Exoskeleton

Chapter 5

"I told you so!" Ryan shouted. His face was a blooming red rose of anger. I'm surprised he didn't catch alight he was so fired up. "You have put our lives in danger for bloody raw fish!" he continues to shout. "Calm down, I'm pretty sure we lost them." Matthew said calmly. "Pretty sure? They probably figured out whatever trick you tried to use and are planning to get us right now." Ryan says infuriated. At least he isn't shouting anymore. "What should we do?" a brunette boy with large, emerald eyes asks. He looks about Nate's age. I have never seen him before today. "Eat our sushi, go to bed and hope for the best." Ryan says defeated. We eat our sushi in a panic-induced silence.

"Each of us should take turns in threes to stay up as guards. If only I could go home, my mom and dad could have lent us guns." Megan says out of the blue. Everyone stops what they are doing and stares shocked at her. She is completely oblivious to everyone's stares and carries on talking. It's always the little cute people you got to watch out for. Nate and I turn to each other and share this look: the Nerd look. A look that says "I've read a book where something like this happens." It is a look only true nerds can send and receive. "Good idea Megan." Matthew says quickly. "Nate, Micky and Alice are first watch. Wake up Simone, Wendy and Will in two hours time for the next watch." Matthew says pointing at us. I do not know who Will is but I nod anyway. Nate looks annoyed, Micky looks unfased and I am just happy to be spending time with Micky. "Let's use the dining room next to the front door as our watch point." Micky suggests. " Yeah, I just have to fetch a few things first. Meet back here in five?" I suggest. "Cool." Micky says and we go our separate ways. Nate follows me upstairs and Micky moves towards the kitchen. We walk quietly up the steps. "I don't know what you see in that guy." Nate says as I reach the top step. I whip around, "Excuse me?" Nate is just one step below me. He is slightly taller than me, but on the stairs I am taller. He looks up at me, notices how close our faces are, and steps back down a step blushing. "I don't really know him, but he seems sweet and funny. And he is seriously handsome." I say. "Still..." Nate starts. I cut him off by coming down a step. My face is right in his. By now his cheeks are an intense shade of crimson. "My love life is none of your concern." I whisper, my breath blowing back strands of hair that hang down his face. I smile sweetly afterwards. I walk away, knowing I left him speechless.

Micky is the last to arrive. Nate is sulking at the head of the dining table. I am lying on the floor, a pillow cushioning my head. My newest novel has me entranced. Even Micky couldn't steal my attention. "Earth to Alice." Micky says waving his hand in front of my face. I blink a few times and look up at him. I smile sheepishly and, reluctantly, close my book. "So, you are quite the bookworm I see." Micky says nodding  towards my book. "I've never really been a big reader." Micky says. My stomach drops. Why? Why can't he like reading? I scold myself, he doesn't have to like reading. Nate is jumping up and down mouthing "Not so perfect now is he!" I so badly want to wipe that smug look off his face, with my fist. I glare at him from behind Micky. I quickly get up and Micky and I are standing so close together that I can feel his body heat radiating off of him in waves. I blush and stumble backwards. Micky does not notice and takes a seat at the dining table. Nate chuckles and I have to focus on not launching myself at him.

"Are your phones charged? Do you each have a knife?" Micky asks. I feel my eyes widening into saucers. "A knife?" I echo in disbelief. "Yes, you know that metal instrument used for cutting things." Nate says. "Mmm, the sass is real today." I say turning Nate. He shrugs his shoulders and I narrow my eyes at him. "The sass is real every day." Nate says smirking. " I can imagine." I say putting my one hand on my hip. He smiles and I can't help smiling slightly. "Your brother told me each of us should have a knife." Micky says ignoring Nate and I. "Alice and I will go fetch our knives. Alice?" he gestures to the door and I walk out of it, him following. "See, he doesn't read..." Nate starts. "I don't care." I interrupt him. He gasps dramatically. "How can you not care? A real nerd would care." Nate says as we walk down our picture filled hallway. Everywhere you look our faces are beaming back at you. Dad loves family photos, so of course they are everywhere. "Are you doubting my nerdiness?" I ask raising my eyebrows. "Of course, a real nerd wouldn't be able to look past this fatal flaw." Nate says like a young child. "Shut up, I am a real nerd." I imitate his voice. He says nothing, but smiles. His ego is so large right now it doesn't even fit in the house. I scowl at him.