Chapter 1
October 30th, 2014.
"Spinner is supposedly having a huge party tomorrow night for Halloween!" Emma's best friend, Manny, went on about it as they walked out of school. Manny was petite and curvy with long dark hair and a wild cherry. Emma was taller, hour glass and blonde that went just passed her shoulders and she was not wild, like at all. She'd rather study for that quiz coming up in Kwans class.
Emma smiled, shaking her head. She wore a white sleeve top with a jean skirt and knee-high boots for the fall weather and a parka-like vest on too. Her hair was softly curled and bounced as they walked. Both girls were 16 and in their junior year.
"You know I can't." Emma reminded Manny, "Babysitting Maya.."
"What is she now, like 12? Can't your neighbors let her watch herself?" Manny groaned, stopping and grabbing Emma's shoulders to shake them, "You cannot miss this Halloween bash! Em, we picked out costumes that go to together!"
"You as the Devil, me as the Angel, I knowww." Emma sang in a taunting way but shrugged, "I can't though, I promised her parents I'd watch their daughter. And I think I got sucked into watching the kid across the street too." she frowned, knowing she didn't have the usual exciting teen life. "I think they're both 13 now."
Whatever, partying wasn't her thing anyways. Emma was what you might even call a hippie, or crusader...with good fashion sense. She had strong opinions and she was passionate about it.
"You have your own life!" pouted Manny and Emma frowned back at her. They walked slowly through the schools parking lot on their way home, passing by other students.
God they needed to get their own cars or rides home..
Now Manny was the complete opposite of Emma but they've been best friends and practically sisters for 12 years. The boys loved Manny, and Emma too, but Emma was more reserved than Manny, to put it nicely, so Manny just had more of a reputation with them.
Emma shook her head and said, "I can't get out of it, her parents are going away and I'm left with them for two nights."
"You mean.. alone?" Manny asked, a small Cheshire grin slipping onto her face which made her dimples shine.
Emma rolled her pretty brown eyes, "No Manny, I know what you're thinking and no."
"A small party!' Manny begged, "Do it tonight? Devils night! You'd be doing the neighborhood a favor by keeping the bad kids inside." she giggled a bit.
"Did I hear a mention of a party?" Spinner stopped them, standing in the school parking lot and he leaned on an orange civic. Not his though.
This car belonged to Jay Hogart, who stood right by him having a cigerette. Jay smirked a little as they stopped in front, and he exhaled the smoke that smoothed past his lips and he squinted his eyes to eye Emma.
These guys were a year older, but had some classes with them due to failing one or two classes. They had quite the reputation so everyone knew them. Spinner was more the class clown, a cutie, with some ear piercings but nothing more and he was friends with everybody. Now Jay wasn't friends with everybody, his choice though, and he had bad boy vibes just vibrating off of his lean, tall, well taken care of body. He wore a backwards hat with his light brown hair peaking out on the sides. His eyes were a grey color that could hypnotize you which they were doing to Emma this very second.
Jay was a senior, they've talked before, got into small, well, Emma thought they were fights but he just liked to tease her. And no, Emma wasn't dumb, she felt her heart skip sometimes Jay walked by or caught her eye. She knew he was breath stopping attractive, he just wasn't trust worthy by how many girls he's hurt and it's not like they had much in common with how homework was her #1 priority and Jay's was partying, or girls.
"I don't think they mentioned anything about a party." Jay assured Spinner, passing him a side grin and smirked back to Emma. "They aren't the partying type."
"We're going to your party tomorrow." Manny insisted, then shook her head, "Well, I am." she told Spinner.
Spinner looked to Emma, "You're not?" he looked a little offended.
"Are you too good for a Halloween party, Greenpeace?" Jay teased, knowing she hated that nickname.. he loved it. It was made for her.
Emma smiled rolling her eyes, shaking her head. Sometimes she wish she had the energy to glare and walk off but sometimes she liked arguing with Jay Hogart.. her day didn't feel right without it.
"I'm busy." she informed.
"Whose busy on Halloween night?" Spinner gave her an insane look like she was some monster.
"Gotta hot date, GP?" Jay asked her, his eyes sizing her up now as she crossed her arms and gave him a 'so what' look.
Manny looked between them, confused.. Emma didn't have a date, she was babysitting! She saw Jay clench his jaw when Emma didn't answer and she swore she saw jealousy flash his eyes. Oooohh, Manny smiled, she always knew these two played cat and dog too much to really dislike another.
Emma gave up, rolling her eyes, "I'm babysitting." she told them, "It's called responsibility." she informed, before they made fun of her.
Jay grinned ear to ear, itching the back of his head and nodding as Spinner laughed a bit, "Bummer." he insisted.
"Let's go home." Manny told Emma who nodded.
Jay grabbed his keys and coughed lightly, "Want a ride?" he asked them.
Manny looked to Emma who raised an eyebrow at him, he kept his eyes on her until she took a deep breath but nodded, why not! They took the offer and jumped into his orange civic.
They dropped Manny off first, who was suffocating from the sexual tension anyways. Next, Jay drove Emma home, Spinner was passed out in the back seat.
"Is he really sleeping?" Emma giggled a bit, looking over her shoulder as Jay drove
Jay smirked, hands on the wheel and turning down a street, "He had a big day of hard work."
"All school did today was watch horror films." Emma teased Jay, giving him 'yeah right' look, and turned back forward, getting comfy in her passenger spot.
Jay narrowed his eyes and looked her over. Emma was different than the other girls in school, and yeah, how many times have you heard some guy tell you about the girl he liked was 'different' from the other girls? But Emma, was seriously like.. from another planet. She was crazy, and he loved it. She really didn't care what anyone thought of her and she was beautiful as hell. She didn't take his bullshit either.
"So whose the unlucky girl tomorrow night?" Emma taunted Jay playfully, snapping him out of it, "I thought I heard Amy Weltz going on and on in science that you told her you'd see her there."
Jay snorted. "Guess she'll be the unlucky girl tomorrow then." he said, passing Emma a smirk and wink.
Emma rolled her eyes and snickered, "Same ol' Jay" she muttered, looking out the window. One day she swore Jay was going to meet a girl who wouldn't let his play boy attitude slide.
"You jealous?" taunted Jay, hoping she was as he pulled onto her street when she pointed the way.
Emma giggled and he frowned at her as she tried to cover her mouth from continuing laughter. He pulled into her driveway and snickered, "Get out." he playfully said.
Emma pushed off her seat belt and she teased him, "The biggest mistake a girl could do is fall for you, Jay Hogart." She knew this personally.
Jay clenched his jaw, biting the end of his tongue. This girl had no idea how fast she could get him to straighten up if she just said the word. It wasn't his fault the other girls couldn't change his ways, they just weren't special enough.
"You're too much to handle." she joked, opening the door and bent down to look back into the car, "Thanks for the lift." she insisted politely.
He finally looked at her, and nodded, watched her wave her fingers goodbye and shut the door. She jogged through the fallen autumn leaves from the trees and into her Halloween decorated house.
He tilted his head, seeing her kiss a baby boys head who sat on the porch carving a pumpkin, and a grown man was out by the bushes putting fake cob web everywhere He took a deep breath and put the radio on, and it blasted as he rolled out of the driveway, receiving glare from neighbors until he sped out.
(((***)))
Maya Maltin was 13 years old, and sat on her bed on the phone with her best friend Tori. You know, for being this young, Tori spoke about things Maya doubted a 13 year old should be talking about.
Tori: Why are you mad he's coming over? We use to all be friends. He's so cute !
Maya: We use to be friends when we were 5 years old Tori.. it's a little different now. We haven't talked in years.
Tori: How'd you get stuck with him?
Maya: Both our parents are going to that Halloween event that takes two days. My mom even got my old baby sitter to come watch me. Have I really not proved to her I'm not a baby anymore? It's two days.
Tori: At least you can still go out for Halloween! I mean, you can...right?
Maya: Yes Tori, don't worry.
Tori: Bring Zig with you if he's going to be at your house anyways.
Maya: Can you get your mind off him and just focus on me for a change?
Tori: Can you ask him if he likes me? We have English together..I'm pretty sure he stares at me from the back of class.
Maya: Good bye Tori!
Maya hung up before the conversation went further and flew her phone down on the bed. She giggled softly and shook her head. Tori was a real somethin'! But she loved her dearly.
"Maya!" she heard her mother call her from downstairs.
She groaned and got up. Maya was a petite girl, with blonde hair that she usually curled. She wore thin classy looking glasses (And was thinking about contacts soon!), and she was an artist with the cello. Okay, so she wasn't the most popular girl in school but she wasn't a nerd or anything
...she didn't think.
She tossed her head back as she walked downstairs. Oh god, Zig was going to make fun of her this weekend, she just knew it! He was the boy who lived across the street from her since they were 4. It was hate at first site. At least for him, she thought. She never understood why he'd barely talk to her or what she did to him which caused him to hate her. But this weekend, they were stuck together under the same roof with their sitter, Emma.
(((***)))
"Ok." Mrs Maltin said, pulling money out of her wallet and turned to her kitchen counter, laying down a bunch of twenty dollar bills.
Emma stood across that counter, scooping ice cream onto a plate beside pumpkin pie and smiled to Maya who sat on a stool beside her mother and rolled her eyes with Emma. Her mom went through the 'rules' every time Emma came over to baby sit, which she hadn't in months so I guess we could go through it again...
"Money's on the table, Maya can't be out past 10pm, and we will be home in TWO days, and her sister Katie is god knows where." Mrs Maltin told Emma, turning to the older blonde. "She may pop in to grab clothes, think she's with her boyfriend Drew tonight. You're such an ANGEL for doing this.. just like old times"
Emma insisted, "You know I don't mind babysitting Maya."
Maya dipped her spoon into her ice cream, "I'm not a baby guys." she muttered, she was quite mature for her age she thought! In 6 more months, she'd be 14!
"You want chocolate syrup?" Emma teased her, knowing since she was 9 she hated chocolate, but loved chocolate syrup on her icecream for some reason.
Maya looked guilty as she smiled sheepishly, "Yes please."
Emma laughed softly and even Maya's mom laughed as she put some on for her, "I know you're not a baby Maya, but I'll be gone for a few days and somebody needs to watch you." her mother said.
Maya nodded, forcing a smile out but still didn't agree with this. Or at least the part of Zig coming over too.
"Call this number if you need me." Mrs Maltin told Emma, passing her a note and then grabbed her bag, taking a deep breath, "PLEASE no fighting with your sister if she does come home." She begged Maya who rolled her eyes
It wasn't HER who started it! Katie had PMS or something like ALL the time now since entering highschool. Maya feared what going there next year would do to her. Katie also dyed her long blonde hair to black. Clearly she was going through some phase and Maya could even see it and she was only 13. See? Mature.
Her mom kissed her forehead and waved to them, "Zig should come by soon from across the street Emma! His mom just called to tell me they were coming!" she hollered, before shutting the door.
Emma nodded and took a deep breath, sitting down across the counter from the young blonde. Sometimes, Maya reminded her of herself. Maya was passionate too, and cared about her family and friends. Emma was the same. Maya's friend Tori also made Emma laugh cause she reminded her exactly of Mannys too (Way too into boys for her age).
Maya boredly tapped her spoon on her plate and tried to think of what to do tonight. "I think Halloweentown is doing a special of all three movies tonight!" she insisted.
"You never get sick of those movies, do you?"
Maya got up, since finished, and brought her plate to the sink, "Nope." she answered and heard the door bell, and groaned. Had to be Zig. She hadn't seen him for a long time.
Emma smirked a little, standing back up "Be nice." she warned Maya.
"It's not me that never is!" Maya assured, remembering back to when she could remember.. 5 years old, she first met Zig, and he shoved her away from playing with him on the swings at the park. 8 years old, Zig cut her long blonde hair that finally just grew back to it's length while they sat in class. 10 years old, Zig breaks her glasses when she calls him ugly because he called her a dork. 13 years old? We're about to find out..
Emma opened the door and in came Zig and his mom. His mom always made Emma slightly uncomfortable.. she was a bit of a drunk. She looked a bit tired today but greeted her happily, "Hi Emma," she pushed the back of Zig's body to brush him into the house. "Hi honey." she also greeted Maya who stopped behind to check things out.
Zig came in, his hands in his jersey leather coat pockets. Maya rolled her eyes to his usual scowling face. How could Tori and the other girls think he's so cute when he's busy glaring at everyone all the time? Or was it just her?
He had dark hair that brushed around his forehead, and milky skin. He was 14 in 3 months, and seemed more mature for his age as well... I guess he had to be, with what he went through with his parents at such a young age.
Maya readjusted her glasses (you know, just incase Zig held onto old habits). She looked to Zig who looked at her with an unreadable look, "Hi..Zig.." she tried to muster up.
"Hey Maya." he greeted kind of nicely, nodding a bit and looking around her house.
His mom turned to Emma again, "Me and his step father got a hotel suite for the weekend, it's going to be rad"
'Rad?' Emma looked to Zig who just narrowed his eyes at his mother, slightly embarrassed and glanced back to Emma who tried to hide her smile.
"Ok." she said with a nod. "Have a good time, I'll bring him home tonight around 9:30?" she asked and nodded back when his mother did too and led her back to the door.
Zig was trusted to go back home to go sleep in his own bed, but Emma was free to check up any time she wanted.
"Have fun!" Emma hollered after Zigs mom and finally shut the door behind her. She sighed. This was going to be a long night. She turned to Zig who leaned on the wall boredly, and Maya raised her eyebrows at hers. Ok.. awkward. "Umm.." she drifted, wondering what to do.
"You guys got Netflix or what?" Zig sighed, going over to the couch and Maya rolled her eyes, rolling her head back. She went up to the couch and snapped the clicker from his hands when he put on a horror movie.
"We're going to watch Halloweentown." she put her nose up and then nervously crossed her arms. Oh wow, he was probably going to make fun of her for that.
Oh come on, you still don't watch Halloweentown each year it comes on?! It was like tradition, childish or not!
She added, "Besides..I don't think my mom would let us watch morbid movies." she admitted shyly and glared at his smirk.
He laughed, "Will poor wittle Maya have nightmares if she did?" his dark eyes scanned hers as her blood boiled. How the hell did he get under her skin so easily?!
"Okay you two." Emma sighed, grabbing the clicker herself, "I did promise Maya we'd watch Halloweentown and if you're NICE Zig, we can watch a movie you want to watch after..but I doubt your mom would let you watch that movie anyways either." she taunts, knowingly.
Zig shrugged carelessly. He didn't care what his mother wanted and she didn't really care what he did with his life either. But he'd sit here and watch this movie if they forced him to. He crossed his arms but leaned back.
Maya sat slowly beside him and Emma went to go make popcorn. She tried not to giggle at the two. She could easily tell the teasing was just a young teens way of saying 'I like you'. Maya got so rattled up by Zig she couldn't see it.
(((****)))
"So hows the brats?" Manny asked Emma when on the phone an hour later.
Emma cooked popcorn and she laughed, "They're fine, and how's your night?" she asked.
"I caught Paige Michealchuck trying to egg my house." Manny madly said but then asked, "Is she dating anyone? Maybe I can sleep with him."
Emma had to laugh at that. She then sighed and remembered, "Devils night." Emma said in disgust, "I don't get it." Eggs, throwing peoples pumpkins, spray painting. . .stupid 'tradition' for stupid kids.
"Bored teenagers looking for an excuse to vandalism." Manny breathed, not getting it either.
Emma walked to the sink, filling up some water and glanced out the window. It was 7 o'clock, so getting dark, "I guess so." she answered, turning off the sink and looked up to scream, dropping her cup.
"What?! What is it!" Manny yelled on the other end of the phone Emma now held at her waist.
Emma tilted her head, swearing she just saw a shadow of a figure, staring right into the window, but it was just a tree, softly blowing in the wind. She eyed it and she raised her phone back up slowly to her ear, eyeing her window. She must of watched too many horror movies today..
"Emmaaaaaa" came Manny's voice which made Emma jump and snap out of it, giggling a bit but still eying the window wearily.
"Sorry, thought I.." she drifted off, picking up the popcorn but glanced back at the window, "Saw something?" she turned slowly, and walked back to the TV room.
"Oh." Manny paused, "I should get to bed early tonight. Loooong night tomorrow." she rubbed it in Emma's face, hoping she'd change her mind.
"Alright, talk to you later." Emma said with a small smile and brought the phone down from her ear, hanging it up and setting it on the coffee table with the popcorn. "Dig in you animals." she joked.
Maya had eyes glued to the tv, and leaned forward slowly going to take one and Zig ended up stealing the whole bowl and she snapped out of it, "Hey!"
"Hey, stop, hey!" Zig taunted in a little girls voice and threw a handful of popcorn in his mouth before swallowing it, and grinned devilishly to Maya.
Maya scoffed, "Ugh, you are so repulsive, come high school? Good luck getting a girl friend." she taunted.
"You going to be first in line?" taunts Zig as she stole the popcorn back.
"There won't be a line." she snapped back, but face still red as a tomato and she wasn't sure if it was cause she was mad...or blushing.
So she wasn't blind. YES, Zig was cute okay? But she couldn't stand his bad attitude.
"Give me the popcorn," Zig was suddenly mad, and grabbed it back and forth with her.
"Zig!" she yelled.
"You guys!" Emma yelled finally and tried to grab it herself but the popcorn went flying and the bowl knocked a picture frame off the table. The glass from the frame broke.
"I'm sorry." Maya quickly said, eyes wide and looking down at the youngest baby picture her mother had of her. It was her first Halloween, a year old baby and dressed as a clown. Cute, but embarrassing.
Emma sighed, bending down and looked up at them, "Alright It's now around 8 so just, watch the rest of this movie while I clean up and then Zig, you can go soon." she told him.
He nodded and narrowed his eyes watching Emma go get the broom, "Nice one." he muttered to Maya.
Maya gasped, "You're the one who got moody out of nowhere!"
"Whatever" he snapped, looking back at the movie and not wanting to talk about it because he did snap. Something about Maya never giving him a chance even just as a friend, bothered him.
"Fine Zig, if all you're going to be is mean to me, then don't talk to me." she finally stood up and went upstairs, leaving.
He watched her go, face hard until showing the regret in his eyes and he looked away as Emma came back.
"Where'd Maya go?" Emma asked him and he shrugged, frowning deeply and looked back at the movie playing.
Emma let it pass when she heard Maya's room door shut and so bent down, cleaning the broken glass. Then, she had to go walk Zig back to his house.
"I'll be fine to walk myself across the street." he joked to Emma as she opened the front door.
She bit her lip, looking around...but it was Devils night..and that shadow she thought she saw...
"Fine." she muttered, "But I'm watching." she pointed.
He rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands back into his pockets but smiled and shook his head leaving. Emma saw him open his door across the street, then go in, turning the lights out. Emma turned, and did the same, locking the door and going to the guest room to sleep.
Outside, a mysterious figure watched the house Maya and Emma was in, and it breathed heavily and tightened it's grip on a large pointy knife.
(((**))
Emma sadly looked down at the broken frame in the garbage then walked to the picture that was in it, and picked it up. It was cute, such a family moment of Little baby Maya in her moms arms.
Maya's mom had tons of baby pictures of Maya and Katie around the house. The cutest one to Emma was the one on the fireplace of baby Maya in a white dress and the whole family sitting with her on the porch, looking at Maya like she was some gift or something.
Emma turned the picture in her hand around and tilted her head as she read the writing on the back of it, "Mayas first Halloween after coming home from Jerry Hospital.."
Maya was born on April 15th, Emma knew this because her mom always gave her Maya's health card incase anything went wrong in the past. So why wasn't Maya allowed to leave the hospital for 7 months? And where the hell was Jerry Hospital?
Deciding to put her mind to rest, Emma started to feel tired, and laid on the couch, and pulled the blanket off the top of it and snuggled into it.
Why Jay Hogart had to haunt her dreams even when she slept, she couldn't tell yeah.
She scoffed and tossed and turned, but finally let herself drift to sleep Jay- free.
REVIEWS! How are you liking it!? Enough Emma? Enough Maya? Tell me what you guys wanna see!