Matt couldn't deny that he was happy that not everyone had ditched him and his search. But that didn't stop him feeling a little awkward with Katie silently following him.

"You know that you don't have to look after me, right?" He finally stopped to ask. "I've been doing this by myself for months. I can look after myself".

"Please. Do I look like a babysitter to you?" Katie snorted.

Matt took in her appearance once more and, even though he knew better than to judge her, he decided that she definitely wasn't. Her jet black hair was in the straightest ponytail he'd ever seen, but her dark fingernails and skull necklace sealed it for him. He wouldn't have been surprised if she was hiding some tattoos under her jacket either. She looked like one of his brothers friends.

"Why are you here then?" He asked.

"I told you. No one should be out here by themselves" She shrugged. "And plus, the longer I can stay away from my house, the better," She added.

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't get it," She replied with a faraway look in her eye.

"I think I would actually. I know all about a shitty home life," Matt pointed out.

"Ok, maybe you would get it" Katie admitted with a smile. "But I'm not a sharer"

"Fair enough. But what about your friends? Wouldn't you rather be with them?" Matt asked.

"Friends" The word stung as it came out. "They aren't real friends. They're losers"

"Well that isn't very nice," Laughed Matt. He'd heard that word many times.

"I don't mean it like that," She backtracked. "They're all older than me. A lot older. God knows why they hang out with me," Katie overtook Matt now and so he was the one having to catch up.

"Well why do you hang out with them?" He asked her.

"Free smokes! Obviously," She smirked.

"So you're using them?"

"It's not like that. They don't mind. And besides, it's better than all the kids at school"

"I'm not that bad am I?" Matt hoped she'd take the joke. He wasn't good with serious discussions. Katie smiled at him for a long while, indicating that their conversation was over, at least for now.

"You know I believe you right? About the Gorgoya," She changed topic, as if sensing Matt's discomfort.

"You do?" He asked in surprise.

"Sure"

"This is great!" Matt cried. He almost hugged her but was just able to stop himself in time. "We could be famous! If we find this thing, you and I will go down in the history books! Come on let's go!" Matt made to run further into the trees, but Katie stuck out her arm, holding him back.

"Settle down Indiana Jones," She told him. "Just because I believe it exists, doesn't mean I think it's a good idea to go chasing after it".

"Why not?" Matt sounded offended at her suggestion.

"I don't know . . . people believe in God; but that doesn't mean they go out looking for actual physical proof. Don't you think that some mysteries don't need to be solved? Wouldn't that ruin the fun?" Katie wasn't expecting to get through to Matt but she figured that it was worth a go at least.

"No. I don't" Was his predictable answer.

"Why are you so desperate to find this thing anyway? You keep asking if we've got anything better to do, but don't you?"

Matt looked away, once again giving away his feelings to Katie.

"I just don't get it," He sighed. "This town is so obsessed with negativity right now. They want something good. They want some sort of miracle. Why are they always ignoring this one when it's been right in our back yard this whole time?" Matt yelled. If there had been any birds in this part of the forest, they'd all be scared off by now. Katie chose her next words carefully, knowing that Matt was getting angry.

"Look. Whatever was here last night, it's gone now. You should go home and rest up for next time"

"But –"

"No buts! Trust me, if this thing's been roaming the forests for over a hundred years then it'll still be kicking about tomorrow," She smiled. "Go home!"

"Ok deal," He finally relented after looking around the surrounding trees for another hopeful few seconds. "Are you going home too?"

"Hell no. I told you, I don't want to go home. But I'm sure ready to get out of here," She answered.

"Do you want to come to my house?" Matt asked sounding as uncomfortable as he looked.

"Smooth!" Katie joked, turning serious right afterwards, before Matt took it the wrong way. "Thanks but I'll be fine. My friends are always kicking around somewhere. But we have history tomorrow so I'll see you at school".

"I'll save you a seat," Matt smirked, happy that he seemed to have actually made a friend.

"Sure" Katie replied with some more sarcasm before turning round and leaving the woods before it got too dark again, with Matt following close behind her.

*

Any of Matt's confidence in his new friends sticking together, were quickly dashed the next afternoon.

It was Friday now and the last class of the day was history.

Matt hadn't seen Kyle, Jess or Katie all day but true to his word, he kept the seat next to him free for Katie. Not that anyone was rushing to sit next to him anyway.

When Katie walked into the class, she spotted him in the front row right away and, after a reluctant pause, she sat down beside him, much to Matt's amusement. As the other students filtered into the classroom, Kyle appeared with a couple of his friends from the soccer team but completely ignored Matt's wave to him, opting to go to the back of the class instead.

When Jess came in just before the bell, she too blanked the pair and sat in her own corner. Feeling rather insulted, both Matt and Katie looked behind them and saw that their fellow "monster hunters" were icily glaring at each other from across the room, as if waiting to see who'd look away first.

"Maybe they aren't dating," Matt thought aloud.

"Popular guy hates popular girl," Katie nodded, "Sounds like the first episode of every teen drama show ever".

Just as Matt started to laugh, the teacher, Ms. Peterson stood up and hushed the class. She was a short, dumpy woman with shoulder length red hair and had a reputation of being the nicest teacher in the school, until she got angry. Then she became the human version of Mount Vesuvius. After everyone had been silenced, she began reacquainting everyone with their last class' notes before moving onto her newest dose of lectures on the industrial revolution.

Despite it being clearly obvious that no one was particularly interested in the topic, she carried on with the lesson before asking if anyone had any questions. One girl put up her hand.

"Miss, can we open a window or something? I'm literally dying here," She moaned.

"Sure thing Lana. If you don't die on the way," The teacher said, rolling her eyes. "Now does anyone have any actual questions?"

While the rest of the class remained silent, Matt gasped as a thought burst into his head.

"That's it!" He said excitedly.

"Are you ok?" Katie asked. It was the first time they'd spoken since class had started.

"I think I've figured out where the Gorgoya went!" He buzzed.

"Matthew! Be quiet!" Miss Peterson hissed, silencing him until the class was over.

"Katie! We have to go back to the forest!" He cried as soon as they were dismissed, almost deafening her.

"Why?"

"I think I know where it went! I know where we can find it! Come on!" He grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her along with him but she didn't move an inch.

"As much as I'd love too, I need to get home," Katie apologetically answered.

"I thought you never wanted to go home?" He asked in confusion. For once she had a completely legitimate reason not to. Didn't she?

"I don't," She confirmed. "But sometimes I just have to. See ya!" She smiled before skipping out of the class. Matt didn't understand her sudden enthusiasm, but nevertheless, she wasn't the only person he could ask.

*

Kyle and Jess had been staring at each other with disdain for almost the entire last period.

He still didn't understand fully why she'd lost it at him the day before but he didn't care. He was just glad that it was the weekend now and he was just one day away from getting back to what really mattered. The soccer team.

As he and Zach left the class, they began discussing the game.

"You ready? I think we can take these guys," Zach smiled.

"Well going by their last few results, they are not good," Laughed Kyle. "So if we don't, then we can kiss goodbye to any sort of championship push".

"How you getting down there? Need a ride?" Zach asked, but before Kyle could answer him, Matt appeared, standing between the two players with a wide smile on his face. "Damn, dude" A shocked Zach muttered.

"Hey Kyle!" Matt ignored the first comment. "I think I know what our next move should be, do you want to come looking in the woods again tonight?" He asked hopefully, but Kyle didn't answer.

"Is this guy a friend of yours?" Zach laughed.

"No," Kyle stated harshly before nudging past Matt and continuing his walk. "Come on," He called back to Zach.

"Maybe next time!" Matt yelled, trying not to let the rejection get to him. "Hey Jess!" He then tried, seeing that she was almost out of the classroom as well.

"Not now Matt," She raised her hand, blocking him off as if she was using the force.

Realising that he was once again on his own, Matt nodded to himself in acceptance. And then he headed for the door.

______________________________________________________________________________

So we've got a slightly shorter chapter this time around but I'd like to think it achieved what I wanted it to.

So first question! Do you agree with Katie, or Matt. should some mysteries never be solved, in order to keep the magic alive? Or would you personally like an answer for everything? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Second question! What do you think Matt's theory is? CLUE: It's been mentioned earlier on in the story!

And finally, What's the deal with Katie wanting/not wanting to go home? Get your theories in!