The Secrets of Cain

Preparations

But John's mother smiles at Vanessa. "Alright then. I'll see you some other time for dinner?" Vanessa is surprised at how polite and dignified Mrs. Caster seems. Not that she thought anything bad of John's mom.

"Sure." Vanessa says with a small smile of her own. She wonders if she should've added ma'am or thanks for the offer or something.

"Bye John." Vanessa says as her cue to leave.

Vanessa blinks, slowly coming back into reality only to be greeted by Ivie and Selynn staring at her with amused faces.

"Did you have a good time up in that head of yours?" Ivie asks with a smirk. Vanessa notes that Ivie's getting to be more like Adrian every day.

"Wow. Is snarkiness contagious now?" Vanessa snaps back.

Ivie only grins, luckily not getting defensive at Vanessa's outburst. "I must've caught it from you."

"No you didn't!" Vanessa yells, playfully shoving Ivie off of the couch.

Ivie lets out a grunt before jumping up to attack. Usually Ivie would push her back, but that is definitely not what happened this time.

Ivie smiled brightly at Vanessa with a huge smile, shoving her hand into the empty space in front of her. "What are you doing?" Vanessa asks, getting slightly worried at the mischievous glint in Ivie's eyes as she stands up quickly.

Ivie doesn't reply with words. Suddenly vines wrap around Vanessa, pulling her down and trapping her on the couch.

Selynn's eyes widen. "Ivie!" Vanessa looks up with panicked eyes, barely able to see the image of Ivie with neon green hair and cold green eyes through her panic.

"Ivie." Vanessa chokes out in fright, not comprehending exactly what's happening.

Vanessa forces her eyesight to clear, which reveals that Vanessa had only been imagining Ivie as vine girl. Ivie looks like herself.

The vines release Vanessa and she realizes that the vines hadn't been there to hurt her. Just to scare her. Vanessa glances over to see Selynn who has a slight smile on her lips and her eyes are avoiding Vanessa's gaze.

Vanessa's eyes snap over to Ivie with a scowl. Ivie lets out a loud and obnoxious laugh, bending over with her hands on her stomach. Really!?!

Vanessa breathes in deep to calm herself, then she hears Selynn start laughing along with Ivie.

Before Vanessa knows it, she's laughing along with them, unable to control her breathing. Unable to even breathe at one point.

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Mason knocks on Lucas' bedroom door hesitantly. He decided to come apologize since Lucas hadn't talked to him since the paintball game.

"Lucas? It's me." Mason calls out. No one answers so Mason tries again.

"Lucas. I just want to talk." Again, there's no reply.

"I'm sorry! I'm stupid. You know that!" Mason speaks to the closed door.

After a minute of silence, Mason tries opening the door, only to find it locked. "Really?" Mason says in frustration.

"Okay, I get that you're mad. But I won and it doesn't matter that I won by teaming up with you only to trick you in the end. The opportunity came up so I took it. Get over it already!" Mason snaps out.

"What are you doing?"

Mason spins around to meet a pair of judgeful eyes.

Jerica stands there, staring at Mason with skepticism. "I was just... uh..." Mason finds he can't speak as his eyes widen and his cheeks flush from embarrassment.