Chapter 5: Weird Behavior

The pillow fight had stopped after a while and everyone was sitting in various places, watching the movie playing on the TV. Alex and Juanita were sitting in Alex's trademark circular chair, Cooper sat on the right side of the couch, with Nat and Rosalina sitting at the opposite end. Thomas, David, and Qaasim sat the furthest back, inching away from the rest of the band.

David looked back to make sure no one saw them, and looked at Thomas and David. "Okay, what's our next thing going to be? And please tell me we can get Juanita and Alex for that silly string prank."

"How about we do something to their skateboards?" Qaasim asked.

David snapped his fingers and smirked. "Yeah! Thomas, what do you think?"

"Uh, how about you guys take this one yourselves," he said. "I'll sit this one out."

David and Qaasim exchanged surprised looks as their prankster partner got up and went back to watching the movie. They shrugged and went back to their spots, still concerned about their friend.

Nat glanced at Rosalina and kissed her cheek. She shook her head in disgust and rolled her eyes as Nat got up and went to the bathroom. She looked over at ET, who was getting a belly-rub from David. She smirked to herself and stood up.

"Hey David, do you mind if I take ET out for a walk?"

David looked up, surprised, and shrugged. "Sure."

Thomas looked up at Rosalina and gave her a confused look as she took the leash from David. She nodded her head towards the door with a smirk, and he nodded. He stood up, brushing off some crumbs of food, and put on his shoes.

"Where are you going Thomas?" Cooper asked.

Thomas looked back at the five faces staring at him and he shrugged. "Well, Nat's in the bathroom, and well...Rosalina shouldn't really have to go out alone. Plus...I bet she won't want to pick up ET's poop if she happens to go."

They shrugged, although still suspicious of his behavior, and turned back to the movie as Thomas and Rosalina left the apartment with ET. Alex looked back at the hallway as Nat came back and sighed when the door closed.

"Where'd Thomas and Rosalina go?" Nat asked sitting down on the couch.

"They went to walk ET," David said not looking away from the movie.

Nat shrugged and leaned back. Alex and Juanita glanced at each other and nodded. Alex took in a breath and went over next to Nat.

"Nat...I think Rosalina's cheating on you with Thomas," Alex said.

"What? Alex, you've had too much chocolate milk," Nat laughed. The other thirteen year olds laughed at Alex's statement.

"I'm serious!" Alex said. "Juanita thinks so too." He looked over at his best friend. "Right?"

Juanita nodded. "Right."

Nat caught his breath a little and looked at his brother. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, they both arrived late, for one thing," Alex said.

"And they've been acting weird since they got here," Juanita said.

"You think?" Nat asked. He looked at the other boys. "Have they been acting weird?"

David and Qaasim looked at each other quickly.

"Well..." David swallowed as he stood up. "Thomas said he didn't want to do any pranking tonight."

"No way!" Nat said. "You're lying!"

David shook his head, as well as Qaasim. Nat's jaw dropped at their reaction.

"You guys aren't kidding," he said in shock. "B-But… they couldn't be… t-they wouldn't… "

"Looks like we'll have to find out when they come back," Qaasim said glancing towards the door, wondering when the two would return.