The Bucket List

t h i r t e e n

When I got home, I was so nervous, my hands shook as I tried to put the keys in the door. I was praying there was an emergency forcing Daniel to ditch me tonight. But he was smiling excitedly, looking at the movies eagerly.

I knew Daniel was going to enjoy this more than anyone whereas I'd probably be hiding behind the couch. I wondered if he was more interested to watch me freak out and squirm, or even cry, than actually watch the movie.

I pushed the door open and found myself staring into an empty corridor. I could already feel the chills of fear running up my spine. I entered the house slowly, already expecting that a random man wearing a ski-mask to jump out and attack me with a knife. Daniel walked in behind me and headed straight to the lounge room as if he'd been here a thousand times.

I opened dad's office and found it empty. "What are you looking for?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"My dad," I said heading to dad's room.

I was somewhat hoping, actually, no I was practically begging, that dad decided not to take the night shift tonight. Maybe I should call and tell him that Daniel was here. But he wasn't home and I knew he wouldn't come home just because of a boy in our apartment. If anything, he'd probably be excited and ground me when he comes back home.

"Get the movie ready," I called out, taking a deep breath.

"Not running away from me, are you?"

I wish I could. But I lived here.

"I just need to call dad."

I called dad, letting him know that Daniel was over. Dad responded in the most unexpected way. "Don't do anything I wouldn't approve of," he said in a stern voice. I was ready to melt in embarrassment.

"Dad," I groaned.

"Also, he's not allowed to stay overnight. If I find that he did, I will be making him marry you immediately."

"Dad! Stop it!" My cheeks were most likely red by then.

"Ellie!" Daniel called.

"I need to go," I told dad.

"Remember, to tell Daniel what I said. Any funny business, I'll be cutting off his..." I hung up. I wasn't ready to hear it the second time.

"Ellie!" Daniel called the second time.

"Hold your horses," I yelled back. I entered the lounge room connected to the kitchen and watched as Daniel sitting in front of the television, putting the movie in the DVD player. I went to the kitchen, grabbing a popcorn packet and put it into the microwave. I could already hear the eery music playing from the lounge room.

You can do this Ellie. It's just a horror movie. They're not real, I told myself.

I headed to the lounge room feeling all pumped up. Then I saw the image of a dead man on the television screen and my eyes widened in fear. I almost dropped the bag of popcorn and I turned around as if I had just walked in on somebody naked. I heard Daniel howling with laughter.

In usual circumstances, I would've either scowled, pouted, or blushed. But I done none of those.

"Ellie, it's not even real," Daniel stated.

"I know but—" I turned slowly, my eyes fearfully looking at the screen of the man that was bleeding from the ear. "I never seen a dead man before."

"And this is coming from the daughter of a doctor," he said.

I frowned. "My dad doesn't work in a morgue," I pointed out. He saved lives, not killed them.

"If you were going to be this scared, then why did you even put this on your bucket list?"