the courtyard [j.hs] ✔️

[11]

Jaelyn

Opal ran back and forth, from the garage to inside the house. She was worrying too much about this movie night.

"Do we have enough chairs?", she looked over at me, her eyes darting back and forth. I guess I didn't answer quick enough. "It's only ten people, we will be fine!"

"Opal," I call her name, watching as Jack pulls up. He waved as I took Opal's hand. "Sit down, they will be here in a few minutes."

She sighed, falling onto the couch next to me. "Maybe the floor will do too."

I laughed, waving Jack over. "She's just stressing about the seating."

"The floor!", Jack exclaimed, dropping to the rug, sitting in front of us. "Surprisingly comfy."

"Thanks," Opal smiles, reaching over and giving him a hug. She pulled away, hearing more people approaching. "They're here."

"We have arrived!", Tae said loudly, running over to me. He crushed me into a side hug, landing on top of me. "Hi."

"Get off of me," I mumble, pushing his body away from me. "I get it, you love me."

"Fine," he pouts, scooting down the end of the couch. I pull Jack up to the other corner, while I sat on one of the middle cushions. "Hoseok, come love me, Jae is being mean."

Hoseok sighed, slowly sitting between Tae and I. "Why do I have to love you?"

"Because you're my protector tonight," Tae talks in a baby voice, jutting out his bottom lip at Hoseok. "Please?"

Jack snickers beside me, while I smack my hand at his chest. "I do that to Tommy when I want-"

I covered his mouth, not wanting him to finish. "Don't need to hear that."

"Hurry up and sit down," Opal rushes everyone, jumping next to Yoongi on the floor. She sat in front of me, leaning back against my legs. "I'm starting the movie."

The movie starts to roll, and the title fades in. It had to be my least favorite horror movie.

"Seriously?", I groan audibly, squeezing my legs against her body. "The Bye-Bye Man?"

"Yes, I picked it specifically for you!", she laughed, while I just shut my eyes tightly. "I haven't seen it, and you hated the trailer."

"Don't think it, don't say it," I remind her, while I pulled Jack's arm over my face. "I ain't watching this."

"It can't be that bad," he answered back to me, pulling his arm away. I pulled my legs up, sitting in a criss-cross position.

"It just creeps me out," I mumble, looking at Opal leaning forward toward the screen. It was a big TV which didn't help me.

--

I jumped back, hearing a scream from the TV. I turned away, digging my nails into Jack's forearm. He laughed loudly next to me, enjoying my misery.

"I knew that was gonna happen," I muttered, hearing the sound of coins jingling.

"So, you should be-", he gets interrupted by his phone. Opal pauses the movie so he can answer it. "Hello?"

I watched his face switch from confusion to slight anger. "Jack?"

"I'll be there soon," he ended the call, sending me an apologetic look. "I really have to go, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, it seems serious," I push him, while he squeezes my arm. He gets up, waving goodbye.

"Thanks for inviting me!", he ran out of the garage, heading to his car.

Opal wasted no time in playing the movie again, and I had no one to hide behind. I stood up, climbing over the stretched out legs. "Where are you going?"

"Getting a drink," I tell her, continuing to the door. I open it, going inside. Once the door was closed, I ran into the kitchen. "I cannot watch that anymore."

"Hey, movie is too much?", I jump, turning around the see Opal's mom coming into the kitchen. "Sorry."

She giggled, while I glared at her. "Yes, she's making me watch The Bye-Bye Man again."

"Again, eek," she looks at me sympathetically, shaking her head. "Can't you hide behind Jack?"

"He just left, something important came up," I respond as she tossed me a bottle of water. I gratefully opened it, taking big sips of it.

"So you don't have anyone else?", she asks as I nod in confirmation. "Just steak Hoseok."

"Why would I do that?", I cock an eyebrow at her, while she gives me a knowing look. "Tae already has him."

"I'm sure Tae wouldn't mind," she looked away, smirking at me still. "Just try."

"I'm not promising that I will," I pointed at her, closing the water bottle.

"Jae, hurry up!", Opal yelled for me, while I turned behind me. The door slammed closed, while I flinched away.

"That's my cue," I mumble, trudging back to the garage. I open the door, walking out and closing it behind me again. "So impatient."

"Your favorite part is coming up," she tapped her fingers together evilly. I whined, stomping back over to the couch. I sat with a pillow to my chest, fiercely hugging it to me.

"I hate you," I mumble, lightly kicking Opal with my foot. "So so much."

"You can't," she pushed my foot away, just as another scream was heard. I looked away from the screen, my hands balling the pillow up onto my fists. "That looked so gross!"

"I told you!", I shakily exclaimed, not bothering to look up. "I'm going inside."

I stood up, only to be pulled back down. I fell next to Hoseok, who released his hand from my wrist a second later.

"Just stay, it's almost over," he pointed out, while Opal trapped me down with her body. She held my feet under her, as she sat on them. "I'll protect you."

He smirked slightly, while I pushed his shoulder toward Tae. Tae pushes him back, while we continue to fight. Hoseok leans forward, while Tae and I fall behind him. Tae scrambles back, while Hoseok leans back against my face.

I punch his arm, while his back vibrates from his laughter. I push him away from me, finally releasing myself. I huff, crossing my arms and leaning away from him.

He continued to laugh at me, pulling me into for a weird hug. He holds my head down, ruffling my hair.

When will this movie end?

--

I sighed in relief, slumping against the couch as the ending credits finally rolled. "Thank goodness!"

"It wasn't that bad," Opal smacks my thigh, sliding away from my foot that kicked out. "You're just a wimp."

"Excuse me, I'm not the one who was afraid of children's haunted house," I remind her, as her face went red.

"Shut up!", she exclaims, jumping on top of me. I grunted while she bounced on my stomach. "That's actually real people, not a movie."

"It was for kids!", I announced, wiggling my fingers furiously on her sides. She bursts out in laughter, while she slides off of me. "That was two years ago too."

"S-stop!", she gets out between laughs, while I pulled my hands away. She catches her breath, tilting her head back to look at me. "Evil."

"Evil olive," I mumble, while she looks up at me confused. "Spelled backward is evil olive."

My statement processed in her head before pushing my knee away. "So stupid!"

"My goal in life," I snort, finally looking up at the other people still here. "Oh, right there are people here."

"Wow," Yoongi breathes out, an offended look written on his face.