House of Anubis: One Last Stand

House of Break-ups/House of Hideouts

Joy had run out into the woods, and Erik, Jerome, Nina, Patricia, Fabian, and Eddie followed directly behind. Joy had eventually stopped running and sat on a rotting log covered in lichen. The others stopped running a few feet behind her, and Patricia shoved Erik forward.

Erik went around in front of Joy, now holding the box-which contained the wedding ring-in his hand.

"You could've just told me you don't want to get married," he began. "I'm not going to make you-"

"-we should break up." Joy looked him in the eyes, realizing it was somehow even harder to speak to him without doing so.

Erik hesitated, trying to find his words. "No matter how much I wish you're joking, you're not, are you?"

Joy shook her head.

"But I love you. I've always loved you, from the moment you first spoke to me. When you smiled at me. And you made all the uncomfortable things about moving to a new country suddenly feel...better. But...do you not love me?" Erik awaited an answer; an answer he knew he wouldn't want to hear. That was why tears came to him before the words came out of Joy's mouth.

"Erik, you're a nice guy," Joy stated. "A great guy, actually. And I'd never want to do anything to break your heart. I want to love you. I so desperately want to love you, but I can't. And I don't want you to spend your life with someone who can't love you just as much as you love her. It's painful, but she's saving you from a lifetime of pain."

Erik tried to blink his tears away. "Why can't you love me?"

"Because I don't," Joy admitted, standing to her feet. She almost regretted it since she felt weak in the knees, but she stayed up. "And if I could, I certainly would. But there are things we can't control, and one of those is how we feel...It hurts now, but you'll find someone better for you. No matter how much you love me, you can't be with someone who won't love you back. I won't let that happen."

Erik took a deep breath as though he were about to say something, but he just left. He walked past Joy, past the others, so he could get to the house, get his things, and drive away. Of course, he was no longer needed there. Not even a day of being at Anubis house, and his heart had already been broken.

Back in the woods, Joy dropped to her knees after Erik left. The others rushed to her aid.

"I'll come back," Joy muttered. "I'll come back to the house when I'm ready."

"We can't just leave you out here alone-" Jerome began.

"-I'll come back when I'm ready," Joy repeated, more stern this time. "Now go."

The others were hesitant, but they headed back, leaving Joy in the solitude of the woods. Erik had already left by the time they arrived, suggesting he'd rushed just to get out of that place.

"So, does anybody have any good news?" Eddie asked, interrupting the awkward silence.

"I can free Tithoes," Nina replied.

"Who?" Patricia asked.

"Another name for Tutu," Nina elaborated. "I visited him in my dream last night. He said I have to free him through my dreams since that's the only way I can visit him. So, if it's ok with you guys, I think I'll do it."

"You won't get hurt, will you?" Fabian asked.

"It is just a dream," Nina pointed out.

"Did he tell you how to free him?" Jerome asked.

"Not yet; I woke up too soon. But maybe tonight."

~~~~~
Meanwhile, Joy was still in the woods. She felt she was ready to head back until she heard snapping twigs and voices approaching from the direction of the boarding school campus. She hid out of view behind a tree. The voices belonged to Vera and Mr. Perry, and Joy heard as they grew closer and then passed by her.

Since she was in the circumstance, she might as well follow them wherever they were headed. She did her best to stay out of sight and move as quietly as she could.

Eventually they came to a clearing in the woods, different from the one she was used to, where a large, storage-warehouse type place was located. She stayed behind a tree while Mr. Perry and Vera approached the building. They went inside and shut the door, and even from a distance away, Joy could faintly hear the metal locks being clamped and turned.

"Oh, Joy," she muttered to herself as she headed towards the building. She went around to the side where she saw planks of wood placed over an opening in the wall. There were crevices which she could see through, and she peered through to look at what or who else was inside other than Perry and Vera.

And that was when she spotted someone she'd never been so happy to see in her life. Alfie was sitting there in a chair, not noticing her, but instead looking at the others in the room.

Joy made a silent cheer to herself. And feeling good about herself finding Alfie took her mind off of how bad she felt to break Erik's heart earlier.

She tried to overhear what was going on, but she was caught off guard when she heard her name mentioned behind her by a very familiar voice.

"Joy?"

~~~~~
I don't know if this is really a cliffhanger. I mean, you might know exactly who the person is, but anyway, it's ending here so hope you enjoyed!

Who do you think the person is?

That's the only question since there's not a really a needed question for anything else, but until the next chapter, stay awesome Aristocrats!