags of food they had stolen from the overflowing dinner table, bar Nina who had something bigger and far more dangerous in her bag. Something that when Camilla saw it after dinner, she was very quick to have a whispered argument with her Chosen One about. The cup of Ankh wasn't melted like they all thought, no it was as good as ever. Camilla was glaring at the girl's bag as they snuck out knowing the cup inside was going to cause trouble for her that term.
Patricia pulled a face as her door creaked at the end of the hallway as she shut it before sneaking up to Nina, Camilla and Amber.
"Do we have anything to pick the lock?" Amber whispered to them.
Nina turned to Camilla with a smile before innocently saying, "Pick the lock or use a protector to magic..." the door creaked open as Nina spoke, "It..."
Instantly the girls all looked to Camilla who held her hands up in an innocence way, "That was not me!"
"Welcome back to Creepy Towers..." Patricia was quick to whisper as they all realised that the house had unlocked the door.
Amber instantly was freaked out, you could tell from the way she mumbled, "maybe this midnight feast should take place in daylight?" she turned to leave but was stopped by Nina, "good night!" Patricia and Camilla were already climbing the stairs to the attic when Nina and Amber got to the door, this feast was happening whether Amber wanted it or not.
By the time the boys joined them they had created a nice little setup. Using one of the sheets covering the old furniture as a blanket, using Patricia's torch (with a little help from Camilla's magic) as a light source above them all, and all the food laid out, it wasn't actually that bad. They were still in a dusty attic but considering they were working with what they had Camilla was impressed.
"Sibuna everybody," Amber started the meeting, lifting her right hand to her right eye, "welcome back,"
"Sibuna," they all copied her with grins to one another.
"No trouble getting past Victor?" Nina asked, as Amber passed out justice and Camilla instantly started munching on the Rocky Road Patricia had smuggled up.
Fabian and Alfie were quick to shake their heads, "no... he wasn't in his office. Maybe he's finally changed his ways and gone to bed early."
This caused chuckles all around, "we'll he needs his beauty sleep, he is 101." Amber commented with a smile.
"Oh!" Patricia started, "talking about creeps who are obsessed with living forever, thought you guys would be interested in this." Patricia reached into her bag and pulled out a newspaper clipping.
It wasn't long and Nina looked over it before summarising, "its an obituary for Renay Zeldman..."
"Rufus..." Alfie whispered.
"guess he found out he wasn't immortal..." Fabian started.
"...the hard way," Camilla finished in a matter of fact way. A stark contrast to everyone else who had spoken.
"Okay, I'm sorry!" Amber turned on the twins who were sat together, "but are we not going to discuss the fact you two are wearing matching PJs?!" This caused the mood to lighten straight away as the twins looked at one another, realising at that moment that they were wearing identical PJs just with different covers over them, Camilla going with an oversized jumper of Fabians with elbow patches that was a grey colour and Fabian a navy blue button-up jumper.
Of course, the laughter was cut short as they all heard the door open from downstairs. "What was that?" Fabian asked softly.
"Someones coming!" Alfie muttered as they all turned to look to the Attic door, just in time to see Joy pop her head around and shoot them all a confused look.
"Joy! You scared us to death," Patricia exclaimed as the rest of them relaxed.
"Guys..." she called to people behind her, "they're up here!" Within minutes the rest of Anubis house was up in the attic with them.
"Nice hang out guys..." Mumbled a sleepy Mick who's yawning caused both the Rutter's to yawn too... they were going on 30 odd hours now.
"I can't believe you're having an Anubis midnight reunion and you never even invited us..." Joy tried to guilt-trip them causing eye rolls from Amber and Camilla.
"Surprise!" Patricia and Nina spoke together getting confused looks from everyone else.
"We wanted to welcome you back properly," Patricia easily lied.
"up here?" Joy asked.
"Yeah, totally..." Camilla added sarcastically though the only one who seemed to realise was Jerome who hid his face as he laughed.
"While I'm asleep?" Joy added.
"Well... Y-yeah!" Nina spoke up turning to Joy, "are you surprised or what?"
This caused laughs from everyone and Amber got to her feet, "I'll get another sheet."
Jerome instantly raced over to where Camilla was spotting the Rocky Road (they were the only two in the house who ate it, but Trudy always made enough to feed at least an army of Alfie's. "move Shorty, you're not getting all the Rocky Road." Jerome spoke gently pushing Camilla closer to Fabian as he sat down, grabbing some of the Rocky Road and letting out a small moan of delight.
Suddenly Amber let out a gasp and they all turned to see what she was gasping at. Under the sheet she had just pulled off was a dollhouse version of Anubis house. It was beautiful and old, but Camilla felt it was also eery too. Like there was something the dollhouse was hiding. Alfie had gotten to his feet to help Amber lift the dollhouse but of course, it ended badly – this time with the dollhouse landing on Alfie's feet.
"Sorry Alfie, it was heavy" Amber half apologised to the limping boy before her eyes focused back on the dollhouse. "I always wanted a dollhouse," Amber told them all wistfully.
"Even one that's a replica of creepy old Anubis house?" Fabian asked as they all took it in.
"Where dollies go to die...." Alfie added in a creepy voice causing laughter from them all.
Of course, their good time was quickly ended with one piercing voice interrupting them all.
"Whoever is up there, come down immediately!" Victor's voice came from the bottom of the stairs causing the Anubis house to scatter until only Camilla and Nina where left.
Nina pulled out the cup from her bag and looked to Camilla, "Cam... you know what to do." Nina pleaded, they needed a hiding spot for the cup and Nina felt here was as good as any.
Camilla let out a breath, muttering "If my nose bleeds it's because you punched me in the face or something..." Nina cocked her head confused so Camilla decided to add, "Victor will ask." After that, she closed her eyes and hoped – like all the other times she needed to use magic – the words would come to her, "Secreta Revelare, Secreta Revelare, Secreta Revelare," she started to chant and Nina let out a shriek causing Camilla to open one eye not stopping her chant to see a planal in the wall start to glow.
Nina rushed forward placing her locket against the side of it seeing it open, quickly she paced the cup inside before the two girls watched the panel shut.
Camilla stopped her chant and started to feel around her nose to see if there was any blood there with a subtle look at Nina who shook her head she realised she had just done magic without feeling woozy or bleeding.
That wasn't the time to celebrate though as Victor walked into the attic looking angrier than Camilla had seen him in a very long time. This wasn't good... this wasn't good at all.
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! (this is a day early cos I realised today (when I post this) is the 13th and it's my favourite number and OMG I wanted to share, sooo you're getting book 2 now!)
Guess whos back, baby!! excided to learn more about Camilla, Fabian and Rutter family Lore along with Protector/Chosen One/ Osirian Lore?
Who is excited? what scene season 2 are you most excited to see me tackle?
Translations;
1. secreta revelare - secretsreveal
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Love ya
Sarah xxx