Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Fifteen

Happy Halloween!!! Enjoy the early update! ;)

Something poked me in the side, and I struggled to keep my eyes closed so I could ignore it and go back to sleep.

Poke.

I swatted at the inconvenience and shoved my hand under my pillow so it would remain a decent-sized mound beneath my head. The familiar lull of sleep pulled me back into a dream I couldn't remember anything about except for the fact that I was happy in it.

Poke, poke.

"Nora, come on! Wake up!"

"Ugh." I pulled my hand free and swiped the empty air behind me. "Gimme a half hour, Nancy. I'm don't wanna wake up."

"Too bad. Nobody else is awake and I want to wake them up."

"Then go."

"I can't go into Calin's room by myself! Come on!" she said, poking me three more times in my side. "Please? You have to leave in a couple of hours, and I want you to get up so I can cherish our time together."

I blinked, forcing my eyes open. Immediately, I felt bad about forgetting the shortened time we had. It was so easy to pretend that Wickenton didn't exist and that I could stay here for an unlimited period of time. But that wasn't real. Calin and I were here without Devland's permission. I had to ensure that we were back in time for the dance.

"I'm up." I struggled to sit up, rubbing my eyes. "Go wake up Calin, if you want."

"You have to come with me."

"Why?"

"He's your friend, Nora." Nancy rolled her eyes. "I can't just go jump on his bed to wake him up."

"But you want me to?"

"No, I'll come with you if you go," she said, smiling. "That way, it's not creepy."

"Oh, my God, Nancy." I threw the blankets off and slid out of bed. "You are special, you know that?"

She smiled. "I know. Does that mean you'll come with me?"

I nodded. "Yeah... I'll go with you."

"Yay!" She clapped her hands and then rushed to the door, opening it and dragging me along as she sprinted down the hallway to Calin's room. "Now, shh. Do not make a sound. When I open the door, we'll creep over to his bed and start jumping on it until he wakes up. Okay?"

I nodded, thinking that water would be more efficient. Given that I'd used it against Nancy, though, I didn't think it was a good suggestion to voice. Maybe we'd get lucky and Calin would already be awake or wake as soon as we crawled onto the bed.

"Okay, go!" Nancy fake-whispered and opened the door.

We rushed in and climbed on the bed, but Calin didn't stir. Nancy held up her fingers once we were standing on the mattress and I nodded.

One finger up, two fingers up, three fingers up.

Go!

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" we screamed in unison as we began to jump.

Calin jerked awake, automatically rising to sit.

His eyes widened, unfocused as he blinked. After a second, they became clear and he smirked. Without warning, he reached up and tackled me, pulling me down so that I was laid across his lap. His fingers curled and he began to tickle my sides until I squirmed, crying to be let go through uncontrollable laughter.

"Okay, okay! I give up!" I screamed, trying to roll away.

The doorbell rang and Nancy slid off the bed, laughing as she started to walk away. Before she reached the door, she said, "Aw, you guys are so cute. Calin, you should ask her out so you guys can stop pretending like there's nothing going on between you."