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bella was starting to think that waking up to amber screaming was becoming a regular routine, and was definitely better than any other alarm she's had. still groggy from being awoken so suddenly, she sat up in her bed, looking around with half her eyes open.
"amber." bella was finally alert as she realised something bad must have happened, seeing nina hurry over to their blonde best friend. she scrambled to her feet and joined the two of them on amber's bed, as amber hurriedly rolled her sock down to reveal the cursed mark of anubis, causing the brunettes to share a wide-eyed look of concern.
"we're all cursed, aren't we?" amber questioned as bella's eyebrows knitted together.
"we?" she questioned in confusion.
"did you not see her? in the dream?" amber turned to bella expectantly but she just returned it with a shake of her head.
"another dream?" bella asked as the two of them turned to nina. "why would she curse everyone but me?" nina wanted to ask the same question, the three of them unable to find a proper answer as they stared at the tattoo tainting amber's skin.
"i need to hide this, i can't walking around with a tattoo!" the blonde exclaimed, panic settling in as she realised the consequences she would have to face if anyone else found out.
"i have long socks, you can use those to cover up." nina suggested before standing up and digging through her wardrobe in search of them.
"i don't know who i'm more scared of, the spirit or my dad?" amber questioned rhetorically, clearly more afraid of her dad by the looks of things.
"here," nina returned with the ugliest pair of long socks bella had ever seen. "these will cover it."
"okay," amber stared in disgust at the long socks, clearly not a fan of them either. "so i just have to wear long socks for the rest of daddy's life?" amber questioned. "that will look great around the pool."
"i'm so sorry, amber," nina apologised, feeling bad that their blonde friend had been dragged into this. "i just... i feel so powerless against this thing."
"i know, it's okay, hey i was with you any way, now i'm just really with you." she joked causing bella to snort. however, their moment was interrupted as patricia came storming in, clearly unhappy as she showed her wrist where the mark of anubis was displayed.
"what is this?"
"membership?" amber pointed at her own tattoo.
"you too?" patricia questioned, surprised to see the exact same tattoo on amber's ankle. "who else?"
just at that moment, alfie came in and answered her question. "i'm freaking out! i just acquired a tat over night!" he exclaimed, showing his tattoo that was marked on the back of his leg. "i'm too young, it's illegal, and if i had the choice, i would've gone for some fire-breathing dragon!" he listed, clearly distressed by the whole situation.
"not my name?" amber piped up, clearly hurt that she wasn't first choice.
"we broke up!" her words only made alfie more flustered as he pointed between them, trying to get the message across, but amber looked away, clearly not accepting his break up request.
"does this mean we're cursed?" patricia turned to nina. "are our lives at risk too?" just at that moment, fabian had also entered the room, quick to notice the tattoo on alfie's leg.
"so you've met the spirit." he commented, quick to realise the situation.
"met? stamped." patricia showed her tattoo too, taking fabian by surprise.
"wait, they've all got them?!" he questioned as nina nodded her head.
"everyone but bella." she answered as all heads whipped to bella who had been silently watching the scene unfold.
"why doesn't bella have it?" patricia was clearly not happy that they weren't all in it together, but bella could only shrug in response, just as confused as her.
"it could be to do with the old lady from your dream?" nina suggested, as bella nodded in agreement, exchanging a knowing look with amber.
"wait, what about you?!" alfie turned to fabian who also didn't wake up with the curse.
"fabian already had one, after me." nina answered for him.
"what? and you didn't think it was important to tell us it was kind of contagious?" she angrily asked the girl.
"well when amber never got one we thought it was just us," fabian jumped in, trying to defend themselves for keeping the secret. "so, well... we decided―"
"oh, you decided?" patricia cut him off. "from now on, we make all decisions, together. okay?" she didn't wait for an answer before storming out of the room in frustration. alfie followed suite, just as annoyed as he angrily, but gently, slammed the door on his way out.
"patricia's right," bella sighed as she stood up from amber's bed. "we should have told them from the beginning." nina nodded in agreement as fabian and amber stared between them.
"let's get ready, we don't wanna be late." nina sighed, as the others mumbled in agreement, fabian leaving the room to also get ready.
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bella entered the school building, carrying her spare textbooks for her afternoon classes to her locker. however, just before she could reach it, someone stopped her in the middle of the hallway, taking her by surprise as she looked up.
"poppy, what's wrong?" she questioned, noticing the slightly constipated expression on her face. "you look like you're about to throw up." she added, wondering if the girl was okay.
"sorry, i'm fine, i just..." the younger girl trailed off, seemingly finding it difficult to answer bella's question. "i found out which prison my father's staying in." she confessed, taking bella by surprise. "i'm going to go visit, but i'm so scared and i just..."
"hey," bella placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, sending her a small smile. "you'll be fine, he wouldn't have written back if he didn't want to see you, the both of you." she assured the younger girl.
"will you please come with me? i don't know if i can go by myself." poppy admitted, afraid to face her own dad. she knew that it would go well, but her nerves were getting the better of her. bella pursed her lips, remembering that they were supposed to go back into the tunnels tonight ― plus, she was trying to distance herself from jerome and anything to do with him. "please?"
"okay," bella sighed, giving in. there was just no way she could say no when the younger girl was so nervous and practically begging her. "when are we going?" she questioned.
"thank you!" poppy cheered excitedly, her nerves disappearing once bella agreed. "today after school, we can get changed and go?" she suggested as bella nodded, not having much else of a choice since she had already agreed to go.
"i'll see you after school."
after school felt like it came too quickly as bella patiently waited outside of poppy's residential. she had already gone home and changed into something more presentable ― a sage green, lettuce-hemmed top and matching headband, and a pair of mom jeans that she rolled up the ends of, finishing with her black converses. although she wasn't a huge fan of jerome right now, meeting his dad was definitely nerve wracking even for her.
"bella." the said girl's head shot up as she greeted poppy who had also changed into something casual, an excited smile on her face.
"shall we?" bella motioned to the taxi waiting for them, poppy nodding her head as she led the way, the both of them entering the vehicle as it drove off to the prison that held poppy's dad captive. bella had to admit that she was a bit upset in missing out on tonight's tunnel adventure, but luckily amber and nina were understanding, assuring the girl that she wasn't missing out on anything considering they still had to figure out this dead end situation.
"we're here." poppy brought bella back to reality as the two stared out the window, the dreary weather making it look even less appealing as they arrived at the prison.
"how are you feeling?" bella questioned the younger girl as they exited the taxi.
"nervous," poppy admitted as they walked up to the building. "but excited." she smiled, entering before bella as the older girl stared after her. she couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how much hope she had for her family, making her wonder if she could ever feel that way one day.
not dwelling on the matter much longer, bella followed after the girl. the two of them were greeted by a prison guard who guided them to the visit hall where poppy's dad would meet them. they sat patiently waiting, watching as others visited their own relatives, the atmosphere quite relaxed which surprised bella. she expected it to be a lot more intense, like in the tv shows, but it was nothing like how they made it out to be.
"poppy?" their attention was caught as bella's eyes landed on an older man, she could definitely seem the resemblance to jerome. the two girls stood up as poppy excitedly smiled, greeting the man.
"dad." bella noticed a subtle gleam on the man's face as he heard the word he had been wanting to hear for years.
"what are you doing here? who's this?" he questioned, finally noticing bella's presence as he sat down at the table, the two girls also sitting back down.
"this is bella, she's friends with me and gerbil." poppy introduced the brunette as she sent an awkward smile to the man.
"gerbil?" he was clearly amused by the teasing nickname his youngest gave his eldest. "speak of the devil." the two turned around in confusion, their eyes meeting jerome's as he was being allowed into the visitor's hall.
"what are you two doing here?" he questioned, walking up to them.
"err, i don't know? seeing my dad, maybe?" poppy fired back as jerome took the spare seat next to the younger girl on the right.
"kids―"
"you snuck into my room, you went through my stuff, and you got bella involved again!"
"our stuff, gerbil, that letter was for me too, you know! bella's only helping me, so don't get mad at her again." poppy fired back.
"poppy―" their dad tried to butt in again, but it was no use.
"misfit."
"mutant."
the two began hitting each other, bella clearly amused by the situation as their dad tried to stop them. "kids!" he exclaimed, grabbing their attention as bella pursed her lips. "thats the first time in a long time," they turned to the man, seeing only happiness glow on his face. "i felt like a real dad."
it was obvious that the three of them shared sentiment behind his words, bella couldn't help but feel out of place, feeling as if she was intruding their little family moment.
"maybe i should step out." she suggested, halfway out of her seat when they all collectively stopped her.
"no please," jerome's dad placed a gentle hand on her arm. "clearly these two trust you a lot to bring you all the way here, i think it would mean a lot to them if you could stay." bella pursed her lips, taken aback by his words, but silently agreed as she sat back down.
"its actually thanks to bella that we even got here." poppy pointed out. "she helped me get my phone back and that was where i found the letter you had sent."
"thank you, bella." the man smiled, making bella feel awkward as she could feel her face heating up from embarrassment at the sudden attention.
"oh, no its okay. i hardly did a thing." she denied, waving her hands.
"so, poppy, is jerome keeping you out of trouble?" luckily for bella, he turned his attention back to his daughter.
"jerome can't keep himself out of trouble."
"shut it poopy." jerome deadpanned, knowing where she was going.
"he's the school prankster." she exposed the boy, a giggle escaping her lips.
"really?"
"she's showing off." jerome assured the man, clearly unable to take the praise.
"relax, being the school prankster is not what led me in to..." the man trailed off, an awkward tension blanketing them as the atmosphere suddenly shifted. "well, it's not how i ended up here. i was devastated when i had to leave that school." bella watched as the smiles dropped from their faces.
"why did you?"
"poppy." jerome's warning tone cut her off, but his dad assured them it was fine.
"no, its okay, i messed up, didn't i?" bella pursed her lips, wishing that she had insisted more on stepping outside. "like i always messed up, right?"
poppy shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "i... don't remember." she admitted.
"that's... probably a good thing." he nodded, clearly ashamed of his previous doings. "pops, do you wanna take bella and get us something from the machines? some... some chocolate, or something?" he suggested suddenly, reaching into his pocket for some spare change before handing it over to the girl.
poppy smiled, nodding her head as her and bella walked over to the machines. "how are you feeling?" bella questioned, watching poppy insert the change before pressing a few buttons.
"i thought it would be more scary." she admitted, crouching down to get the bar of chocolate. "but i'm glad i came, and i'm glad you're here with me too." she added, sending the older girl a grateful smile. bella nodded, happy that she was at least some sort of help.
the two returned to the table, continuing the conversation where they had left off until visiting hours were finally over. the ride back home was silent for bella, as jerome and poppy bickered as usual, making the journey entertaining but also tiring her out more than she already was.
they dropped poppy off first, before walking back to anubis house together, an awkward silence blanketing them as they kept their distance, bella doing everything she can to avoid conversation with him.
"thank you, by the way," jerome suddenly spoke up as they stood in the foyer, before bella could escape up the stairs. "for accompanying poppy, it must've been awkward being there with us, but i know she really must've been scared if she needed someone with her." bella sighed, turning to face the boy.
"it should've been you that she asked, jerome." bella pointed out, getting frustrated that he didn't realise that. "you are her brother, and she cares about you a lot. i wish that you would do the same for her."
"you don't understand―"
"yeah, you're right." bella cut him off, glaring up at him. "how could i ever understand how lucky it must be to have family around." she didn't wait for a response as she turned away and headed up the stairs, furious that jerome didn't realise how good he had it.
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