TTEOTB -- Ch. 13

Chapter 131

“WAKEY, WAKEY, WAKEY!” I heard a voice repeat over and over in a high annoying tone. 2

“Shut. Up.” I growled, turning over in my sleep. 3

I felt the bed fluctuate as Arianna jumped on it next to me. She poked my sides until I fell off of the other side of the bed. THUD! Arianna peered over the side of the bed, only her eyes and nose showing, “Oops.” She said, laughing. 4

“I hate you.” I told her, getting up.5

“Love you too!” She smirked, skipping out of my room. 6

Groggily, I glanced at the time. Five thirty! What the hell! 7

“Arianna Kay Costa!” I whispered loudly, stomping down the hall to her room. 8

“Hm?” She asked. 9

“Why are you waking me up so early?” I asked, tapping my foot. 10

“Because we have to catch the bus in an hour.” She said nonchalantly. 11

“School? What’s today?” I couldn’t remember.12

“Friday, silly. Tomorrow’s your birthday.” She got up from her bed. “You should start getting ready; I’m gonna go get some water. My stomachs acting up again.”13

“Oh, duh.” I rolled my eyes. “And, your stomachs hurting again? Why do you think it’s hurting?” 14

She shrugged, “I don’t know.”15

“Maybe you should see a doctor.” I suggested.16

“No!” She said almost too fast. 17

I shifted to my right foot, “Why not?” I arched my eyebrows questioningly. 18

“I don’t like hospitals, they give me the creeps.” She passed me and walked out the door. “See you downstairs.” 19

She was hiding something, I could just hear it in her voice. Feeling more awake, I got ready at a rather quick pace and hurried downstairs. 20

* * * *21

“Anika Raine Osborn!” I heard someone yell my name in the hallway, Arianna and I both turned to see who it was. 22

“Yo, Quinn!” I called back.23

“Hey, Quinnywinnypoo!” Arianna scampered down the hall to hug Quinn. 24

Quinn came over to give me a huge hug, “Happy almost birthday!” She smiled up at me. 25

“Thanks.” I laughed. She was just too cute with her glasses and being short and all. 26

All three of us walked down the hall together towards Commons A. The rest of the gang was standing there waiting for us, I saw them shushing each other as we approached. 27

“What’s up guys?” I asked.28

They all busted out into laughter which made me laugh. Breathing became impossible and soon I started gasping for air. My eyes were watering and I was grasping for anything close to me. Arianna was the only one who’d witnessed this before. I could hear kids panicking around me. The voices were becoming far away and then they were gone. 29

“Anika?” I heard my name, it sounded so far away. 30

“Anika?” I heard it again, different voice this time but very familiar. 31

“Come on, please wake up.” A male’s voice this time, soft. 32

My eyes slowly fluttered open, “Hmm…” I grumbled. 33

“She’s awake! Ms. Valentine!” Arianna exclaimed happily. Everyone else stood around me smiling. 34

“G’morning sleepyhead.” Teigan laughed. 35

“You definitely just scared the shit out of me.” Anabelle informed me.36

“Me too! Jeez” Aiden ran a hand through his hair. 37

My eyes darted from person to person as they spoke up. I sat up on the bed. 38

“Are you okay?” Autumn got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over. 39

“Yeah, I think so.” I told her. 40

“Aiden caught your head. It doesn’t hurt does it?” Teigan asked.41

“Nah, I feel fine.” I attempted a smile. “Thanks so much, Aiden” I reached out for a hug. He held on a long time and so did I, he smelled nice. When he pulled away, I was kind of sad, I wished he would of held on longer. 42

“Anika, mom and dad are on the phone for you.” Arianna came back into the tiny room I was in. 43

“Mom… and dad?” Autumn arched her eyebrows. 44

“I’ll explain later.” Arianna told her. “Can you get up Anika?” 45

“I’ll help her.” Aiden offered, grabbing my hand and slipping an arm around my waist. 46

“Thanks.” I smiled at him. 47

“No problem.” He smiled back. 48

“I think I can take it from here.” I told him when I was sure I could stand my ground. 49

“Okay.” He let go, I wish he didn’t. 50

I walked over to the phone in the nurse’s tiny office. There were two rooms, a bathroom and an office in the clinic part of the school. 51

“Mrs. Costa?” I asked.52

“You can call me mom, sweetie.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “Are you okay, or do you need to come home?” 53

“Oh, I’m fine, just had a little incident.” I told her. 54

“Are you sure? It’s my lunch break. I could come pick you up.” 55

“I’m alright, promise.” 56

“Hm, okay, hun. Try to be careful.” Such a mom. 57

“I will.” I assured her. 58

“See you later then, love you. Bye.” 59

“Love you, too. Bye.” I hung up the phone. 60

* * * *61

“TGIS!” Arianna exclaimed as we walked around the parking lot trying to remember where we parked. 62

“TGIS?” I asked, bags swinging in both of our hands. 63

“Thank God it’s Saturday.” She laughed. 64

“No, thank God we went shopping.” I said. Working proved worth it as it started filling up my wallet. 65

“True that.” Arianna spied the car and popped open the trunk. 66

“Thanks for driving here, want me to drive back?” I asked.67

"No problem and nah, I got it," Arianna smiled, popping open the trunk of her car. "Wanna go to Anabelle's house?" 68

"Sure, why not?" I shrugged, putting my bags in the car. It wasn't like I was doing anything else for my birthday.69

"Cool, we'll drop this stuff off at home, change and go." she told me, getting into the driver's seat.70

I slid into the passenger's seat. "Sounds good."71

Arianna backed out of the parking lot and headed home.72

"So, that's all we're doing, right?"73

"What do you mean?"74

"We're just going to Anabelle's? No small, medium or large parties?"75

"No. Of course not." Arianna smiled to herself and I could tell what was going on.76

"Good." I was going to go with it and make her happy.77

We pulled into the driveway, grabbed our bags and headed inside.78

"So, we're gonna change, and head to Anabelle's." she reminded when we entered the house.79

"Right." I confirmed that I understood.80

"Anika! Happy birthday, dear!" Mrs. Costa came from the living room. she gave me a huge hug, looking over her shoulder; i saw that the house was decorated. Wow.81

"What's all this?" I asked, pulling away from her.82

"For your birthday." she looked as though I asked a stupid question.83

"You really didn't have to." I gave her another hug.84

"I know you aren't going to be here, but i wanted to decorate anyways." she smiled.85

"Hah, thank you." I said and then headed up to my room to change.86

* * * *87

We pulled up in front of Anabelle’s house to find her standing on the porch smoking a cigarette with someone else whose face I couldn’t see. Arianna and I stepped out of the car and Anabelle waved to us. 88

We walked up the drive way and the figure turned to face us. Familiar soft brown eyes met mine and I forgot to breathe when he smiled. Where did I know these eyes from? I swore I knew them. 89

“Hey Anabelle, what’s up?” Arianna called.90

“Not much, kid, what’s up with you?” Anabelle called back, exhaling smoke. 91

“I didn’t know she smoked…” I whispered into Arianna’s ear. 92

“We all do.” She whispered back. 93

I was dumbfounded. How come I never smelled it? Weird. 94

“Hey Cole,” Arianna talked to the boy who had left me in a daze. 95

“Yo, Arianna.” He nodded in her direction, and then took a drag of his cigarette. 96

“Hi, Anabelle.” I finally found my voice. 97

“Hey, Anika! Happy birthday!” Anabelle gave me a big hug. 98

“Hey, happy birthday.” The figure whose name I now knew nodded at me and my heart flew to outrageous heights. What the hell? 99

“Th-thanks.” I stutter. Jeez, get it together Anika. 100

He chuckles, “You’re welcome,” exhaling smoke. 101

I can’t help but smile. He’s got to be an angel in disguise that’s the only explanation I can think of. 102

Anabelle’s parents were gone for the weekend along with Cole’s. Apparently they’re cousins. I should’ve guessed; they both looked alike in a sense. 103