The Secrets | Henry Hart

THIRTEEN

I pulled out a pair of black jeans and a plaid shirt and threw it on, then slid my Vans on, since that's literally the only shoes I own.

I bolted down the stairs, almost knocking my dad down them too. Charlotte and Jasper were already here waiting for me. I swung around the staircase and towards the kitchen.

"Mom! I'm going to Aria's, Jasper and Charlotte are coming too!" I yelled to her from the kitchen. She was in the laundry room washing clothes for the millionth time. 

"Take Piper with you!"

I stopped dead in my tracks, choking on my soda. Jasper swung his arms in a shape of an x in front of him, all while shaking his head and mouthing the word 'no.' 

"No, I'm not bringing my brat- my sister to my girlfriends!" I yelled back to her, watching her come out of the laundry room. 

"Either take her or you're not going. And I have to go grocery shopping, so I'll drop the four of you off."

I groaned, screaming for Piper. She screamed back, stomping her feet on the stairs on her way down. She sat on the couch and grabbed her laptop, opening it and staring at her phone. Her laptop screen was black while her phone screen was like and LED light in her face. 

We piled into my dads minivan; Piper in the front, me, Charlotte and Jasper in the back. We had side chats here and there, secretly taking about work without my family realizing it. 

I walked into Aria's house, immediately pulling her into a hug. Charlotte mentally pulled us away, all of us going to the couch to watch Dog Judge, until Aria's front door burst open and Piper came screaming in the doorway. 

"Thanks mom, I don't care!" Piper yelled, slamming Aria's door behind her as she sat down on the couch, her phone in her face.

"You brought Piper with you?"

"I had too. My parents don't want to watch her and neither did I. But I couldn't come over unless she did."

Jasper yelled, so I looked over to see Piper on his back. He ran around Aria's living room and kitchen, trying to fly Piper off his back.

"Give me back my phone Jasper, before I kill you!" Piper screamed, her hands flying around Jasper's face, reaching for her phone. 

"Why did you send your friend a message saying you think Kid Danger is cute?"

I gagged and Aria stopped herself from bursting out laughing. She shoved her face into my chest and muffled up her laughter. Charlotte took one of the pillows from the couch and covered her face with it. 

Jasper eventually threw Piper off his back and she landed on the carpeted floor near the stairs. Jasper tossed her phone back, then jumped on the couch and hid under the blanket next to Charlotte.

"So...crushing on Kid Danger, aren't you Piper?" Charlotte said, looking over at me when she said it. Aria slammed her hand over her mouth as I glared at Charlotte.

"Yeah, so what? Shut up."

I mentally wanted to shoot myself over the fact that my own sister technically has a crush on me. It still bothers me to this day. I shook my head, sliding my body down on Aria's couch. 

"Let's go to my room." Aria said, grabbing Charlotte and Jasper's attention away from reruns of Dog Judge.

We left the living room and followed Aria upstairs, me being the last one in. I shut the door behind me and joined Aria on the bed as Jasper sat on the floor and Charlotte on the dresser.

My phone went off, indicating I either had a message or someone was calling me, although it's  my day off.

Ray: Kid, you're supposed to be at work!

Henry: It's my day off; all of us have the day off. Waz off Ray, I'm with my girlfriend and  my friends.

Ray: See you all tomorrow.

"Is it bad I told Ray to waz off?"

Everyone stared at me like I said something wrong. I shrugged my shoulders, wrapping my arm around Aria as her head plopped on my shoulder.

"Kind of, depending on what it was about." Jasper said, grabbing random things off from the little bench that Aria had her room. 

"Ray thinks we're supposed to be at work when clearly, it's our day off."

Charlotte took her foot and kicked me in the leg, my leg shooting up and my arms wrapping around it. 

"Ray has a mind of a child; a man child to be exact."

I laughed at Aria's comment. Soon, the four of us were erupting into laughter at one simple, little, but true comment. Five minutes later, and none of us quit laughing. 

"Will you guys shut up? I can hear you from the kitchen." Piper threw open the door, a glare on her face and she walked in. 

I git up, flicked Piper in her forehead, pushed her out of Aria's doorway and locked the door. It seemed that Aria was falling asleep, so I lied down next to her. 

"Do you want me, Char and Jasper to leave" I whispered in Aria's ear as I pulled her pink blanket up to her shoulders, her body turning towards me and grabbing my arm.

"Stay here...they can leave."

I kissed her forehead and motioned towards Jasper and Charlotte. They blinked twice before finally getting the memo to leave.

 They climbed up to the ledge, opening the window. Jasper followed Charlotte outside and I heard high pitched screaming on the way down.

I slid under Aria's blanket, sliding my arm under her back and wrapping the other around her torso. 

Her head lied on my chest, her hand next to her face. I heard her soft snores, meaning she was finally asleep.