2 days. No nightmares.
I don't know if I'm either happy or scared. Maybe the nightmares were just a horrible one off and now they won't come back ever again. Fingers crossed! Or maybe there's no nightmares because I've been sleeping in Ben's room ever since I woke up screaming in Aiden's bed. Or maybe my brain is playing a cruel joke on me and is stopping the nightmares for the time being just for the boss to come out like in video games where there's amateur levels and then the boss level.
I really hope not, I don't fancy waking up in the middle of the night crying and screaming. My throat felt like sand paper and my eyes hurt!
"Come on kids breaks over!" I heard Austin shout from the bottom of the playground immediately bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Let's go Everly! Austin promised we can watch a Christmas movie!" Belle squealed excitedly as she grabbed my arm and pulled me towards Austin with everyone else following behind giggling.
"Austin can we watch Elf?" I asked with puppy eyes.
"We'll decide when we get inside. Now hurry up kiddo." He said with a chuckle as he nudged me in the direction everyone else was headed.
I rolled my eyes and quickly rushed through the doors and found my friends.
"We're watching elf." I squealed excitedly.
The six of us rushed to our table and quickly sat down right before entered the classroom and chuckled at our desperate behaviour.
"Right guys, today Cassidy chose the movie we're watching." He said with a grin as he glanced at Cassidy who was sat on the table at the front.
My grin immediately dropped. I always choose the Christmas movie. Holly, Bella, Candace and I always choose a movie and I always tell Austin so he can put it on. Well now we have Noah and Kade, but still!
"What are we watching Austin?" Michelle, the girl sitting right next to Cassidy asked.
"The nutcracker." He said with a small smile.
I didn't think it was possible but my frown dropped even more. I know for a fact he wasn't too thrilled about it either. Austin hates the nutcracker movie, he says it's too boring and I agree with him a thousand precent!
Just as I opened my mouth to argue, I glanced at Cassidy's excited face and then at Austin who raised his eyebrows at me telling me silently to keep my mouth shut.
He has a crush on her! He one hundred percent has a crush on her. Why else would he suffer through this horrible movie?! Why?!
I can't believe he's taking us down with her.
I gave him my hardest glare before crossing my arms and turning completely away from him.
I can't believe he's already choosing another girl over me. I thought I still had 20 years left!
The movie played in the background yet no one was paying attention. And by no one I mean, all of us except Cassidy, Michelle and Holden.
Two out of 15 kids. It really says a lot.
I could see Austin occasionally glancing at me from my peripheral vision. But I don't care, I feel betrayed.
Yes I can be very petty! I love it!
Gosh this isn't even a proper movie!
I rest my head in my hands and kick my legs back and forth underneath the desk. My day could not get any more boring than it is right now.
I turned my head away from Austin and closed my eyes. Maybe I can get a sneaky little nap in.
And that is exactly what I did. I closed my eyes and immediately fell asleep. I must've fallen asleep for the rest of the day because next minute you know I'm being shaken awake.
"2 more hours." I mumbled as I turned my head away in the other direction as a sharp pain shoots through my neck making me wince.
"That's what happens when you fall asleep on the table sweetheart." Austin chuckled as he rubbed my cheek.
"Up." I mumbled as I kept my eyes glued shut.
"As you wish your highness." He said with no doubt a grin as he picked me up and cradled me in his arms.
"Holly and Aiden are waiting in the car. We though you'd wake up by then sleepy head." He said softly as I felt the cold wind blow making me shiver.
"Wait. I'm still mad at you." I grumbled as I snuggled closer to his chest trying to get warm.
"And why is that baby?" He asked amusedly as felt him pull me away and sit me down in the car.
"You know why." I grumbled as he buckled my seat belt and closed the door.
Once he got in himself I rubbed my eyes trying to get rid of the sleep and turned to holly.
"I'm mad too Austin." She huffed as she crossed her arms.
"Why do they both hate you more than me today?" Aiden asked with a grin.
"He made us watch the nutcracker. I think that speaks for itself." I told him as Austin rolled his eyes.
"Why the fudge would you do that?" Aiden asked Austin with a weird look.
"Yeah Austin, why the fudge would you do that?!" Holly huffed as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Can I go over to Holly's?" I asked as I used my fingers and pushed my eyes open.
"Nope. Alex and Jenny aren't back yet so you girls have to stay with us." Austin said.
"Ugh we're big enough to take care of ourselves." I grumbled as I crossed my arms.
"Honey you can't even reach your own toothbrush without using your step stool." He said with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey! Stop picking on my little trolls. That's my job." Aiden said as he poked Austin's arm.
"Yeah that's his job!" Holly repeated.
"He thinks he's big and tough because he has crush." I said with a smirk.
"AUSTIN!" Aiden yelled.
"Whose the crush you little troll?" Aiden asked as he turned all the way around in his seat.
"Austin, do you mind if I spill the beans?" I asked rhetorically as I batt my eyelashes at him.
"There will be no spilling of any beans. Now get out." He grumbled with a very red face as he opened his door and got out of the car.
"Her names Cassidy. She started just a couple weeks ago." I whispered with a giggle to Aiden as he helped the two of us out.
"Hmmm good work troll." He said with a smirk as he ruffled my hair and closes the front door behind us.
"What if they start dating? He already chose her movie over ours and it's just a crush." Holly said with wide eyes.
"That is very true Holls. What do we do? What if she secretly eats children and convinces him to drop us off to her secret lair and throws us into a cauldron?" I said worriedly as I felt my face pale and my eyes burn.
"We're too young to be cooked and eaten by a witch in disguise." Holly gulped as she turned to look at me.
"What if she cooks and eats him instead? Whose going to make us food? Whose going to tie my shoe laces? Whose going to teach us? Oh my god." I said as my breathing picked up and tears welled in both our eyes.
"AUSTIN!?" We yelled as tears streamed down our faces.
Instead of running like he usually would've done when he hears our crying and screaming, he came strolling in like he's walking in the park with his eyes glued to his phone.
"SHES ALREADY PUT A SPELL ON HIM!" I yelled as I cried harder.
"Hey hey hey, why are you kids crying?" He asked worriedly as he shoved his phone in his pocket and kneeled down in front of us.
"Get away from us! We know you've been cursed!" Holly yelled as she grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction of the stairs.
We heard rapid footsteps behind us.
"Aiden's room. He can get him first." I rushed out as the two of us bolted inside and his underneath his bed wiping our tears.
"What are you two trolls doing?" Aiden asked confusedly as he knelt down and peeled his head underneath his bed.
"A...Austin." I sniffled as his confused frown deepened and he got up.
Seconds later the door flew open and the two of us screamed at the top of our lungs.
"Where are they?" He asked out of breath.
"Why are they crying?" Aiden asked as he stood in front of his bed.
"I don't know!" He said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Don't get too close Aiden. He's been cursed." Holly yelled.
"There you kids are." He sighed as he pulled our legs out from under the bed as we screamed.
"THE WITCH CURSED HIM AIDEN! HELP US!" We yelled.
"I haven't been cursed honey. What makes you both say that?" He asked confusedly as he held us both and stood up so we had no chance of escaping unless we wanted to fall to our death.
"You forcefully made us watch the nutcracker. I think that speaks for itself." I said with narrowed eyes.
"I haven't been cursed honey." He said as he rolled his eyes.
"That's what someone whose been cursed would say." Holly said as she raised her eyebrow at him.
"What could I possibly do to make you little devils believe me?" He asked with an amused look.
"Well for starters you could let us paint your nails. They say paining your nails contributes to removing a curse." I said as I crossed my arms.
"And whose they?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The cursed can't know who 'they' are." Holly replied as she rolled her eyes at him.
"Then we have to do your make up and hair. Also you could get us a bunch of snacks and actually let us watch a REAL Christmas movie. That way we'll know for sure the curse has been lifted." I said as I sat on Aiden's bed.
"Okay fine let's get started shall we." He said with a huff as he held both our hands and led us out of Aiden's room and to mine.
"Take a seat in the curse free chair." I said a so patted my plastic pink chair.
Once he was sat down I glanced at Holly and winked at her before rushing into my closet and finding as many scarves as I could.
"And just to make sure the curse doesn't take over and make you escape. We have to tie you up." I said as I handed one end of the scarf to Holly and started wrapping it around him.
"You kids can do whatever you like. Nothing too extreme. Just get rid of the curse." He said with a chuckle as we continued to tie him up.
"Let's get started." I said with a smirk as I handed the sparkly pink nail polish to Holly and started on his hair.
10 minutes. It's been 10 minutes and he cannot sit still. Holly managed to successfully paint his nails and I managed to successfully do his hair which really just consisted of a bunch of colourful hair ties in his hair. If we hadn't tied him down, he would've be long gone.
"Austin we're doing this for your own good!" I said with a huff as I sat on his lap and started on his make up while holly tied him up even more.
"You should be grateful Austin!" Holly huffed once she finished tying him up.
"You girls are going to be the death of me." He grumbled as he finished struggling.
10 more minutes later, after constantly switching with Holly so we both could do his make up, we were finally done.
"Now all we need is a picture." I whispered to Holly as I ran out of the room and into Aiden's.
"Come with me!" I said as I stood in front of his tv, disturbing his game.
"Come on kid! Go bother Austin." He whined as he pushed me away.
"You're going to want to see this. If you don't come with me you're going to regret it for the rest of your life." I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.
"You have 5 seconds." He grumbled as he out his controller down and followed me out of his room and into mine.
"Get your phone out so you can take pictures." I giggled as I opened the door and burst out laughing.
Austin was still tied to the chair with his hair poking out in 50 different directions because of all the hair ties. Let's not forget the glittery eyeshadow, bright red blush, violet lipstick and his thick eyebrows.
Aiden immediately burst out laughing as he recorded the whole thing. I ran to Holly and gave her a high five.
"That's what you get." Holly said with a smirk as the two of us ran out of the room leaving a hysterical Aiden and a grumpy Austin.
"Don't forget about our snacks and movie!" I yelled as the two of us made it to the living room and immediately burst out laughing.
"He hates us." Holly said as she burst out laughing.
The two of us made ourselves comfortable on the couch and switched on the new episode of miraculous.
Half way through the episode the landline rang.
That's strange.
No one ever calls the landline.
I jumped off the couch and picked up the landline before pressing the green button and holding the phone to my ear.
"Hello?" The voice said.
An awfully familiar voice.
"Whose this?" I asked.
"Give the phone to Ben Carter little girl." The voice said gruffly.
The voice is too familiar for my liking. Who on earth is it?!
"Who are you?" I asked again.
"Stop being a pain in the ass and give the phone to Ben Carter!" He said harshly.
"No!" I yelled as I quickly pressed the red button and put the phone back where it was.
"Who was it Ev?" Holly asked with a frown.
"I don't know." I mumbled as I stared at the landline trying to recall where I've heard the voice from.
Just as I sat back down the phone rang again.
"Go get Austin." I told Holly as I got back up and answered the phone.
"What do you want?!" I asked harshly.
"Stop being a little brat and do what I said you useless kid!" The voice yelled as I flinched away and threw the phone on the couch.
Seconds later Austin came running down the stairs with a frown on his face.
"What's wrong? Who is it?" Austin asked as he made his way to the couch where I threw the phone.
"I don't know." I said softly as I stared at Austin who held the phone up to his ear.
"Well whoever it was hung up." He said with a huff as he gave me a curious look.
"What did they say?" He asked as he knelt down in front of me.
"He wanted to talk to Ben." I whispered as he looked even more confused than before.
"Well baby, next time don't answer the landline okay? Is adults are supposed to answer it." He said with a soft smile as I nodded and silently sat back down on the couch.
"Holly, your mom just texted me. She said it's home time." Austin called from the living room.
"Awwww but I don't want to gooooo!" She whined.
"I know I know but we'll see you again tomorrow." He said with a grin as he picked up her school bag and helped her put her coat and shoes on.
"See you later Ev." She shouted from the door as she walked out holding Austin's hand.
Where have I heard that voice before?
I know I've heard it.
But where?
What if it's one of Ben's friends?
But they wouldn't yell at me through the phone.
Plus they can call his cellphone.
"Boo!" A voice yelled as I felt hands grab my shoulders immediately bringing me out of my own thoughts and making me scream as loud as I possibly could.
I quickly spun around to see Aiden chuckling to himself.
"You're so easy to scare." He said with a laugh as he plopped down next to me on the couch.
I furrowed my eyebrows falling deep into my thoughts as I tried as hard as I possibly could to remember whose the voice was.
I was once again brought out of my thoughts with the ringing of the landline.
Again.
My eyes grew wide as I stared at Aiden get up from the couch and pick the phone up holding it to his ear once he answered it.
I paid close attention to his face.
How it went from neutral, to confused, to angry, to worried and finally to scared?
Scared?
Why would he be scared?
He recognises the voice too.
And if he looks scared, then surely that can't be good.
He quickly hung up and slammed the phone down before turning towards me.
"Did you answer the phone before?" He asked calmly as I simply nodded my head.
"Do you know who it was?" He asked as he stepped closer.
I shook my head, unable to find my voice and actually speak.
"What did he say?" He asked softly as he sat down next to me.
"H...he wanted to talk to Ben and then he yelled at me so I hung up." I whispered.
"Who was it Aiden?" I asked as I stared at him waiting for an answer.
"No one important." He mumbled as he shoved me into his chest and squeezed me tight.
"Stay here. I'll be back in two seconds." He said before getting up off of the couch and walking out of the room not before picking up the phone and taking it with him.
My brain is seriously starting to hurt.
Aiden's POV:
David mother fucking Carter.
Why?
Why now?
It's been 4 years. What the fuck is his issue?!
Not to mention he spoke to Everly. My dumbass thought I scared the shit out of her. Little did I know David fucking Carter beat me to it.
"Pick up the damn phone." I mumbled to myself as I held my phone up to my ear.
"Aiden?!" I heard Austin shout from downstairs.
"Did you scare your sister again?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as he stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up at me.
I looked into the living room to see her staring at the tv. I know she's not watching it. She's thinking about the phone call.
"Come here." I grumbled as I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen.
"David called." I told him as I watched his face go from confused to pissed in a matter of seconds.
"What on earth!?" He said angrily.
"He spoke to Everly. I don't think he realised who she was but I know for a fact she knows who he is. She's sat there staring at the tv trying to figure out why his fucking voice is so familiar!" I whispered harshly.
"This is the last thing we need! Have you called Ben? Elijah?" He asked as he held his head in his hands.
"I was calling them now. Ben hasn't answered and I still need to try Elijah." I explained as I picked my phone up and checked for any missed calls.
None.
"Stay with her and try distract her in any way you possibly can. If you guys need anything then go over next door. I'm going to go get the two of them." He said as he put his jacket on and grabbed his keys.
"Or you could wait for them to come home. They'll be back in 4 hours anyway. The last thing we need is for her to even notice anything is wrong." I said with furrowed eyebrows.
"You're right." He grumbled as he took a seat next to me.
"I know I am." I said as I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room.
Call me when you can! - Aiden
I texted both Elijah and Ben before shoving my phone back into my pocket and sat down next to Everly.
"Do you think I could get a make over like Austin did?" I asked softly.
The last thing I would ever want but I guess I can do it this one time.
"Really?!" She squealed in excitement. Her previous sour mood long gone.
"Yes." I said as I rolled my eyes and watched run out of the room to get things.