From the Diary of Daphne Blake

Chapter 18 - Time for action.

As I took my tote bag out from inside my locker I packed in a few of the notebooks and essentials that I needed for my next class - English lit - which is supposed to start in 20 minutes. Once I was done with that, I re-applied a coat of lip gloss to my chapped lips through the use of my ever so handy mirror that was pinned tightly to the inside of my locker door.

"Daphne!"

I got the fright of my life as I heard a familiar voice call my name. Shutting the locker I turned to see Shaggy walking towards me.

I sighed, "Don't do that, you spooked me half to death."

"Sorry Daph, I just wanted to speak to you about something," Shaggy said making his way beside me as I caught a whiff of his doughnutty scent. He took pleasure in the bake sale our school held during the lunch break earlier today.

"What's up Shaggy?" I cock a brow.

"I spoke to Velma, she said you guys may have a lead on what happened to the missing girls."

I halt, pulling Shaggy's arm back to my side to make sure he doesn't walk off as I look around to make sure nobody is around us, "Keep your voice down Shaggy."

"Sorry." He whispers, rubbing the back of his neck.

I sigh, "It's okay Shaggy, it's just you never know who might be listening that's all."

Before saying another word I ask Shaggy to follow me as I lead him towards the nearest exit door of the school that takes you directly behind the bleachers. This way we'd be able to talk without anyone overhearing what I wanted to tell Shaggy.

"There's a possibility that the person who abducted the missing girls could be Principal Hardwicke." I explained, "We found the missing piece of Mia's bracelet in a locked drawer inside his office."

"You don't think that could be a coincidence?" Shaggy inquired as I shook my head, "Velma said that she would have never taken it off and if she did why would he have a piece of it?"

"I don't know Daph, maybe he just found it and meant to throw it away but he forgot about it." Shaggy shrugged, "It's not that I don't believe you, Daphne, I just want to make sure that we're on the right track so that we can come to an end with all this mystery stuff."

I was well aware that all this mystery-solving and supernatural mumbo-jumbo wasn't really up Shaggy's alley since he didn't seem like the crime-busting type along with that he seemed like the type to be afraid of his own shadow. I wondered why he still tried to help us through.

Before I could explain anything else I heard faint mumbling coming from across the bleachers, "Get down." I mumbled softly to Shaggy who did as I said. No one is supposed to be back here during school hours so I gaped at who it could be.

Peering my head out of the corner we were in I saw a familiar face, 'It's Mr. McCullen...what is he doing here and...who is he talking to?" I thought to myself.

"What's going on Daphne?" Shaggy asked as I hissed at him to keep his voice down, "It's Mr. McCullen, he's talking to someone."

"Who?"

"I don't know...but it sounds like he's talking to a girl."

I leaned forward trying to get a better look at who he could be talking to - especially out here of all places - but it wasn't until I saw him lock lips with the girl, and only then did I see who it was.

Modified at the sight, my eyes grew in horror as I looked over at Shaggy who stared at me in utter confusion, "What's wrong?" He whispered.

"I just saw Mr. McCullen kissing Caitlin Stone."