Chon-Ji and Sparkles

Ch. 10: Scary Movies and Chaat

"How did you even get so much money?" Vic asked her at the end. She smirks knowingly, "While you two were arguing over the railroads, I kept track of the spaces each of you landed on the most. Keeping track of the probability of you landing their again, given the pattern of the board, I made sure to purchase the ones where you guys would make most landfall without knowing. One of those places was Kentucky Avenue. That place alone, I made over five hundred from, once I placed the hotel in. I just invested in the overlooked."

Everyone stares at her in shock, Vic and Zahir especially astonished. Trevor starts to laugh, "Oh, Serena, I always knew you were smart in one way or another."

"Ella Marie, how did you even lose? I gave you all my green ones!" Vic exclaims and I laugh, "I was so focused on investing in the expensive ones for you that I didn't really focus on investing in good property for me. But it's alright, you winning was a win for me."

Vic eyes me before his boxy smile overtakes his face, "You really love me."

"That I do," I wink at him before standing up and stretching, "Let me put away our bowls, here give me them. Zahir, grab the glasses."

"Why me?" He whines but then quickly stands as I give him a glare.

Putting the dishes away, I turn to the fidgeting boy. Nudging him with my elbow, I raise my eyebrows, "What is it?"

"Do you like him?"

I squint at him, "Like who?"

"Vic." He whispers back, eyes shifting to the hallway before sliding back to mine. I shrug a little before smiling a little.

"What if I do?"

Zahir goes silent and as I look over, I see him biting his fingernails again. Grabbing his hands in mine, I make him look me in the eyes, "What's going on?"

"I feel left out. Don't get me wrong, I'll be ecstatic if you guys are happy with each other. It'll release the romantic tension in our group. But, before I came into your group, I was always a floater. No one really accepted me. Then, you smiled at me that day. At that really stupid joke, but you did," Zahir smiles at the memory, "Then, Vic kept being sarcastic to me and I thought he didn't like me, but I soon realized all the little things he did for me. Picking me up after someone tripped me, brushing the dirt off of me, handing me his little cloth napkin to clean up. Vic and you are my only family. I just ask one thing."

I nod at him to continue, spotting Vic leaning against the wall of the kitchen, listening silently.

"If you think of me as a part of this family, then tell me what's going on. I may not be able to help, or I may even be in danger, but as long as I'm involved, I know I'm part of this. This family, this bond we share. Don't leave me out, please. Can you promise me that?" He pleads and I glance at Vic who looks down as well.

Lifting up his chin, I smile brightly, "Zahir, you're always apart of this family. And if we don't say something to you, it'll be to protect you. We care about you, and we don't ever want something to take away this lovable, curious little George from us."

He smiles softly at me and I bring him in for a hug, "You're my best friend and brother, Zahir. You're mine forever."

"Ours forever." Vic voices his presence, making Zahir jump. Vic silently joins in on the hug. I find myself, now squished between the two boys whom I could count on. I had been in the middle of many group hugs before with my previous friend group, but being apart of one who genuinely cared and genuinely loved  me was the greatest feeling.

"Group hugs without us? How rude!" Serena exclaims before sprinting and squeezing into the inner circle where I was. Trevor makes an attempt to join, but Vic shoots him a glare.

"I never agreed to this." Vic stares down at Serena who shrugs, "Well, too bad. Now wrap those long arms around us before I cling onto you."

Vic grimaces before doing so, keeping one arm completely wrapped around me. Zahir pulls in Trevor on his side and smiles brightly, "One big happy, broken family."

The power suddenly turns back on and we all flinch at the brightness of the kitchen.

"See, love brightens the whole room up." Zahir cheers as Vic scoffs, "No, that was just the electricity, moron."

"Can you be sentimental for once in your life?" Zahir hisses as Vic smirks, "No."

"Now, we can watch movies! How is this one? Bhool Boo-lay-a?" Trevor reads the cover and Zahir widens his eyes, "No! Not that one!"

Vic smirks, "Great choice, Marin. Let's watch it."

"No, the lady gives me the creeps, please!"

"It's Bhool Bhulaiya. C'mon, let's dim the lights."

Zahir whines, "I thought you said you cared about me, guys."

"Well, Ella Marie said that. I never did."

Zahir pouts at Vic before sitting in between Marin and him. I slide into Vic's other side as Serena sits next to me. Somehow we managed to fit on the large sofa.

It was around four a.m. when my sister came into the house and essentially made us almost pee our pants.

"AHHHHH!" We all jump as a crazy haired lady walks into the room. She screams as well seeing all of us intertwined together on the couch.

"Why are you all sitting like that?!" Lilly Ann clutches her chest in attempt to calm herself.

"They put on the demonic movie!" Zahir screeches from under the horde of both the guys who had managed to practically dig his grave into the couch by leaning on him.

Serena and I were holding onto each other but not as much from the fear of the movie as much as we were dying of laughter from the guys' antics.

"How were you guys not in the slightest scared?" Trevor whines and Serena bursts into another fit of giggles, tears spilling over yet again from the face of a feared one.

"Your reactions were priceless! Too good to even watch the movie!" I exclaim as I wipe my eyes clean of the dried up tears.

A gurgle of a stomach makes us turn to Trevor who looks close to a green shade.

"I don't think that scary movies and chaat is a good idea for me again. Where's the bathroom?"

"Second door to the left." Lilly Ann barely gets out before the boy is running down the hall.

"Hey, keep your pants on until you reach the bathroom!" Henrik yells as he walks through the hallway, "What's his problem?"

Serena sends us into another fit of giggles as she falls off the couch from her silent cries of laughter.

I could get used to this new normal.