Second Chance

Twelve: Sleep Over

Twelve: Sleep Over

“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I -”

“Shut up and watch.”

“I freaking hate horror – Ah!”

Ciara sighed and grabbed a handful of caramel popcorns. She popped them into her mouth, watching Bessie covering her eyes with the blanket out of the corner of her eyes.

“Ciara, I’m out of here!”

“No! Remember that you lost the bet!”

“That was like three months ago!”

“A bet is still a bet.”

A loud scream filled the room, and the scream was suddenly doubled in intensity as Bessie added her own voice into the whiny protagonist in the movie’s voice. Ciara cringed and resisted the urge to cover her ears, gripping onto the popcorn bowl as if her life depended on it.

Credits appeared on the screen, and Bessie flicked on the light. She squatted down and scoped something large and furry off the floor.

“Jewel is a better friend than you.” She snuggled into the side of the feline and grumbled some more incoherent words. “You no longer have my permission to sleep next to me.”

Ciara rolled her eyes, her lips quirking upwards. She reached over to her friend’s brown hair and patted the top of her head. Hard.

“Get your hands off me!”

The door burst open at that exact moment and in popped Taylor. “Huh? Did I interrupt something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, not at all, where did you disappear off just now? Get her away from me.”

Ciara held her breath. Memories of their last encounter surfacing her mind. The breath left her in a whoosh after she scrutinized his expression. There was no sign of anger. Taylor frowned, looking adorably confused. Ciara glowered at him. He was a wonderful actor. In fact, with his looks, Ciara wondered why he didn’t pursue that career. The corner of his eyes twinkled. “Aren’t you guys best friends forever?”

“No more! She has shattered our friendship into a million shards by -”

Ciara threw her arms around the petite girl, hugging her a lot harder than she should and causing Bessie to shriek like a dying cat. “I know you love me.”

“Go away! Taylor! Get her off me!”

Someone grabbed her by her waist, and this time, it was Ciara who shrieked like a dying cat. Like a sack of potatoes, she was thrown over Taylor’s back.

“Good! Shoo, Mom is over at her friend’s house. We have to manage the food by ourselves.”

“Aren’t you going to help?” Ciara whined. Her voice coming out slightly strangled from the position she was in.

“No! Monsters will attack me if I leave my bed!”

Ciara still managed to roll her eyes in her upside down position. “Is this some sort of punishment? You know I can’t cook.”

“I don’t care.”

Ciara groaned. The tiles beneath her moved. Her eyes widened as a sudden realization dawned upon her. Her nose was uncomfortably close to a certain person’s rear. She blamed the blush on the fact that she was upside down and nothing else. Nothing else.

“Can you put me down?”

“Nope.”

“Taylor.”