"So, shall we go play with Ronald Richardson tomorrow?"

"Oh."

Hearing the slight disappointment in her voice, Murray's lips curled into a smirk.

Earlier, Cornelius had sent him Emily's diary and mentioned the trouble Ronald Richardson caused her at school. Initially, Murray hadn't taken it seriously, but he found himself distracted during meetings, increasingly agitated by the thought.

He had called Emily over lunch. The girl pretended Nothing had happened, even putting on a show over the phone. Irritated, he had hung up abruptly.

Now, caught in the act, she started acting again.

Murray's thoughts drifted to the contents of Emily's diary, and he asked nonchalantly, "Do you like him that much?"

Emily sighed inwardly, knowing Nothing could be hidden from Murray. She didn't refute but wrapped her arms around his neck and said lazily, "If someone is with you, protecting you when you're most helpless and alone, you wil