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Chapter 7: Pranks, Pranks, War, Pranks
10:01 P.M., Upstairs Corridors
There’s no way out of this labyrinth. Ivy walls surrounded me as I blindly ventured through the upstairs corridors. Something fell and an eerie sound echoed, which caused me to cringe. I’ve never felt so vulnerable and inadequate.
How could they have kept her and not me? What was wrong with me?
An aching feeling in my stomach occurred and an overwhelming sadness rippled through me. My throat closed and I felt light-headed as the cold beads of sweat layered my brow. I placed my back onto the wall and crawled into fetal position. And that’s how I spent the night.
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8:02 A.M., Unknown Location
Waking up that next morning surely was a surprise. Morning sunlight shined bright through the blue curtains and fried my eyes.
“Oh geez, someone turn down the sun a little. These are my eyes not a scrambled egg.” I moaned only half aware of my surrounds.
Suddenly I felt something climb over my body and my hand jerked a little. I squinted my eyes open a bit and came face to face with strawberry blonde haired little boy. My heartbeat doubled in pace, but my face remained passive. Only the scrunching of my eyebrows indicated my inner turmoil.
“Scrambled eggs sure do sound good about now, don’t they? Let’s get breakfast, no let’s get bacon. Better yet, let’s get a bacon, egg and cheese bagel. Ehh, I’m fine with anything actually, I just really want bacon and maybe some waffles. Hey do you like waffles? All I ever see you eat is grilled cheeses and French fries, which is weird, but I like weird.” A small voice rambled on and on.
Now fully aware of my surroundings I stared Andrew hard in the eye. “Get off me, kid.” I grumbled. Though his small weight was not a problem, what was I a chair? One does not just sit on me.
He grinned and lifted his hand which simultaneously lifted mine as well. Smack dab between our wrists were a pair of metal, fluffy handcuffs. The same pair I purchased that was intended to make Nathaniel prisoner to his whiny harlot, Charlotte.
My eyes bulged and my body sprung upright which caused Andrew to fall to the ground beside the bed. I looked down at him exasperated, “Where are we? What happened after the party? Why are we handcuffed? And who is responsible?”
He smiled and began ticking off fingers as he answered my questions. “We’re in my room. Christopher (Barney) carried you in here because it was the closet room to where you passed out and I did not mind,” he said with a cheeky grin.
“So after that disaster of a welcoming party you strutted out of the room like you owned the place and probably got lost and slept on the hallway floor for about an hour maybe. The party was awkward afterward and the paparazzi went crazy, then Nate and Charlotte had to get their clothes cut off to get out of the chairs though.” We both chuckled at that as he ticked off another finger.
Yeah, I’m glad that Charlotte’s Versace dress got destroyed and Nathaniel deserved to get his bum glued to a chair, served him right.
“I’m actually not entirely sure why we’re handcuffed, but I don’t care. As long as you do not get in the way between bacon and me, I’m fine. However, I’m pretty sure this has something to do with Nate, I did see him go into the game room last night.” He said questioningly as he ticked off his last two fingers.
“Well then get up and let’s go find out!” I announced, slightly yanking him up off the ground as I walked towards the exit.
“Let’s go to the kitchen first? For bacon.” He spoke excitedly with a bit of hop to his step.
“No, let’s find Nathaniel first, bacon later.” I shook my head as we squeezed through his doorway.
He stopped abruptly which nearly yanked my shoulder right out of its socket and I glared and tugged at him, but he wouldn’t budge.
He’s not even 25 kg, where is all this strength coming from? Probably his precious bacon, I rolled my eyes at the thought.
He squinted and his hazel-brown optic sized up my figure and a smirk seized his faced before he met my eyes. Was he checking me out? He then shook his head and glared at me. “Wait, are you serious? You have got to be kidding! Bacon is always first, it’s like in the bible.” He states proudly.
“No, Nathaniel then as much as bacon as you would like, OK!” I yelled, now annoyed with the situation.
“Bacon first or I’m not coming,” He said with a firm tone while crossing his free arm to confirm his stubborn stance.
“Fine, fine! Bacon it is then, you tyrant!” I compromised with a groan as he giddily rushed us to the kitchen. I continuously scoffed and moaned, just to annoy the crap out of him as he dragged my through the hallways. The most irritating part is that he was completely unaffected by my behavior.
He’s not annoyed by our handcuffing, he’s not annoyed with my verbal insults, and he wasn’t even bothered by my relentless groaning. What is he thick-skinned or naïve? I actually really admired that about him, nothing got under his skin and he still always got what he wanted.
“Thanks, Ray.” He said with a heartbreaking smile. Everyone’s smile in this family is so bright and so white I observed. I really should raid their bathrooms for toothpaste before I leave this place for good. Then remembering I was suppose to respond, I shrugged my shoulders and affectionately ruffled his hair.
We both took seats on top of the table counter and Andrew called for the chef to make two grilled cheese sandwiches and ten strips of bacon. The chef rolled his eyes then set to work after pinching Andrew’s cheeks. I offered my assistance but he laughed and shook his head no before he glanced down at my handcuffed hand then winked.
If I had not trained myself how not to blush, I surely would have. Our situation really was embarrassing.
Time had passed and we were all laughing about Andrew’s latest prank he planned to pursue this evening. He was still trying to perfect it and I had nicknamed it Operation: Sticky Boxers. Its double meaning also brought a smirk to both mine and the chef’s faces.
My mind now floated adrift and my heart ached when I realised I have not spoken to Ace or the Maloneys in days. I really saddened me that neither had phoned nor tried to contact me but I guess the phone goes two ways and it’s my fault also. It just sucks to know the people you have spent your whole life with did not care.
My train of thought was curtly disturbed when I felt the cold hand of a stranger run up my thigh. I had to restrain myself from shivering.
“Why so sad, RJ?” A handsome voice whispered in my ear. I turned my head and came nose to nose with Nathaniel. My face jerked back and knocked with Andrew’s, causing him to drop a strip of bacon,
“Baby, no!” He cried when he realised five seconds had already passed and the rule no longer applied. He hit me on the shoulders from frustration, “Look what you did Ray!” He exclaimed.
I shrugged him off and glared at him for touching me then returned my gaze to Nathaniel’s hand. My thigh felt a sort of tingling sensation from his touch, it was uncomfortable.
“Get off me, Nathaniel.” I said as I shoved him away with my one free hand.
“Why, RJ? Am I annoying you, RJ? Am I embarrassing you, RJ? Do I make you uncomfortable, RJ?” He sneered in my face. My face remained impassive throughout his little speech, but I will admit my heart was beating so fast I was afraid it would pop right out of my chest and out the door.
Andrew gave his eldest brother a weird glance before he whispered in my ear, “Hey, what do you think crawled up his arse and died?”
My response was a roll of my eyes. However, I was thankful for his comment because it diverted my attention away from my wild heartbeat.
Nathaniel continued to glare at me for a few silent minutes before finally speaking. His tone was hushed and malicious, “You embarrassed me, you embarrassed your sister, you embarrassed your family and my family, hell you even embarrassed the Maloneys last night. You think your pranks are funny, well they are not. And I tried to calm myself yesterday, but I couldn’t. RJ, this is war and let the better man win.”
During his entire speech both Andrew and I were sharing weary looks. Was he serious?
“Are you friggin’ serious, Nathaniel? If you seriously think I am going to indulge in this child’s play with you then you better unstuck whatever it is stuck up your arse. I am not amused.” I told him in an affirmative and arrogant tone, almost reciprocating his usual tone towards me.
“No, it’s too late. Yesterday was big; you embarrassed me in front of everyone I have ever known. Tabloids, newspapers, Facebook, Twitter, everyone is talking about it.”
Now I was glaring at him, he has got to be f*cking kidding me. He isn’t Kim Kardashian, he isn’t a big deal.
“You’re like a f’ing 5-year-old sometime, Nathaniel. Get over yourself.” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“No.” He said stubbornly as he threw a glass of a fruit smoothie at me. As the sticky liquid smothered me I had to hold my nose and my tongue.
This boy. This boy. This stupid, stupid boy. I’ll kill him.
“I hope you have enjoyed my first,” he said pointed to my wrist, “second,” he said pointing to my smoothie covered head, “and third prank.” He lifted his hands up as he walked out of the room, “Get at me, Rayvine. You’re not even on my level."
What;s he talking about third prank?
“Oh, ahah! I get it!” Andrew said.
I turned to him, “What?”
“We are stuck together and you are covered in smoothie. All of your clothes are in Nate’s room so you have no way of changing now.” He smiled proudly, happy that he had figured it out.
I groaned and face palmed myself.
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7:12 P.M., Andrew’s Room
One speck, two speck, three speck, four.
I tried to pass the time by counting the dust particles floating around in Andrew’s room.
This is the only room I felt safe in all day. Nathaniel had booby-trapped everything; He’s tripped me down the stairs, had all his dirty boxers fall on me, and even flung my clothes outside his balcony window.
I haven’t even had time to myself all day. Nathaniel had filled my day with childish pranks, Andrew continued pestering me even after we had separated, and do not even get me started on all the other annoying members of this family.
So instead of using this time to think up stupid pranks I was just going to relax and do nothing.
Too bad that didn’t last very long.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my goodness. Ray, come here and help me block the door! Hurry!” Andrew yelled at me between his incessant laughter.
“Wait? What? Why?” I asked only half interested in his panic state. He was disturbing my me-time.
“Because —” That was all he managed to say before Nathaniel came bursting through the doors.
My legs stopped moving towards the door as I took in Nathaniel’s new look. Nathaniel’s entire body was a potent green color while his hair was a flaming orange. My face contorted in to so many different shapes I wasn’t even sure what it was trying to do anymore.
I immediately collapsed on the floor and my face turned bright red. I tried to correct myself by backing up onto the bed and laying down as my laughter filled the tense room. The gut-wrenching chuckles and loud snorts only portrayed half my amusement. This is the highlight of my week.
“Oh my goodness, your hair! Your entire-your entire everything! You look like, like an idiot!” I managed to say between giggles. He got up right into my face and held trapped me by placing his hands on either side of me. When I didn't stop laughing he looked murderous, but instead of doing anything violent he started poking my sides which only added to my laughter because I was extremely ticklish.
“Stop laughing! This isn't a laughing matter!” He demanded.
“Then-n stop poking me-ee and stop-pa be-being so orange!” I said while trying to sober myself up from my laughing rampage.
“You’re ticklish?” He mumbled under his breath for a second. Then he placed his hands back on either side of me with a devilish grin.
“What? Na-noo.” I took a deep breath and finally managed to calm down. However, the victorious grin did not wipe off my face.
He seemed to snap back into reality when he realised both Andrew and I have stopped laughing. “I don’t know when you two sneaked into my bedroom today and did this but you will regret it. Payback's a b*tch.” He threatened.
“Well if payback’s a b*tch and revenge is sweet, I’m the sweetest b*tch you’ll ever meet. Bring it on mate, I'm practically a god in the acts of revenge.” I said in a sing-song voice then winked just to get a rise out of him.
“You will not win.” He hissed before storming out and slamming the door behind him.
“Yeah, whatever, I don’t see that happening.” I grumbled before I snuggled up in Andrew’s sheets and forced my eyes shut. “Andy, I think I’m going to take a little nap. Nathaniel, don't let the door hit you on your way out.”
"You're obnoxious, watch yourself," Nathaniel warned as he backed out of the room.
“I think I will too!” Andrew enthused while jumping into bed beside me.
“Don’t touch me.” I yawned.
“Fine, whatever.”
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10:17 P.M., Andrew’s Room
“Do it now!”
I stirred around a bit and felt a strain on my wrist which caused me to shot my eyes open.
“Andrew?” I questioned. A weird body heat came over me before I felt warm and moist lips set upon mine.
“What in the — Andrew!” I yelled. Suddenly a flash was seen and the lights flickered on just in time for me to see Nathaniel’s orange head retreat and his maniacal laughter roar.
“Andrew what the hell are you doing?” I asked angrily shoving him away from me and taking in my surrounding.
Once again Andrew and I were attached by the wrist only this time the handcuffs were wrapped around one of the bed frame’s bars so we were trapped in this position.
I swear my blood boiled from realization, “NATHANIEL!” I screamed from the top of my lungs.
“Shhhh, Ray. You’ll wake everyone up!” He whispered.
“You kissed me!” I said in disbelief.
“You’re hott.” He shrugged.
“You’re seven!”
“You taste like cheese.”
“What!?”
“Just shh, go to bed. In the morning Nathaniel said he would come back and retrieve us.” He said trying to calm me. I decided maybe I should just rest because I know for a fact Nathaniel would not be returning with the key anytime soon.
“Fine, but don’t touch me.” I said seriously this time.
“Fine, whatever.” He said with a laugh in his tone. What have I gotten myself into?
Nathaniel, now this is personal. This means war, and I will not lose.
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