A piercing brightness hit my face. My eyes fluttered frantically, struggling to adjust to the sudden burst of light. Something felt so incredibly wrong.

My vision cleared slowly, only letting me see fractions of details. The sky was dark with clouds covering the moon and stars. The ground below me was wet and patchy. In front of me was a lighthouse.

It was old and untamed, built at the edge of a cliff. At the top, a dark silhouette wandered around in circles. I could hear them screaming at someone. His voice was husky and slightly muffed as he called out.

I felt my feet move towards the figure, trying to figure out what he was saying before being pulled back by someone. I spun around fast. No one was there.

I kept trying to get closer, but every time, something jerked me backward. It wasn't till around the tenth time when I saw two little kids. They were both around the height of my hip, with big brown eyes and bright blond hair that was shining.

They looked like my siblings.

Before I got a word in, the little girl spoke, "Don't run. He will come find you soon."

I couldn't read anything on her face; it was unmoving. She had no thoughts or emotions. "Who will?"

"You know who, Annie."

I flinched at the nickname. She began to laugh. Then the little boy did the same.

"What is happening?" I breathed out. Nothing made sense.

"You won't be going home till you apologise, Anna," The boy told me, smiling.

I felt my body fly backward, hitting a wall. Pain seared through my back as my head fell to my shoulder.

"Out!"

I woke up screaming. My back with the same dull ache as before. Something was very wrong.

—------------------------

I wandered around the house, drifting from room to room, thinking about everything and nothing. I had to get ready for school in four hours. I should have gone right back to sleep.

I couldn't.

I wouldn't be able to sleep for a while.

My mind went blank as I wandered aimlessly, slowly making my way outside. I turned once, crashing into something. Or someone who was soaking wet.

Of course, it was Grayson. The universe hated me.

His eyebrows were raised as he stared down at me, filled with underlying concern. His head was brimming with the obvious questions like why I was up? Why was I outside? Why was I not gracing him with my wonderful presence?

"Why are you everywhere?" I scowled at him.

"I believe I could say the same statement to you." I could see an almost smile playing on his lips as he spoke. It was not okay how it was making me feel.

"I can't sleep," I told him, forcing myself to look directly at him. He'd obviously been swimming; his hair was dripping wet. The only thing I'd somehow not noticed was that he was also shirtless, with only a towel hanging dangerously low on his waist. "I'm assuming the same for you."

"Seemingly. Why can't you sleep?"

I frowned at him. "Not your problem."

"Will you tell me why Mr Laughlin found you in Toby's room?" His eyes narrowed, staring at me deeply. "I thought you would be a little more mature than that."

I met his gaze with a doubtful expression, "I'm playing the game too, you know that."

"Yes," He said, slightly taken aback, "You seem to be the only one who understands the impacts this puzzle could have. Jameson won't stop, and Avery does not understand what this means."

His words were laced with an underlying concern, but something was missing. He was trying to hide a thought or a feeling.

"You want in," I said, immediately raising my finger to point at him, "feeling left out, Gray gray."

He eyed a look of disbelief and annoyance spreading across his face. "No, I would prefer this to end."

"You know it's not, though," I said, tilting my head. "I think you want to be a part of the mystery club again."

His face told it all. He just didn't know it yet. I knew he missed the feeling of solving the puzzle. The last one didn't have the best ending considering everything, but solving Toby's would be different.

"Since when was it a mystery club?" He asked, unimpressed.

"Since I said it was."

He raises an eyebrow. "Because everything you say is correct."

I nod, smiling at him, "Now you getting it."

It never felt weird to me how quickly I could settle into a conversation with Gryason. It was just how it had always been. Even now, after I had done so much, I just couldn't stop myself from talking to him.

"I don't want to join the so-called 'mystery club, '" he says sternly this time.

I smile teasingly, "Just you wait, give it a few days and you'll be fully involved."

"Please stop my brother from doing anything too stupid."

"Bit too late for that." I tilt my head at him. He nervous. That's why he brought up Jameson as if to remind him why he shouldn't be. The reason he can't be.

"What did you do?" he says, a deep look of concern appearing with hints of confusion. I couldn't tell him just yet.

I spin on my heel. "You'll find out soon."

"Annabelle."

—---------------------

The next day at school, I found Jameson at our rooftop spot on top of the art building. Like usual, he was wobbling on the edge, practically about to fall. He was an idiot. A big stupid idiot.

"Anna, glad you hav-" he began to speak, still wandering along the edge.

I cut him off, "Five Minutes, Jameson."

He smirks." You know what this means"

"That you have to shut up." he nods as I continue. "I have found many somethings out, and I am willing to share those things with you if you stay quiet and tell no one. Not Avery, not anyone. Nod if you agree."

He furrowed his brows slightly, giving a strange gaze before nodding once.

"The fire on Hawthorne Island wasn't Kaylie Rooney's fault. It was, however, technically done on purpose," I paused, "By Toby Hawthorne."

Jameosn look taken aback and filled with questions.

"I can't say anything else until you get closer to an answer about Toby."

His head tilted as his mind raced with many possibilities. Jameson would figure out the answer soon.

"Better be a good dare," I tell him.

His gaze turns wicked. I was screwed.

—----------

I left Jameosn when it hit four minutes off his time. I was not going to let myself be bombarded by questions he could answer by himself.

School was going rather well, considering I had the last two hours of the day off. The only real problem I had was half the school talking about me and Eva 'fighting.' Ellie continued to tell me every mean comment she was saying, and Ankia was enjoying all the attention people were giving us as we walked to our class together.

"Everyone likes you more," she told me, bumping my shoulder.

I turned my head towards her. "Being liked and being interesting is very different."

"Not always." Her tone dulled a bit. "If it was anyone else fighting, no one would talk to them again. Not you."

I shook my head slightly. "No one knows me. That's why. The second something is really reveled ill be the the talk of the school for a day and then ill disappear into oblivion. The only real way to stay relevant is to stay hidden."

"When did you get so messed up?" she said, her face carrying a worrisome look.

"When was I not?"

My words hit her hard, forcing her to turn away. Anika didn't talk to me again till we reached class and sat down, switching up to complain about her parents. She didn't do well with people, being honest.

—-----

Jameson- Toby's room

Annabelle- No

Jameson- we found something

Annabelle- I already know

Jameson- we need to talk about how you are getting your information

Annabelle- Find me after

It was nine at night when Jameson found me out on the hidden rooftop at the Hawhtonre house.

"Are you going to tell me now?"

I could hear his voice behind me, but I didn't turn around. It was quiet. I wish it stated quiet.

"Anna?"

"I can't tell you just yet."

He walked up and sat beside me, coming completely into my view, "You're supposed to be on my team."

"I am. I just can't." I avoided his eyes. "When we hit a block, I'll tell you, I promise."

"Fine," He said the words softly, but I could tell he was bothered by them.

I couldn't do anything. How was I supposed to say I'd been secretly working on cold cases and looking into people for his dead grandfather?

I promised myself I would stop lying. I wanst lying. I was just not telling him things. Things that would greatly impact his life.

"Amerie Grace."

"Who?" His voice was laced with confusion.

I looked down. "I'm looking into her case. She was killed."

Jameosn's eyes narrowed. "This is relevant."

"Not really. I just haven't been looking at it too much lately since we started this." A part of me felt guilty for it. I should have already solved it by now. She deserved that.

"You feel bad," he said, head tilting, trying to understand what I was trying to say.

"I'm saying that I am in this. Everything going on has been push aside."

A crooked smile appeared. "Toby was adopted."

"You think he is Avery's father, don't you?"

He didn't need to respond.

The only problem was that they were wrong.

A/n

Thank you for reading ;)