[dreams and nightmares]
they aren't dating you know?" jerome asked.
"find out what?" alfie was still stuffing his mouth while he fell onto the sofa beside us.
"nothing of your concern alfie." jerome grinned, nugging me slightly. "keep me updated won't you love?"
"i will, but don't call me love." i laughed,
"come on alfie, we have a ping pong match to get ready for." jerome gestured for him to follow and he did as he was told.
"ping pong." i repeated, followed by a chuckle. mara took the seat beside me and smiled brightly.
"he's after a trophy, something that the school last decades ago." mara explained, "a favour for his father."
"and they are going to win it back in a ping pong competition?" i questioned,
"yep." she nodded, "mental i know, but nothing's stopping him. he's got heart, bless him." she was now slightly blushing.
"do you have a thing for him?" i asked. "because it seems like it."
"goodness no." she shook her head vigorously, "he's just a good friend of mine, but he can be a total ass."
"i can tell. so is it singles or doubles?"
"doubles, but he's currently mid convincing amber to be his partner. she was a ping pong champion at the age of 10 or something."
"woah, i used to love ping pong, i went to a club when i was about seven for a few years." i grinned proudly, "i haven't played in a while though."
"don't tell him that, he'll be buying you bouquets and chocolates while begging you to be his partner as well." we laughed,
"i mean i wouldn't mind the chocolate."
"not that much. but i'm so sorry about the patricia thing, she's just that type of person."
"well so am i." my facial expression changed, i could feel it, "is there a reason why she's like that or was she born a cow."
"she's always had it just not this bad for a while, ever since nina left."
"nina? victor mentioned a girl called nina, she's got kicked out but trudy wouldn't exactly explain why."
"i couldn't tell you." she shrugged, "that group is very secluded and secretive but it broke fabian's heart when she left."
"were they together?"
"they were inseparable, she was the leader of the group before eddie showed up, something happened and she was gone." mara clearly didn't think anything of it at that point but i would question my brother until he told me.
"well thanks." i gave her a tight lipped smile before getting up. "i'm going to find my brother."
the boys rooms were downstairs eddie had told me, i opened each door but they were all empty.
i turned back around to see patricia staring at me before rolling her eyes. "look y/n, i'm sorry. i didn't know he was your brother and i got jealous."
"gutted." i mocked, "where's my brother?"
"looking for me?" i heard his voice ask before he raced down the creaky stairs. "what do you need?"
"i need to talk to you." i turned to patricia slowly, "alone."
"i'm be in in a minute." he whispered, watching her disappear into the living room. "right what was it you wanted to talk me alone about now?"
"why is you little group of friends so secretive and what happened to nina?" i asked, "i want to know what's going on eddie? what were you all talking about in the hall earlier? who do you need?"
"it's nothing y/n honest, we were just telling patricia to apologise." he explained, "that all."
"eddie don't lie to me." i growled lowly, "you know i'll find out."
"it's not a lie, i swear."
i huffed, before grabbing my laptop out of the living room and stoping upstairs. he was lying. i slumped down on my bed and clicked on youtube before shoving my earphones back in.
the flight over had drained me and it felt as if i passed out, my laptop still on and my earphones barely in my ears.
i woke up and turned to my clock, 21:33, shit. my sleeping pattern isn't going to love me. searching the hall i quickly found the girls bathroom and turned on the shower.
minutes later the steam poured from over the top of the shower curtain and filled the room. the mirror had steamed up and i hoped in.
as the hot water hit my back it arched for a moment with the sudden contact, my hair hadn't properly dried from earlier with the water incident so washing it fully was a necessary.
there was a loud knocking at the door, i wrapped myself in a towel and answered it, amber stood there holding a bottle of conditioner, "we ran out earlier, thought you might need it."
"thanks."
"oh and if you leave it in for about two to three minutes, trust me it will do wonders."
"okay." i nodded, taking the bottle from her hand before returning to the running shower.
i had gotten out a couple of minutes later, brushed my teeth before returning to my room.
"hey." joy smiled from her bed,
"hey." i greeted back, changing into one of eddie's oversized t-shirts he left at home. it was almost as long as a dress and the back already had wet patches from my hair. "got in still tired."
"get some sleep, it's almost ten." mara said, entering the room.
i slipped under my covers and almost the second my head hit the pillow i was out like a light.
i had woken up but it was still dark through the window. switching my bedside lamp on the room filled with light, i looked around to see joy and mara had gone before the light turned itself off.
light chanting could be heard from down stairs. once i opened the door it grew louder. i followed the sound down the stairs and to another wooden door below. the cellar.
the door creaked open and almost a gravitational push dragged me down to the bottom. the door slammed shut and a chill ran up my spine.
the chanting was now louder than before, my head picked round the corner where everyone in the house held candles, hot wax dripping down and onto their fingers.
"join." a woman said from behind me. i had never seen her in my life but i swear she looked familiar. she reached her hand out and repeated herself. "join."
i turned back to everyone but they were gone, a tight grip was on my waist and i gasped, attempting to scream but it was if my vocal cords were ripped out.
"you're the missing piece."
