"C'mon Lennon, this has happened every day this week, and it's Friday. GET UP." I could hear Kinsey, but I didn't want to listen. I had an immense feeling of fear settled in my stomach. I don't know why, but that dream really stirred me up, it felt real. This, combined with tomorrow night just put me at an uneasy state.
"No, go away, I just want to spoon my pillow and see the inside of my eyelids." I wasn't serious, well, not all the way at least, I have always had a hard time getting up in the morning.
"If you get up, you'll get to see Gabe." Said Kinsey in a mocking tone. I slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, she had found my weakness.
"Fine, but not because of Gabe. I can smell your chocolate chip pancakes from all the way upstairs." After throwing on some clothes, Kinsey basically dragged me downstairs.
After retrieving my second pancake, mom got a phone call from uncle Duncan and went into the other room. "Guys, I had the craziest dream last night, you would never believe what it was about." I exclaimed before shoving a piece of Kinsey's pancake in my face, ugh, these are so good.
"Oh yeah? what happened?" Replied Tyler.
" I had a dream that there was whispering in the house, only when I found where it came from, I found out it was a key!" I laughed while everyone gave me a crazy look before looking at each other like they were debating to send me away to the loony bin. "What?" I said bewildered, they looked like they knew something.
"Nothing, just curious, what did they key look like?" Replied Bode. Why did he seem like he knew more about my dream than me?
"I don't know, an oval, it looked like it had a finger print." This was starting to make me uncomfortable, why were they looking at me as if I was crazy?
"Where did you find it?" Chimed in Kinsey, who just appeared at the table.
"I don't remember! Just leave it, I'm going to school." I lied while grabbing my bag. Why were they so interested in all the small details of my silly dream? They knew something, and I wanted to be apart of it. I wondered if they were keeping something from me because I haven't been around. Well, I'm here now, so they're just going to have to suck it up and tell me.
.................................
Walking into the doors of Matheson Academy, I spotted Gabe waiting at my locker. "Alright, why are you upset?" Great, now everyone's asking questions.
"What do you mean, I'm fine." I muttered opening my locker.
"If you were fine, you wouldn't have that frown on your face." Said Gabe while he put a hand on my shoulder, I sighed.
"My sibling are keeping something from me, even Bode. So I'm gone for a few lousy months, and they're keeping secrets, it's sick. I just...I just feel like I'm on the outside."Gabe suddenly got the same look my siblings had earlier, but quickly brushed it away. "Oh don't tell me you know too, God, does the whole town know? If I go and ask Eden what's up, will she know too?"
"No! No, I know nothing, I'm just as surprised as you are. I think you're just on edge, but you know what will take your mind off it? Tomorrow night."
I smiled, he was right, I'm probably just overreacting, or was I? And I was super excited for tomorrow, but I would never tell him that. "You are loosing your cool man, have some mystery." I laughed, closing my locker door.
"Oh, so you're admitting that I'm cool? What are you making?" He wrapped an arm around my shoulder waking me to class.
" who said anything about me making the meal, this is a learning experience, you are my apprentice, and like I said, mystery is the key word." We approached the classroom, where I saw Eden glaring at her phone, does she always looked pissed?
"We'll, when I burn down the kitchen, you'll have no one but yourself to blame." Remarked Gabe while sending me off into the classroom.
I walked over to my desk, but not before Eden stopped me. " Hey Lennon, there's a party happening tonight, and I thought I would show you to your first official party at Matheson. So, what do you think?" She had that face, like she was waiting for me to decline.
I almost did, but then I thought to myself, who better to find out what my siblings weren't telling me than her? If I made fake friends, I could have another pair of eyes, plus, I did want to see what a party here was like. "Yeah, sure, what time should I come over?" I could see the grin on her face, wow, is she gullible.
"I'll pick you up, be ready by nine." She replied and then sat in her spot. This was going to be interesting.
............................
Lunch time came and I realized that I might regret going to the party with Eden, but I needed her help.
"Hey, Duncan is coming over for Dinner, are you making something, or should I?" Kinsey sat next to me before taking a bite of her "falogne" sandwich.
"Actually, I was just going to pick something up, and then I'm going to a party." I said sneakily hoping she wouldn't push me about it.
"A party? With who?" She questioned me while her eyebrows furrowed. "If it's with Gabe, tell him he can't have all your free time to himself. I want to spend time with you too." I know what was coming next.
"Actually, I'm going with...Eden." I spit that last part out, hoping she wouldn't hear it, my hope failed.
"Eden? are you joking? she has been nothing but horrible to us. Im sorry, but no." Does she always have to be so bossy?
"Hey, before you start dictating who I hang out with, you should know that I'm not doing it because we're friends. I am getting intel. I wanna know why she hates us so much, besides her being totally psychotic. plus, I want to experience a party here before I graduate. You can come if you want." I was lying through my teeth, for a second time today, but Kinsey seemed to believe me.
"Alright, but just know you'll see many parties before you graduate, I don't know why you insists on going to this one. Just please be careful, I don't need a video out there of my sister dancing topless on top of a table half-drunk and surrounded by kegs." Kinsey understood me, and I was grateful.
"What kegs? I better be invited." Piped in Gabe while biting an apple and sitting down.
"Lennon here is going to her first party, and with none other than Eden."
"You didn't Len, I know you've got a heart of gold, but you let the wicked witch of Matheson convince you to go to a party and be one of her flying monkeys?" Gabe said this while putting his arms up like he was flying. What a dork.
"I wanted to go to a party, Eden just happened to be part of the equation. Save me and be my plus-one? I know you want to see the look on her face when she gets to my house and sees both of us there" I asked hoping he would say yes.
He looked like he was going to say no, but then his face changed. " I don't think you need a plus-one to go to this kind of party, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to go to a party if it's with you, plus I do want to see the look on Eden's face." He answered before taking another bite of his apple.
....................................
I slipped on a short, tight mint green dress and tied my hair in a braid. I had just finished putting on my eyeliner when I heard the doorbell ring. "Kins, can you get it, I need to put on my shoes!" I hollered while grabbing my black heels. A few minutes later a knock could be heard at my door.
"Plus-one has arrived, prepare to be amazed." I giggled, god was he strange. I opened my door and he stood there, gaping. I was proud I made him gape.
"Remind me to accompany you to every party." I hugged Gabe and grabbed my purse. From the window, I could see a car pull up in the driveway, this should be interesting.
We went downstairs and out the doors while Eden stepped out of the car. "Oh, I didn't know you were bring one of the members of the dork squad. How's the movie going without their star?" She smirked at Gabe, who looked pissed. I spoke up before Gabe could.
"Actually, my sister is taking a shot at it, and she's doing pretty good. As for Gabe here, he is my partner-in-crime. I can't go anywhere without him."
"Whatever, let's get out of here." Eden said while getting into her car.
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At the party, I could see lots of drunk teenagers playing games such as beer pong. A guy waived at me, and I waived back, but grabbed Gabe's arm and headed to a couch. "I am really glad you came with me tonight." I held Gabe's hand, it was cold, but it slowly warmed up.
"Me too, it's kind of like a test run for tomorrow night." I was going to say something, but that cologne hit me. All I could focus on was the feeling of his hand latched onto mine. I turned to him, and his eyes stared into mine, and for once, I felt like someone was feeling the same thing I was. He put his other hand on my neck, and I could feel the chill from his frozen hand linger on my skin. He leaned, and I leaned in response. Our noses brushed, and I knew we were going to meet, c'mon!
"Hey Lennon, will you help me with my dress? The tag is sticking out and I can't quite get it." If I could murder Eden, I would.
I gave Gabe an apologetic look, squeezed his hand, and told him I would be right back. I could tell Eden was drunk, and even though I knew we weren't real friends, I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her tonight, so I made it my mission not to let he out of my sight.
I helped her, and then I got an idea. "Hey Eden, what did you mean by my siblings being interesting?" I questioned her hoping she would let out a drunk secret.
"What's not interesting, they are always ganged up doing something, and they're always carrying around these keys, like some kind of trophy." Bingo.
"Keys? like what?" I had to know more.
"I don't know what they look like, but they're obsessed. They parade them around and frankly, it's a little creepy." She said while falling onto a bed. She looked miserable, I almost felt bad. "Thanks for coming with me tonight, you're like, really nice. Im happy you're my friend." Blurted out Eden who then passed out onto the bed. I felt a little guilty, and then I thought, I could still be a good friend and sister to the rest of my siblings, and still be there for Eden. She wasn't actually half-bad.
I found Gabe later, who drove Eden back to the dorms, and then walked me home. I knew nothing more would happen with us tonight, the moment was over, but I knew my feelings were budding for him, I just hoped he felt the same.
In my room, I slipped off my shoes, and changed before hitting my bed and passing out into a dreamless slumber.
....................................
I could hear it, the whispering. I sat up, and looked at my clock: 2:39 a.m. I was tired of this, and I needed a good nights sleep. I stomped out of bed and followed it, right to where my dream led me before, the staircase. Reaching out, I quietly yanked the step up, and the whispering stopped, and in its place-a key, just like the one in my dream. I could see the finger print, but before I could distinguish anything else, a door creaked open. "Shit" I said and I quietly ran to my room before closing the door. I turned on my lamp and looked at the key, and my stomach began to burn again. "Alright, I'm crazy. I am losing it." I told myself, before looking at the key closer, and then looking at my fingers. My pointer finger matched the key perfectly.
"No, this is too weird, I'm dreaming, yeah, that's it, I am going back to bed." I said while throwing the key in my bedside drawer, and turning off my light. What is wrong with me?