1 | Defiance Discipline Dream Repeat

43 Vintage hairbrush

It's Thursday afternoon, and the last class has just ended. It's been a few trouble-free days. Jasper and Oliver felt discouraged from breaking any rules since the caning they got three days ago. I don't think it's much fun to be disruptive, defiant or mischievous; on my own. Sebastian hasn't been a total wicked bastard, either.

We were quite motivated to stay out of detention due to the fun upcoming activity...

The three of us and Zander are at Oliver's palatial home for some early Christmas decorating. It's not December yet, but we're overly excited, and it'll take a week at least to decorate Oliver's residence.

The soft instrumental Christmas music played downstairs is gradually replaced with muttered profanity as we walk up the stairs...

As foreseen, we encounter Alfie and a jumble of light strings.

There's one put up on the wall, but only half of it. The second half is tangled on the floor. Alfie has countless strings with colourful lights on his arms, around his neck and legs. A mishmash of lights has created a knotty net that covers parts of the floor. Not only that, there's a large box loaded with more tangled lights.

Zander and Jasper immediately offer Alfie their help, which he firmly declines for the reason of being old but fully capable of untangling a fucking hotchpotch of lights.

''Who's lazy ass packed the lights last season?'' Zander asks, looking into the box.

''I swear to god, we sorted everything when we packed it in like every year, but every time we bring it out again, it's a bloody ghost who's knotted and unorganised them,'' Alfie grumbles, combating the lights twisted around his arm.

''That's actually true,'' Oliver confirms. ''Is my stuff still in the attic?''

''Probably. You can go and look!'' Alfie prompts. ''It should be unlocked.''

We decide to go there without Alfie. I've never been to their attic. I imagine it is as cool as the rest of the house, or maybe spooky.

Oliver guides us to the top floor, walking us to a slim door at the end of the corridor. It's unlocked, as Alfie said. It's chilly, dim and somewhat spooky. We find an immense amount of boxes and some sacks like you would find in an attic. A shoe rack, wardrobe, three IKEA drawers stacked on each other and a broken transport cage for cats, too.

''Do you know which is yours?'' Jasper asks, grazing his hand over a row of dusty containers.

''It has my name on it.''

We split up to search for a box marked with Oliver. I anticipate it taking a while because of the size of this unorganised storage.

''Ollie!'' Zander calls, his voice intrigued.

Not only does Oliver rush to Zander, but I also do since I'm nosy.

Zander looks a little bashful, holding an old wooden brush.

''That's not mine,'' Oliver says, disappointed by the find.

''Who's then?''

Oliver shrugs.

''It's probably haunted,'' I comment.