The Creator: UNKNOWN

XXI

Chanse

Walking into school, I was searching for Eli. She hadn't called or texted since yesterday and I'm worried that my family scared her away or something.

I mean, for me, the night went perfectly until she had to leave. There wasn't any tension, Mom gushed about Eli afterwards, it was great.

I really hope that everything is okay for her though. And with her family. She was in a rush.

I went to my locker and heard Gemma shouting at me from down the corridor. She ran to me and jumped into my arms. Her loudness earned some dirty glances but I'm used to it.

"Hi, Gemma. Good morning." I say as I set her down.

"Hi. How'd it go last night?" she bounced up and down on her toes.

"It was fine. But she had to leave early, her parents had texted her and she left pretty quickly."

"What?! Damien scared her away and she's moved countries and never wants to see you again?" she gasped. So dramatic.

"I doubt it's that. Where's Pheonix?" I ask, looking around for my best friend's partner.

"They've not been talking to me for a few days. I think I did something." Gemma said, dejectedly.

"I'm sure they'll get over it. Let's not worry about anything right now, okay?" I assure her.

"Okay." she nodded.

We started walking to her homeroom and we have to pass both Eli and Pheonix's lockers on the way. I spot Pheonix at theirs but Eli was nowhere to be seen.

I drop Gemma off at her homeroom and head to my own, just in time for the bell. I sat next to an empty chair. Bennie looked up at me and I gave her a questioning look and she only shrugged. I took out my phone and texted Eli.

Hey, babe. Are you okay? You're not in school yet and I haven't heard from you since you left. I hope you and your family are alright. I love you.

I set my phone down and look around. I really hope everyone is okay. My phone buzzed and I picked it up.

I'll be there in a few mins, babe. Everything is ok I'll explain when I get there. I love you, too.

That put me at ease.

A few minutes later, as promised, Eli came into the room, spoke to Bennie and came to sit next to me. She gave me a sweet kiss and smiled at me.

"Hey," she panted. Her hair was a little messy and she looked like she had gotten out of bed five minutes ago.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm great. I'm sorry about yesterday. It was my Mom."

"Is she okay?" I ask as I grip her arm. I really hope Kate is okay.

"She's fine. She had a dream that I had died and obviously I wasn't there when she woke up. She panicked and Mama need me home so we could show her I was alive. We cuddled on the couch and I feel asleep there. I woke up ten minutes ago."

I did a quick scan of her and saw that she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

"Did you have time to eat this morning? And do you wanna borrow my hairbrush?"

"No and yes please." she answered.

I dug through my bag and gave her my hairbrush. I watch as she brushed it through and put it into two French braids using her phone camera as a mirror.

"I'll get you something at break." I say to her.

"No, I'll be okay." she said as she tied the second braid with the band.

"No, I'm getting you something and that's final."

"Yes, ma'am." she smirks.

"Shut up." I grumble. The bell rings and we say our goodbyes and head to first class. I had English with Mrs Rogerstone-Montgumery. She was cool and I have met her on several occasions. Her name is Evan.

"Morning." she smiles as I walk through the door.

"Morning." I reply.

We get through first class and then second, Maths, which lead us to break.

I bought Eli a fruit pot and waited for her by the tree. She met me a few minutes after I arrived and greeted me with another kiss, longer than the one in homeroom.

"I was thinking..." she started, digging into her fruit pot.

"What were you thinking, babe?"

"What if we do matching costumes for Halloween. Like Pain and Panic from Hercules. And we could take my nieces, Grace and Ava, trick or treating." she suggests.

"I'd love to. Pain and Panic would be funny. Who'd be who though?"

"Well, I feel like you'd be Pain, because you are clumsy and hurt yourself a lot, and I'd be Panic, because, well, I think it's self explanatory."

"Yeah, that makes sense. And we're both just as stupid." I shrug.

"Yeah," Eli nods, "Want a grape?" she offers a grape towards me and I use my mouth to pick it from the wooden fork.

Gemma and Pheonix came to join us, Gemma had tears in her eyes and Pheonix looked pissed.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Nothing." Phoenix spat.

"Don't speak to her like that." Eli scolded, "She's just trying to care for you guys."

"Pheonix thinks I'm cheating on them." Gemma admits, "With Eliza."

Eliza audibly laughed and I could tell it was fake, "That's funny."

"Is it true?" Pheonix questioned.

"No! Of course not! I love Chanse. And I'm always with her."

"Well, I found out that their parents text each other and say how cute they are together."

"How did you find that out?"

"I saw it on her Dad's phone the other day. They send pictures of you guys to each other. Pictures of you together."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And Malachi is always talking about you to Kevin and how you're such a great girl."

"Wait... Malachi?" Eliza quizzed, "That's my Mama's twin brother."

"What?" Gemma gasped.

"Yeah. They're twins. And I didn't know that he was your Dad." Eli said.

"I didn't even know that Dad was related to Christina. Let alone twins."

"Wait, so that means that you guys are..." I trail off.

"Cousins." They both say at these ame time.