My Mafia Babysitter

fifteen

Violet

"Lottie, please," Ravon begged, his hands positioned as though he were praying. I delicately painted silvery iron bars onto the canvas. It had taken me two days to get this far, but I was almost finished. The forest green ivy that crawled up the wall contrasted beautifully the dark red brick. I took a step back to admire my work, my heart warming at the portrait of my family home back in New York, painted from memory. "Darling, please focus, I'm in a dire situation that you, and you alone, can help me with." Sighing softly, I turned to face my best friend. 

"Tell me what I'd have to do again?" I pulled off my art smock and slid past Ray, making my way to the bathroom to wash up. 

"Double date with me at The Vortex tonight," Ravon recited exasperatedly, following me into the bathroom as I undressed from my sweats and plain t-shirt. Pulling the glass door open, I hopped into the shower and allowed the hot beads of water to bounce off of my skin. "It's Halloween babe, so all you need to do is wear the cute little costume I made for you and if your love for me doesn't make you want to do me this favor... Then I'll buy drinks for you all night." 

"I'm not interested in drinking," I called over the noise of the shower. 

"Fine, don't drink. Dance, hang out with Klaus outside of this damn house for once, c'mon, please!" Ravon whined from behind the glass. I bit my lip softly and finished up my shower, lathering my hair in coconut hair gel before and conditioner before washing everything out, and exiting the shower. Ravon wrapped a towel around me tightly and I beamed at him in thanks. 

"Nik is going?" I tried to remain as though I was unfazed by this new information, but it bothered me that he had never mentioned it. We'd spent nearly every moment together in the last forty-eight hours, perhaps he hadn't wanted me to know, it's not like we are an official couple. Ravon's eyes glinted mischievously. 

"His name was on the list for tonight," He bit his lip to suppress an excited smile, "I'll be back at seven to help you get ready, see you later babe!" Ray kissed my cheek before leaving my bedroom. I sprawled out on my bed, opening up "Love Warrior" and diving into its literary goodness. Forty-five minutes into reading, the door to my bedroom reopened, showing a coy Niklaus in its feat. 

"Hey," I called, shutting the book quietly and sitting up straighter. 

"Malishka," He greeted delicately, shutting the door softly behind himself and crawling onto the bed. Laying his head in my lap, I began to absentmindedly play with his curls. An annoying urge to ask about the club began to bubble in my stomach, my jaw clenching slightly to refrain my lips from uttering my insecurities. Niklaus is not my boyfriend, I have no business to be meddling in his affairs beyond Hale Manor. "You're quiet," He observed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I tried come off as indifferent, but my voice came out squeaky and high-pitched. 

"Malishka [Baby]," He warned lowly, his head picking up to look at me through his locks. 

"It's seriously nothing; Ravon asked me to go out with him and his new boyfriend tonight," I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks heat up at how ridiculous I sounded, "He said you were already planning on going... So maybe we could double date." Nik's mouth formed a thin line as he took in what I said, his brow furrowing in on his eyes. 

"I actually wasn't going to go, my name is always on that list as the Hale's own The Vortex," He took my chin between his thumb and index finger. "I thought we'd pig-out on some Halloween candy and watch a couple Halloween movies tonight, but if you want to go to the club, that is also doable."

-

After an hour of getting ready, Ravon and I stepped out of my bedroom. Ray had put together a little devil costume for me, consisting of a short red dress, a pair of matching strappy heels, and a pair of red devil horns attached to a headband. He had spent the past hour putting my hair up into a loose bun, allowing a few tendrils of curled hair to escape past my hairline and temples. Collecting my things into my sparkly red handbag, I followed Ravon into the main foyer where Niklaus waited for us. Ravon had put together an angel costume for Nik to wear; a pair of white straight legged slacks with a white button-down dress shirt that Nik had shoved the long sleeves up to his biceps, coupled with a pair of white lace-up Oxford shoes and a silver halo atop his head. Upon hearing our footsteps nearing, Nik turned to face us, his mouth going slack at the sight of me.