Falling Hard // Nowhere Boys

9: Magic

I lean back on the grass and look at the sky, watching as the clouds slowly roll past, listening to the birds chirping in the distance, and the-

"No breakfast. Again." Sam whines as he sits on a log outside the shack with Jake and Andy. "I'm starving."

Great. I sigh and push myself off the grass to join the boys. Dumping my bag on the ground, I take a seat beside Jake.

"So, what's the plan?" Sam asks as Felix and me walk up to them.

"Retrace our steps." Andy says.

"And get lost again?" 

Andy shakes his head. "No. We find the valley and the wormhole."

"And how exactly does this work." Felix tilts his head to the side quizzically.

"In this universe, the excursion was delayed." Andy tells us. "What if the wormhole was delayed as well? We could find it again."

"And you have trouble believing in magic?" 

"It's worth a shot, dude." Sam says to Felix.

"We're supposed to be a Phoebe's this morning, remember?" Felix reminds us.

"Where we have to magically locate a missing person? And you think my plan has problems."

"Come on, Sam. I thought you believed in magic. And Taylor, Jake. You saw what happened with the dogs."

"Andy's right. I mean, it's a bit of a long shot." Jake says.

Andy stands up in front of the four of us. "Magic or science. Which path do we take?"

"Okay, let's vote." Felix decides."Andy's solution?"

Jake puts a finger in the air, followed by Sam.

"Sam." Felix sighs annoyedly.

"Sorry, dude. It kinda makes sense."

"Taylor?" Both boys look at me hopefully, but I just shrug.

"I really don't give a crap." 

"Tay," Jake says and I roll my eyes. 

"Fine," I stand up and swing my bag over my shoulder. "Let's go wormhole hunting."

/ / /

"Phoebe's gonna be really angry with us." Felix says as the five of us walk through the school gates.

"Phoebe! We need her signature." Andy points out, unfolding the permission slip. I snatch it out of his hands.

"What are you doing?" He asks, watching me scribble Phoebe Hartley on the pages. "But that's forgery!" 

"Bates wouldn't even know Phoebe's surname." Felix assures us as I hand him his slip.

"Haven't you ever faked a signature?" Jake smirks at Andy.

"No." 

I laugh, mildly amused as I shove his slip into his hands.

"Our fearless leader." Felix scoffs.

"Mum." Jake says in a morose tone as Sarah pulls up in a SUV, Bates next to her. He pulls her in and kisses her, and we all cringe in disgust.

"I'll never get used to that." Jake says and I hand him his slip.

"Ellen!" Andy smiles and waves over at the girl, who only glares in return.

"I recognise that stare. 'Mega Death.'" Felix says, causing me to laugh slightly.