Layla's POV
"Frump. Freak. There are no words!" Amber exclaimed as she threw our dresses back at us.
"Don't be so ungrateful," Patricia told her.
"You helped us pick out these dresses," my sister said as she held ours up.
"Yeah, well, they suits you two but this is me we're talking about. It's useless. No good. I can't go. Go without me. I would have wanted it that way," Amber said sadly as she lay back down on her bed. I shrugged at my sister as we helped each other get ready for the dance.
(Just picture her wearing the necklaces and rings from earlier though and her arm cuff is on display as well.)
"Wow," Jerome said as I walked down the stairs to see him standing in a suit. He looked really good, he just hadn't finished tying his tie yet.
"Whoa," I heard Fabian say to Nina. I grinned at the two of them.
"Do you need some help with your tie?" I asked as I laughed at Jerome. He nodded nervously and I stepped closer to tie it for him, stepping back once I was done.
"Where where's prom queen Millington?" Fabian asked.
"I hope we can get away in time to meet Joy. The teachers are going to be watching us like hawks," my sister said as we huddled together.
"I hope Joy can get away from her dad," Patricia added.
"Oh, my word. Don't you all look so grown-up and beautiful? Oh, Patricia, this was pushed under the door. Last-minute date, perhaps.
Very romantic," Trudy said as she looked over at us all and handed Patricia a note. "Where's Amber? Amber? Amber?" She called as we went into the hallway.
"Here!" Amber called down as she descended the staircase to our clapping. "I have nothing to say to you, dress thief," she glared at Jerome. I smacked his arm as I realized he must have stolen her dress. He just rolled his eyes at me.
"Somebody better pinch me. Ow," Alfie exclaimed as Amber followed his instructions and punched him.
"Come on. Let's go over there. I want to try out my new moves!" Mick exclaimed.
"Oh! It's mirror writing again. Must be from Joy. Change of plan. Yeah. She wants to meet me earlier? In the history classroom? I wonder why," Patricia asked as she read the card. I shrugged.
I blushed as Jerome wrapped his arm around mine and walked with me over to the school.
"Why did the chosen hour have to be on the same day as our prom? The universe is so selfish sometimes," Amber exclaimed as we walked down the hallway to the history classroom.
"Amber, we need to meet up with Joy. It's important," Nina said as we opened the door to see Mr. Winkler standing at his desk.
"Hey, guys. Why are you not at the dance?" He asked.
"Why aren't you?" Patricia asked back.
"I am waiting for my date with miss Robinson.
Patricia, what's in the bag? I hope you're not trying to smuggle contraband into the prom," he said.
"No. It's just girly stuff. That girls use. I can be really girly at times," Patricia replied.
"Okay. You won't mind if I take a look," he told her as he took the bag and started to open it. As he did so Rufus slipped into the classroom and shut the door on us.
"Red sutekh sand flies. Very rare, quite vicious, and certainly deadly. Now everyone do as I say or I break this glass. You, get the blinds," he ordered as he looked at Fabian. "The rest of you, get over there," he told us before turning to Mr. Winkler. "Leave that there. Now, you get me elixir and the chosen one. I want them within the hour. Or I break this glass," he demanded.
"You are insane," Mr. Winkler said.
"Very observant. Now go. Oh, apologies, Patricia. This time the note was not from Joy.
Sorry to disappoint. But at least I get what I came for. The ankh pieces, all seven of them.
What's this? Where are my Ankh pieces? You will all pay for this!" He exclaimed as he checked the bag to find only bottles of water.
"Perfect, Patricia. They're safe," I heard my sister whisper.
"Yeah, but are we?" She whispered back.
"Where are the Ankh pieces?" Rufus asked angrily.
"Did you really think we'd be stupid enough to carry them around with us, today of all days, knowing everyone is after them?" Nina told him.
"You gave them to Joy, didn't you? You do realize that she is part of all of this, don't you?" Rufus hissed.
"Yeah. She's the chosen one. We're not stupid," I told him as I crossed my arms and glared at him. I could feel Jerome's hand still on my back and somehow that made me feel safe.
"Who wants the cup just as much as anyone else. You have played straight into their hands," Rufus said.
"No, no, no, no. Layla, don't believe him. He's a liar. He's playing you!" Jerome argued.
"Oh, really? Thanks for telling me about the purposed rendezvous with Joy, Jerome. You've been a very useful spy!" Rufus stated.
"I did not tell, you creep! I did not double-cross you guys. I swear I didn't. Not this time!" Jerome said as he tried to launch himself at Rufus but thankfully Fabian and Alfie held him back.
"It's okay, Jerome. We believe you. Joy's on your side, and you know it. That's why you knew we'd be meeting up with her, and why you'll get your pieces when Jason brings you Joy and the elixir," I glared at Rufus.
"Jason, are you in there? I'm sorry I'm late.
I got a flat. Jason?" We heard miss Robinson calling out from the other side of the door.
"What's that? Give!" Rufus instructed as we heard the sound of vibrating coming from Patricia. "Missed call from Joy. How interesting. Call her back. Tell her to meet here immediately with the pieces," Rufus told her.
"No," she replied.
"They look very angry, and so am I," Rufus said as he shook the hourglass in his hand.
"Patricia, call her," Amber whimpered.
"It rang and rang, and now it's just switched over to her voicemail," Patricia said as she hung up the phone. Rufus grabbed it back and then threw it at the wall.
"You're paying for that!" Patricia exclaimed.
"Sit down and shut up, all of you! Time is running out for you people!" Rufus cried out. I hurried to sit down next to Jerome, who squeezed my hand under the table.
"And I'm sorry for spending all my dad's money and for giving Mara a hard time during elections and for all the thoughts I've had about David Beckham. Even though I know he's Victoria's," Amber was whispering to herself.
"Amber! Not helping! Really not helping!" Fabian told her.
"You don't know that," she said back.
"Jason, I don't know if you're in there not, but if you are, hear this. I don't respond well to getting stood up. You're dumped!" Miss Robinson called out almost an hour later as she returned.
"Feisty," commented Alfie.
"Well, looks like we've all been dumped. Your teachers have clearly abandoned you to your fate," Rufus said as he held up the hourglass.
"It's over. Why don't you just let us go?" Fabian shouted.
"It's not over until the hour itself is over. They're probably putting the cup together as we speak," Rufus said as he sat on the edge of the desk.
"Maybe they've already done it, beaten you to it. It's time to give up!" I told him.
"No, you're all still alive, so clearly they haven't drank from the cup," he told me.
"Run that by me again," I asked worriedly as I glanced at my sister.
"Oh, yes. Oh, Victor and the others think it's all symbolic, the tipping of the scales - the symbolic flow of life force from the young to the old. Only immortality comes at a price," Rufus said.
"And by price you mean," my sister asked.
"It's a life for a life, my dear. I think I saw your name down there in the cellar," he said as he glanced at me. I shivered and Jerome tighten his grip on my hand.
"What's he talking about?" Jerome asked.
"Fabian, those coins with our names on, the scales," Nina said.
"Nina, don't worry. It's going to be okay," Fabian told her.
"I still have time to relieve Victor of the cup. You. You are coming with me," he said as he walked over and pulled me out of my seat.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Jerome shouted angrily as he suddenly charged at Rufus and slammed him into the wall causing him to drop the key to the door.
"Quick!" Jerome exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around me.
"Gross!" Alfie said as he tossed the hourglass to Amber.
"Go! Go!" Fabian cried out as we managed to get the door open and Amber handed me the hourglass.
"Throw it. Throw it!" Jerome told me. I stared at him as he took it from me and did exactly that.
"You okay?" He asked me gently as we stopped to catch our breath.
"Rufus," I panted.
"It was him or us, Layla," he said.
"We have to warn the teachers. They can't drink from the cup of Ankh. They just can't!" My sister exclaimed.
"What happens if they do?" Jerome asked, his arms still wrapped around me.
"Someone dies," Patricia told him.
"Dies?" Amber exclaimed.
"Yeah, but there's no need to be scared," Fabian tried to tell us, not that we listened.
"Let's get over there and stop them!" Jerome shouted as we raced down the hall.
"No, guys! Wait up!" Fabian called out as he ran after us.
"Joy, what happened?" Asked Patricia once we got back to the house to see her coming out of the cellar.
"Nothing happened. I'm not the chosen one.
There is no cup," she told us.
"They told you that being the chosen one was something to do with your birthday, right?" My sister asked as she glanced at me. I had a feeling I knew where this was going. It was just like we had guessed earlier.
"Yeah, 7th of July," Joy told us.
"Mine's the 7th of July too," Nina mumbled. I patted her on the shoulder. Whatever happened I was going to be there for her.
"What? Joy, you were born 7:00 am right? The 7th hour on the 7th of the 7th?" Fabian asked.
"No, 7:00 pm," Joy corrected.
"Nina?" Fabian asked.
"I don't know. Sometime early in the morning, though," she answered.
"I bet it was 7:00 am! The true 7th hour!" Fabian cried out.
"It would be the american, wouldn't it?" Jerome said with a roll of his eyes.
"Hey!" I told him as I elbowed him.
"Guys, it's quarter to 1:00. We've only got 15 minutes of the chosen hour left. Where are the pieces?" Fabian asked.
"Still down there, I think," Joy said.
"Nina?" Fabian said.
Nina, hurry. You don't have long. Make the cup.
I glanced at my sister as we heard the voice again.
"Okay. Let's do this," Nina stated.
You are the chosen one, Nina. This is your destiny. Make the cup.
I stared in surprise as we saw Sarah appear and disappear once more. We were definitely not dreaming!
"You have to say the incantation: "with this circle of light, I seal the circle of life," Joy instructed my sister as I stood by her side.
"With this circle of light, I seal the circle of life.
With this circle of light, I seal the circle of life.
Nothing's happening. Why is nothing happening? Nina, look, your locket. Layla!" Amber exclaimed as suddenly Nina's locket glowed but so too did my Ankh necklace I was wearing. Okay...not weird at all. I expected it from my arm band since it had been doing that all year but not from the necklace! We were bathed in a bright golden light and suddenly the Cup of Ankh was fully repaired.
"That's the most beautiful accessory I have ever seen," Amber said as she stared at it.
"You did it!" Fabian exclaimed.
"I did!" Nina said in total shock.
"And now we have to hide it for good!" I said as I picked it up, ignoring the way it flowed when I held it.
"Not unless I have something to do with it!" Rufus suddenly said from behind us as he grabbed a hold of Amber.
"Rufus!" Jerome cried out.
"I knew it. The bad guy always comes back!" Alfie shouted.
"Did you really think that I would expose myself to the deadly sutekh sand fly. Without first equipping myself with an antidote? And now I have the queen, which I will put in this pretty girl's ear. Unless you do exactly what I say. You, give me the cup. You, get the elixir.
Quickly! We only have a few minutes!" Rufus demanded as I reluctantly handed him the cup as Fabian retrieved the elixir. I noticed that as soon as I stopped touching it, it stopped glowing. Huh...I wondering if that meant it would or wouldn't work?
"Yes. All right, pour it in. All of it. All of it! I am leaving nothing for those idiots. Ah, finally, eternity is mine!" Rufus shouted as he stretched his arms out.
"No!" Victor suddenly cried out as he came down into the cellar.
"Oh, Victor! How lovely to see you. Oh, I'm so sorry. There's none left. That's a shame," Rufus said as he tipped the cup upside down.
"No!" Nina and Victor shouted as he put the cup in the furnace. I frowned though as something inside of me told me that the cup would be alright.
"Why, Rufus? Why? We could have shared all this. That was our plan," Victor said.
"No, that was your plan, Victor. I always had other ideas after Charlotte died. Big ideas that your pathetic little society would never even dream of. And then when I found the true meaning behind the tipping of the scales, well, I decided to go it alone. Is anyone feeling poorly?" Rufus asked as he stared around at us.
"Actually, I feel a bit dizzy," Alfie said as he suddenly collapsed on the ground.
"Alfie!" Amber shouted.
"Alfie! What's happening?" Victor asked.
"The symbolic life force, it isn't symbolic, Victor. It really happens! That boy is gonna die.
And I I'm gonna live forever!" Rufus explained.
"Alfie!" Amber cried out again.
"Alfie, buddy!" Jerome exclaimed as Rufus headed back up the stairs.
"Guys, listen up!" Fabian shouted.
"Please let him live. I'll do anything!" Amber stated.
"Guys!" Fabian cried out again.
"Anything? Like be my girlfriend even?" Alfie asked.
"Yes, Alfie, anything!" Amber told him.
"Alfie, you can stop playacting now," Fabian said.
"Fabian, you know what happens when someone drinks the elixir from the Cup of Ankh!" Nina admonished.
"Except Rufus didn't drink the elixir, did he?" Fabian declared as we all stared at him in surprise.
"What?" Patricia asked.
"He's not immortal," Fabian said.
"He's not?" Victor asked.
"No. You know your little insurance policy? Having two identical bags, letting Joy look after the pieces. What Layla said about always having a contingency?" I grinned at Fabian realizing he must have done something. "I had an insurance policy of my own. I remembered our fake elixir. I borrowed the spare cellar key from Victor's office, threw away the real elixir and replaced it with the fake one," Fabian told us.
"Hah!" I said as Jerome wrapped his arms around me again.
"You threw it away?" Victor said in shock.
"You're a genius, Fabian! I love you!" I raised my brows at my sister but decided not to tease her about it.
"So does that mean Alfie isn't really dying?"Amber asked as Victor left.
"Don't sound so disappointed. I actually did feel a bit ill for a second," Alfie commented as he stood up.
"Alfie, I was really worried and worrying causes wrinkles," Amber said with a frown.
"I guess it's all over," Jerome said happily as he lifted me up and spun me around before suddenly kissing me.
Wow. That was some kiss, I thought to myself only to be brought back to reality as I noticed everyone was shouting in surprise as we were covered in more golden light, only this time coming from my Osiris ring. What the heck! I immediately broke the kiss off and stood back in shock as Jerome just blinked at me in confusion as everyone else just shrugged and gathered back in the hallway.
Nina, Layla, it's not over.
"I knew it was too good to be true!" My sister exclaimed as we heard Sarah's voice again.
"What?" Fabian asked.
"That sound," Nina replied as we looked back to see the cellar door open again. I glanced at my sister.
"Nina?" Fabian asked.
"Layla," Jerome added.
"Go, we'll meet you there," I told the two boys.
"Uh, you heard what the girl said," Patricia told them as we descended the stairs.
"Sarah, what's happening?" I asked as she reappeared in front of my sister and I.
"Take the cup, Layla. Now the cup has been restored. The curse can be lifted. We can rest in peace. Take it. Hide it. Keep it safe!" Sarah warned as we watched her parents materialize behind her as I held onto the glowing cup. The next thing I knew they were all bowing to me. What the actual heck! I stared wide eyed at my sister. Why were they bowing? That can't be good! Then they faded from sight.
"Okay, you do not mention that to anyone!" I hissed at my sister as we ran to the school, taking a slight detour to hide the cup.
"My gosh, where were you? We've been so worried," Fabian cried out as Nina and I entered the dance. I smiled at Jerome as he took my hand. No way was I going to try and kiss him again anytime soon though. Not if it meant more glowing! Not that I didn't want to...
"We had to take care of a few things," I told them as Amber suddenly tapped on the microphone.
"Okay, listen up, guys. So I've decided it's time to announce our prom king and queen. We haven't had actually had a chance to vote, so I get to choose," I rolled my eyes at Amber. "So without further ado, the prom king is Fabian Rutter, and the prom queen - is Nina Martin. "Now, dance, you two!" Amber ordered. "Dance!" I cheered along with everyone else as the two danced and then finally kissed. Yay! Fabina! Finally!
"I wanted to say earlier, Layla, that you look beautiful tonight," Jerome said as he expertly guided me around the dance floor. I blushed.
"Thanks! And you look very handsome," I told him. He leaned over to try and kiss me again and I quickly held a finger up. "Better not, at least not with everyone around and the whole glowing thing," I whispered. He paused but then smiled and twirled me around and dipped me just like Mick had done with Fabian earlier and I let out a laugh.
(Okay! That's the end of Season 1! Yay! Hope you all enjoyed it! I wanted to give Nina her moment to shine this season plus the Osirian plot can't really get fully started until Eddie arrives at the school in the next season! I haven't fully decided whether I will consider the book complete once I get to the end of season 2 or add like another bit it really depends on how well I'm able to wrap everything up and or I could just make a little epilogue explanation thing we'll see - definitely let me know what you thought of this first season though!)