The Penderwick Haunting

19

"Freddie knock it off." Oliver sharply tells him all while holding one arm behind his back against me.

"I like to make an entrance, sue me."

"Your 'entrance' scared the hell out of Ivy, so ease up."

At this Freddie has no response and it causes me to peer around Oliver's torso. His eyes laser in on my face when he spots me and he looks apologetic.

"I'm sorry Ivy I didn't even think about that, I am such an idiot."

Moving around Oliver and now towards Freddie I shake my head, negating his words.

"You never need to apologize for an entertaining entrance."

His mouth picks up a little at this, but still looks a bit forlorn.

It's at this point that Noah steps in, carrying grocery bags, he stops in his tracks when he spots the three of us standing.

"What's all this then?" He asks.

"Nothing, now what'd you get? You said you were going to teach me how to make lasagna, is this finally the night?" I rush out to avoid any more of Freddie feeling bad for what happened.

I step towards Noah to peer into the bags in his hands, but he pulls them away from me.

"Uh-uh, we are celebrating you recovering beautifully with a special dinner. That means no helpers tonight, just sit back and enjoy."

I frown and cross my arms at this, all but one step away from stomping my foot like a child.

"I have spent one full week laying around, you said you'd teach me how to cook when I got better, and hello-" I gesture to my body "I'm all better!"

"I guess you got me there short stuff, follow me." Noah says giving in almost too easily to my words.

The rest of the night is spent with Noah in the kitchen where he shows me how to make lasagna from scratch. Freddie and Theo float in and out as we cook, but Oliver remains out. Jasper swings by after he's finished with work and he arrives just in time for the food to be pulled out.

We eat the delicious meal quickly and I find myself sad at the thought of them all leaving. This week my usually dismal house had been filled with noise and warmth and it wouldn't be that way again with all of them gone. I would be seeing them at school, but I knew it wouldn't be the same.

I guess my face said about as much as when I was saying goodbye to them Freddie pulled me into a tight hug. With my face pressed into the hard planes of his chest my hands reach up and cling to his shirt.

Freddie presses his face into the top of my head as he mumbles.

"Come on cowboy, I'll see you tomorrow bright and early at school so don't look so glum okay?"

I let out a quiet okay and with one last squeeze he lets go and heads out.

Theo steps up after him and draws me into a deep hug too. I wrap my arms around his torso and anchor myself to him. When he steps away he doesn't say anything, and with a small stroke to my cheek he leaves as well. Getting into Freddie's idling car, they both leave.

Noah comes up behind me and draws me into a side hug, as the tallest of the guys a hug from Noah never fails to make me feel safe.

I lean into him as he says, "Thank you for being my sous chef tonight, I honestly could not have asked for a better or cuter one."

I laugh at this and shake my head.

"Thank you for teaching me how to make lasagna, I'll live off of it and cereal for the rest of my life."

My words have him laughing as he steps away to leave.

Footsteps from the kitchen have me turning and I make eye contact with Jasper. With Noah now outside, and Oliver somewhere still in the house it's a stark silence that falls over the two of us.

I open then close my mouth twice before finally mustering up the courage to say, "Thank you for all your help this week, it seems every time I'm with you you're saving me from something. I owe you more than words can say."

He frowns at this.

"You don't owe me anything Ivy."

I open my mouth to refute his words and he takes two steps forward, his new closeness has me tilting my head back to look up at him and I feel vulnerable under his gaze.

"Ivy..." He starts then trails off.

His hand comes up to tuck an errant strand behind my ear and it settles on my face. His eyes sweep my face, as if committing it to memory, and in this moment I am almost to scared to breath. This is more interaction than I have had with him this entire week and I feel from this short moment I might combust.

"Ivy, the only thing you owe me is to take care of yourself, seeing you that night-" He looks up and lets out a quick breath before looking back to me "Hell, I was terrified. So please, if you want to do anything for me it's this, just be safe okay?"

I quietly nod my head in agreement and he takes this time to move towards the door, with one last long look my way he's gone.

After a moment I hear a clang from the kitchen and I remember Oliver is still here. Stepping into the kitchen I spot him at the sink rinsing a cup.

"Oliver?"

My voice has him freezing- his back tenses up and I pause behind him.

"Ivy... I have been making myself crazy trying to reason this out."

"Reason what out? Oliver what's wrong?" I reach out my hand and tentatively place it on his back.

His head dips down and he remains that way, still facing away from me.

"Ivy, I saw you... I saw you that day in the library. I saw you lift a box without touching it and I am going crazy trying to figure out how or why you could be able to do that."

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*** Sorry for being mia!!! Like I said with money being tight it's hard for me to find time to write, but I hope this chapter is okay! Let me know what y'all think of it, I love reading all your comments !!!!!!

Side note- I am still entertaining the idea of creating a patreon it would allow me to update regularly (most likely weekly or bi-weekly) with bonus scenes and more povs from the guys, plus it would let me start on the other RH novel I have been wanting to write. If this is something y'all would be interested in let me know!