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Chapters (61)
  1. COVER
  2. About the Author
  3. Books by Emily Barr
  4. DEDICATION
  5. Prologue
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. Read on for an extract from …
  60. 12 December
  61. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

I remember the pieces of paper that appeared in her hand and disappeared when she let go of them. ‘If you touch her I might be able to see her!’ I shout.

Then a girl appears. She’s much shorter than Ariel, and very pretty with dimples and wild hair. I grin at her and she looks right through me. Ariel has her arm round her shoulders. They’re walking towards the door.

‘Oh my God,’ I say. ‘I can see her! I can see Izzy!’

Ariel grins. ‘Izzy, I’m so glad you don’t think I’m mad.’

‘Of course I don’t think you’re mad,’ says Izzy, and as they stand in the doorway Ariel grins at me over her shoulder. Izzy disappears and Ariel dashes straight over to give me the closest thing we can manage to a hug.

‘Sorry,’ she says. ‘I would have warned you if I’d planned it. Izzy just asked if she could see the room because she’s meeting her girlfriend over the road at half four. She’s invested in you now. We’re sure it wasn’t Lucas and now she’s desperate to solve this too. When she goes for something she really goes for it.’

‘I can’t believe I could see her,’ I say. ‘That’s amazing. But you don’t think it was Lucas? Why?’

I almost feel disappointed about this. I wish it was him because then we’d have an answer. I shake myself. We need the truth, not just the easiest thing.

‘Because he didn’t do it, Joe. I’m as certain as I can possibly be about that.’

I’m writhing inside with jealousy. Izzy is Ariel’s friend and they both get a bit older every day. I’m jealous of the real-world friendship I just saw. I’ve never seen Ariel with anyone else before. It is unsettling. I miss Troy. I wish I could go home with Ariel, walk around with her, become a part of her life. I almost hate the gorgeous, perfect Izzy who came into my space.

There’s an uncomfortable silence between us. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt awkward with Ariel. I know I’m being mean: I want Ariel to be happy and have friends. And yet, petulantly, I don’t want her to have anyone but me.

‘Tell me about him then,’ I say. ‘You really don’t think it was him? Are you sure? He was the only …’