A/N: Hey guys, so I've been busy with school but I've had this half written for a while so I decided to get it done! Also, I just wanted to say that I always read you guys' reviews and a lot of times I do take your ideas! I have to give props especially to writtingmagic for giving me a really neat idea for the next chapter! As always, I hope you guys enjoy, and keep looking for more updates! Just bare with me though, :)
Anubis house woke up to a scream louder than a car alarm. Trudy woke with a fright, running to the location of the noise in two seconds. Soon some of the other girls went to see what was going on. The scream had come from Chloe. Lily had gotten the worst of it, considering they were roommates. "This is terrible!" she yelled, tears falling from her eyes. Trudy busted through the door a second later.
"What's wrong, what is it?" she asked frantically. Chloe clamped her hands over her eye and forehead area, spinning back to look at Trudy.
"What's wrong, is that it looks like my forehead is trying to grow another head of its own!" Lily was beside her in pajamas, minus her glasses and her hair a mess, whereas Chloe, who was in her pjs as well, rolled out of bed looking like she was ready for the day.
"It's not even that big, Chloe."
"I don't care how big it is, it's huge and gross and it came on the worst night possible!" It was the night of the dance, and there was no way Chloe was going with that thing on her face. Scarlett and Sophia were in the room now as well, and Alfina soon followed.
"Okay dear, let me see it," Trudy asked politely. Chloe shook her head, resisting. "Come on now, Chloe. I think I have a home remedy to fix this right up, but I need to see it first. Besides, touching it makes it bigger." Chloe gasped, pealing her hands back from her face to reveal a pimple between her eyebrows.
"It looks like someone tried to play pin the nose on the clown and missed by a few inches!" Chloe complained. Trudy took a look and smiled slightly.
"I have what we need. Come now, Sweetie. We can get that fixed up in no time. I used to do this for your mother all the time." Chloe covered the blemish again, making sure not to actually touch it this time, and followed Trudy to the bathroom. Sophia nervously shuffled her feet, looking at Scarlett.
"Hey, Scarlett, can we talk back in our room?" she asked quietly.
"Uh yeah, sure." The two friends went back to their room and sat down on Scarlett's bed. Sophia sighed as she sat.
"Why didn't you tell me you liked my brother?" Scarlett looked perplexed.
"Huh?" Sophia gave her a look.
"Melody told me everything. Why didn't you tell me?" Scarlett shrugged guiltily.
"You always acted like you wanted me to have nothing to do with either of them, so I didn't tell you."
"I thought they were bothering you. I just didn't want them to ruin the chance of us becoming friends, because that's what they always do. I meet someone, they meet them, and then they take them away from me, and the friendship is gone. I didn't want that to happen with you, Scarlett, because you're like my sister, and I never want to lose you." Scarlett sighed, holding her arms out.
"Come on," she said, signaling Sophia to give her a hug.
"I thought you weren't a hug person," Sophia joked, laughing."
"I'm not, but for a sister, I'd do anything." The two girls hugged, feeling much better. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to be mad at me, but I would never leave you for a boy, no matter who it is." Sophia smiled.
"I wouldn't either." The two girls pulled away, smiling. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell my idiot brother to ask you to the dance before we graduate." Scarlett laughed,
"Thanks, Sophia, but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to." Sophia turned in the doorway.
"Trust me, he does." Scarlett sighed, falling back on her bed and staring at the ceiling, relieved that all of the awkwardness between this was over, but shaky about the dance tonight. She was only going because her friends were making her, but if Oscar asked her, she wouldn't mind going really.
Sophia walked downstairs to her brother's room and knocked on the door. Luckily, Oscar answered it. "Oh, hey little sister. What's up?" She pulled him out the door by his shirt, pulling him aside. "Okay, what was that about?"
"I'm sorry," she started. "For driving you and Scarlett apart. I know you really like her, so you should take her to the dance, because I know she'd want to go with you." Oscar was surprised.
"Whoa, okay, slow down. Did you just say I should ask her to the dance? I thought..." Sophia interrupted him.
"I was wrong, okay? I'm sorry." Oscar hugged her, smiling slightly.
"I know you are, and I'm not gonna hurt her." Sophia laughed.
"I know you aren't; especially because if you did I'd probably rip you apart." Oscar laughed, hugging her tighter, smothering her in affection.
"Oh, little sister, you make me laugh."
"Ah! Oscar, put me down! Ow!" Sophia yelled through laughter. Oscar did as she asked, planting one on her cheek and disappearing back into his room, closing the door. "Ew!" she freaked, wiping her cheek off. "Keep your cooties to yourself." Sophia headed into the kitchen where Eddie was sitting with James. She smiled slightly, taking the seat beside James' other side. "Hey guys," she greeted.
"Oh, hey Sophia," James replied. Eddie waved, and, realizing that she was here, nudged James under the table.
"Wasn't there something you were gonna ask Sophia, James?" Eddie spoke up. Sophia became hopeful, looking back and forth between the two boys.
"Huh? Oh, well actually I was going to ask her something. Sophia, would you want to hear another song sometime? I'm writing one right now, but I need someone to say if it's good." Sophia felt her heart sink to the bottom of her chest.
"Oh... Well yeah, sure... I'd love to help." James smiled.
"Thanks, you're a great friend." And the titanic sinks deeper.
"Yeah... Friend." Sophia got up and left the room. Eddie's eyes widened, looking back at James.
"Dude! You're an idiot." James was completely thrown.
"What do you mean?" Eddie face palmed himself, sighing loudly.
"Dude, she wanted you to ask her to the dance." James practically choked on his breakfast.
"What?" he managed to spit out. "She couldn't have. We're just friends." Eddie rolled his eyes, got up, and left, bumping into Tree in the hallway.
"Oh, hey Tree. What's up?" Tree looked up at the ironically taller boy and smiled.
"Oh, hi Eddie. Nothing much. I just got off the phone with my mom. She's sent me something to wear to the dance, so I'm going to check the post." Eddie nodded.
"Cool. Yeah my dad got me something as well. I think my granddad has it, so I'll check in with that later."
"Ah," Tree replied. There was an awkward silence until Tree looked at him with that look. "So... You and Chloe at the dance, eh?" Eddie rolled his eyes while Tree laughed.
"Oh yeah," he said as if he forgot. How could he when Chloe brought it up every five seconds. "I mean, I probably would have asked her if she hadn't just decided we were going together, but now I feel like a dog on a leash."
"Well why don't you tell her that? But you know, in a nicer way. Chloe's really sensitive." Eddie looked surprised.
"Are we talking about the same Chloe?" Tree nodded. "I've never seen her unless she had all the confidence in the world."
"That's because you're the one she hides it from the most. She's opened up to the girls, to me once because she was having a bad day and I asked her what was wrong. You just have to look for these things. Sometimes when she's smiling the most, it's because she's hurting." Tree paused for a brief minute. "Not to say she's upset every time she smiles, but I mean if you see her over smiling, or wearing a smile that looks fake, she's probably upset." Eddie was confused to as why she hid it from him if she opened up to everyone else.
"But why would she only hide it from me? Or hide it from me the most?" Tree stepped closer to the boy and whispered.
"Because she likes you, and... Well, I'll let her tell you the rest. If you want her to open up to you, show her you're there to listen. Go to the dance, and see if you can't get anything out of her then." Eddie thought about it and agreed.
"I think I will. Thanks, Tree." Tree smiled, patting him on the back.
"No problem, Eddie. Now, off to check the post." Eddie chuckled, waving to him as the two passed, going separate ways. Eddie looked upstairs at Chloe and Lily's door, and thought for a minute. After making a decision, he climbed up the stairs. Chloe nor Lily were in their room which was odd. Eddie heard Trudy talking down the hall, and then Chloe's voice talking back. Figuring she was right there, he might as well make an attempt to get to know the real Chloe.
"Did you fix it, Trudy?" Chloe whined. Trudy held a bowl of what looked like a cream or paste solution in one hand and a spoon in the other, mixing the solution.
"Give me a second, lovey." After mixing it thoroughly, she placed the bowl down and used the spoon to scoop out and spread the home remedy mix onto a special type of leaf that was supposed to help remove the excess oils in human skin. "Hold tight sweetie, this wont hurt at all." Trudy stuck the leaf to Chloe's forehead where the zit was, pressing against it gently and smoothing it out as best she could. Chloe tried to force her eyes to look until she realized it was impossible.
"Now what? Is it working?" Trudy laughed and told her to be patient. Neither of them had known that Eddie had been standing outside.
"Knock knock," he said, tapping on the door. Chloe screamed and spun around quicker that a human could blink so that her back was facing him. Eddie looked shocked. "I- I'm sorry... the door was open. I didn't know it was a problem." Trudy opened her mouth to speak but Chloe cut her off.
"Well it is a problem! Just go away, please!" Trudy frowned, placing a hand on Eddie's shoulder.
"I'll just go visit my granddad then..." Eddie announced. Chloe turned around only when she knew for sure that Eddie was gone. Trudy gave her a semi disappointed look. Chloe knew that she had overreacted, but she wasn't going to risk him seeing her like that. The blonde planned on hiding out in her room all day, and no one was going to stop her.
Back downstairs a little later in the day, Scarlett was sitting on the couch, just resting. Oscar came out of his room, looking for her, and smiled when he saw her. He walked over to the couch and sat beside her. "Hey," the brunette greeted.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Nothing really. Just trying to make it through today for the dance tonight." When Oscar mentioned the dance, Scarlett sat up slightly. "I don't suppose you're going, Miss "that's not my thing"," he teased her. Scarlett rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Sophia's making me go. So is Chloe, and Melody. It's just a silly dance though." Oscar nodded, watching her facial expressions.
"So I wouldn't suppose you'd say yes if I asked you to go with me then?" Scarlett turned so that her entire body, or most of it anyways, was facing him.
"Well, are you asking?"
"Are you saying yes?" Scarlett shot him a look. "Okay, maybe I am asking."
"Maybe?" the girl exclaimed. Oscar laughed.
"I'm asking." Scarlett smirked.
"Well then I guess..." Before she could finish her answer, Isaac had come rushing into the room for Oscar.
"You, with me, now!" he demanded in urgency. Oscar threw him a look.
"Um, I kind of busy right now, can't it wa-" before he could finish Isaac grabbed him off of the couch, dragging him away. Scarlett sighed, collapsing onto the couch. Isaac swung the door to their room open and threw Oscar inside, slamming the door closed behind them.
"Dude, what the hell? I was just about to know if Scarlett would go to the dance with me!" Isaac hushed him.
"We have a more serious problem. I overheard Mr. Sweet say that he was looking for chaperones for the dance tonight." Oscar wasn't picking up on this.
"Yeah, so?" Isaac stepped closer.
"Our mother, has volunteered." Now Oscar understood.
"What?" he practically screamed. "She can't!" he added, lowering his voice. "How the hell are we going to be able to live this down? She'll embarrass us to the extreme! Especially when she sees me and Scarlett... Well, if Scarlett says yes that is." Isaac ran his hands through his hair, trying to think.
"We'll have to get inside help... Sophia! She can help us! She can keep Mum away from us so we won't have to be embarrassed." Oscar nodded. It was a brilliant idea, if Sophia agreed to help them. "I'll be right back," Isaac said. Moments later he was back, carrying a squirming Sophia in his arms.
"What's going on?" she asked Oscar, the only sane brother she had at this point.
"We need your help tonight," the brunette boy explained. "Mum's gonna be one of the chaperons at the dance... and we kinda need you to keep her away from us." Sophia thought for a minute, crossing her arms.
"Alright, I'll do it, if," she hesitated. "You guys agree to be my personal assistants all day Monday." Isaac was confused.
"Why not tomorrow?" Sophia flashed an evil smile.
"Because Monday I can make you carry my books. Plus, I'm scheduled for chore duty." Her brothers rolled their eyes, looked at each other, and finally gave in.
"Fine, deal." The trio shook hands on it and promised each other their word.
"Mum shouldn't be a problem. Enjoy your freedom, boys." The girl left her brothers and headed back to who knows where.
"Can I leave now?" Oscar asked Isaac. Isaac shook his head.
"No way, dude, we've gotta get everything ready and set in motion. I need your help." Oscar sighed loudly.
"I shouldn't have asked."
It was an hour before the kids had to leave for the dance. At this point, Ben and Melody had joined their cousins and the Anubis kids to get ready for the dance. Chloe hadn't spoken to Eddie since she yelled at him earlier, which she felt guilty about. In her room, all of the girls were getting ready since she and Lily had more room. The piles of shoes that were usually covering the floor were tucked away and the beds and other furniture were pushed against the walls. Chloe stood before her mirror putting diamond earrings into her ears and concentrating on not missing. Lily approached her in her dress, barefooted and glasses still perched onto her nose. She had planned to take them off and switch to contacts before the dance, but sometimes they irritated her eyes, even after having them for quire a while. She smiled in the mirror at her friend, who returned the smile and sighed. "You look beautiful," the blonde told her. Chloe had done her hair, but Lily had accomplished her makeup on her own.
"I learned from the best," she confessed to her roommate. Chloe giggled, turning around to see Scarlett stumbling into the room in her heels. Carefully and slowly she made her way in, clutching the walls and her cousin's shoulders for support.
"Oh come on," Chloe frowned. "They aren't even two inches." Reaching her hands out, she waited for the girl to take them. When she did, Chloe babied the girl into the room as if Scarlett was learning to walk for the first time. "There we go," she cheered her on. "You look beautiful, Scarlett. Now, for the makeup. Sit," the blonde instructed eagerly. She grabbed her makeup kit and stool and sat in front of the red haired girl, working her magic on the girl. Before long, Scarlett was makeup-ified. "Okay... take my hand and I'll bring you to the mirror."
Scarlett hadn't seen herself since before she took a shower. After the shower it was get in the dress, get her hair down, and then makeup. She was dying to see what she looked like, so she stood eagerly, hurrying to the mirror. When Chloe stepped aside so that Scarlett could see, the other girl gasped. Scarlett hardly recognized the girl in the mirror. She held her hand up to touch her reflection even, it was that different. Immediately she drew it back, still amazed, and a little horrified. She spun in a circle slowly, eyeing herself. "My god..." she mumbled. "I look..." Sophia stepped up behind her, smiling guiltily.
"You look amazing. And hell, if my brother doesn't think so then he's an idiot." Scarlett smiled, and for a moment she tried to convince herself that Chloe had used too much blush and that she wasn't flustered.
"Thanks," Scarlett smiled, hugging her friend. Soon after, everyone was ready to go. The girls, all excited and bubbly, collected their purses and jackets and headed downstairs. Scarlett was still getting the hang of the heels. The guys were all down stairs fussing over their clothes and fixing ties. Particularly Oscar and Isaac, who were arguing about how the tie was supposed to go. Tree ended up breaking them up and fixing both of their ties. When the girls started down the stairs, Chloe cleared her throat loudly from the top. She was the last out. The guys dropped their fuss and focused their attention on the girls, smiling. Alfina cleared the stairs being the first down and joined Tree, the other girls joining their dates as well. Well, almost. Sophia was being escorted to the dance by Ben, and Melody was being brought by James. Not exactly what she had wanted, but she hoped that would change at the dance.
Eddie watched his sister come down after Melody and didn't recognize her at first. He smiled widely, helping her down the stairs in her fishnet tights and red high heels. "Wow. You actually look like a girl," her brother teased. Scarlett glared at him.
"Oh shut up, before I sock you one." Eddie laughed.
"There's my Scarlett. I think someone's waiting for you," he whispered, stepping aside. Oscar had been watching her come down. She smiled nervously and walked over to him. Not looking where she was going, Scarlett's heel got stuck in a divet in the floor and she tripped, falling into the boy's arms.
"Whoa," Oscar exclaimed, catching her just in time. "Hey, I didn't know you'd fallen for me that fast," he flirted, helping her up. She tried not to act embarrassed.
"Don't get a big head," she replied. "You haven't even asked me to the dance yet," she reminded him, as they were interrupted before.
"Okay, well who should I ask, you or Scarlett?" The girl playfully hit him on the arm. "Hey, I need that. That's my dancing arm!" She rolled her eyes at the boy. "I'm only joking. Of course I know it's you, Scarlett, and you're the only one I'd want to go to the dance with. Will you go with me?" Scarlett hesitated, thinking.
"Hmm, gee I don't know. I guess so, since it beats showing up alone." The two exchanged a look and headed out like everyone else. Eddie turned back to see Chloe standing at the bottom of the stairs. She wore a guilty smile on her face. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier," she apologized. Her zit was practically gone by the time she went to get ready for the dance. Eddie crossed his arms and looked at her.
"Yeah, mind telling me what that was about?" he asked her. She sighed loudly, walking toward him.
"I woke up this morning and I had a really big zit on my forehead that I didn't want anyone to see, there." Eddie looked confused for a moment and then started to laugh, but Chloe gave him a look and he stopped.
"Really, Chloe, I wouldn't have cared. Especially if you had just told me." Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.
"Easy for you to say. I would have cared. But, I really a sorry," she said once more. Eddie held his hand out to her and the girl looked surprised.
"Come on, I would like to take you to the dance, Chloe." Chloe smiled, taking his hand.
"I'd be delighted to go with you, Eddie." The two left Anubis house and made their way to the school gym for the dance where everyone else was. Things were finally starting to smooth over, which could be the start of something new.