Hello Is it too obvious I'm a choir girl?

Hey guys. I'm sorry but the world has been like "whoa" for me lately. give me a few weeks before you start throwing stones. so… I'm gonna need you to not leave me now. This is when Chad is going to really kill me. We've taken our state test and now Garrett's* requesting we get to write. Anything. Stories or poetry… just something. I know Chad. He won't like my writing. Don't leave me. *Have I mentioned Garrett? He's my buddy that I'm writing a story with

Amber strutted onto stage and talked to the guy at the table while Nina, Joy and Mara stood back, smirking. The boys showing up was a twist and now they had to sing? None of them were particularly found of singing in public.

Amber grinned, emerging with four microphones and distributing them throughout their little group. "Adele, Someone Like You. Mara take the first verse, Nina second, Joy prechorus. I'll take the bridge."

Mara frowned at Amber as the music started but Amber shot her a look. "I've heard that you've settled down. That you've found a girl and you're married now. I've heard that you're dreams came true. Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you. Old friend, why are you so shy? Aint like you to hold back and hide from the light."

Joy grinned at the crowd. "I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it. I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over."

"Never mind I'll find someone like you. I wish nothing but the best for you, too. Don't forget me I beg I'll remember you said 'sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead. Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead." Their voices joined together in a chorus worthy of Adele's approval as each of their individual voices turned to the others in perfect harmony.

Nina let out a shaky breath. "You know how the time flies only yesterday was the time of my life. We were born and raised in a summer haze bound by the surprise of our glory days." Nina made eye contact with Joy and read her expressions easily.

"I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but I couldn't say away, I couldn't fight it. I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over." They sang together in a tight harmony, intensity growing. The others joined in to the chorus, eyes bright as they grinned at the crowd because in reality, this was really fun.

Amber beamed, stepping up and flipping her hair a little. "Nothing compares no worries or cares. Regrets and mistakes: they're memories made. Who would have know how bittersweet this would taste?"

The last chorus started out pleading and soft with only Nina and Amber's voices but halfway through they repeated with a loud chorus as normal with everyone joining together.

"Yeah." Amber finished, wrapping her arms around the other's waists happily as the crowd cheered. "Hey, look, they agree! Lets drop out of school and start a girl group." She told them before leading them off stage and over to the boy's table. They were all standing dumb struck in surprise.

"Wow." Jerome commented before wrapping an arm around Mara's waist. "Nice performance, ladies. I'd say you won."

Alfie nodded. "Seriously. Who knew the Anubis girls could sing?" He asked before grinning at Amber. "Really good, Amber."

Amber rolled her eyes playfully, taking his hand. "Come on, Alfie. Let's go back to school." She told him happily. Alfie grinned, following her from the room with a smile.

Nina let out a long breath, turning to the others. "I guess I'll go back with you guys?" She asked as Joy and Mara followed behind Amfie.

Jerome nodded, turning. "Sure thing, Neens." He said almost jokingly as walked out the front door. "Why don't you sit by Edison and keep him from gazing off into space too much." He commented, unlocking the front seat of the car with a little smirk in Eddie's general direction.

"Alright then." Nina answered, plopping down in the back seat and crossing her legs. She carefully smoothed her skirt and looked out the window with a little sigh. There was a great chance that these were the last few moments she'd spend with these people. The deadline was the next day and they didn't have any leads. There was nothing to go on, the clue was gibberish.

"Nina?" Eddie's voice jarred her from the problematic thoughts and his steadying expression regarded her nervously. He too could feel the desperation pooling in his gut. He needed answers to the questions reeling throughout his mind. He needed to keep Nina safe and bring back Patricia and Fabian. He needed to save the day so to speak but it didn't seem probable or even possible in some ways.

Nina's eyes turned to him, searching for some sort of affirmation that things were going to be ok. That wasn't what she saw though. She saw his barely concealed panic staring back at her and that was scary. She could feel Josh's eyes on them but she didn't care. "Yeah?" She asked in a nearly silent voice.

Eddie watched her carefully, eyes glued to her face. "You kind of …" He answered, unsure how to finish so he let the sentence drop of into an oblivion. Words were failing him though he'd never been great with words.

Jerome chuckled, pulling into a parking space at the school. "You two have turned weird, you know that, right?" He asked before hopping out of the car. It was true though. Ever since Patricia and Fabian's deaths, they'd been acting strange. In fact, they'd been acting rather odd all semester. Jerome didn't know what to think of this weird alliance of students but he knew something was going on. As he headed to their next class he silently regarded Mara's comments about Sibuna and smirked a bit. She might just be right after all. He wasn't quite sure why he'd ever doubted her though. This is Mara. She's always right.

Jerome slid into his seat beside Mara and looked at her seriously, eyes darkening with curiosity. "Hey Mara?" He asked, eyeing her a bit.

Mara didn't look up from where she was sitting with her laptop, scrolling through something with careful consideration. "Mhm?" She asked with a small smile playing on the edges of her lips.

Jerome let out a long, level breath before continuing. "I think I believe you." He told her under his breath, hands gently removing the laptop from the table, eliciting an irritated groan from Mara.

"About?" She asked, unamused. She'd been in the middle of heavy research. After all her deadline was in less than eight hours.

Jerome sighed, looking at her seriously. "About Sibuna." He whispered, watching her reaction carefully.

Mara looked at him for a long moment before letting her eyes drift over to where Eddie, Nina, Amber, Alfie and Joy were talking across the room. "Excellent. I could use a partner in crime." She answered with a little wink as Joy crossed the room to take her seat beside Josh.

"Hey there." Josh greeted with a little smile. He'd noticed the conversation between half of the Anubis house members. He'd be tactful about it though. "What were you guys talking about?"

Joy's eyes dilated a bit as she looked at him but she quickly regained her composure. Luckily she'd always been pretty good a liar. "Oh, Amber just thinks we should make a girl group." She answered with a quick laugh.

If he'd blinked he would've missed the second of panic that'd spread across her face before she'd caught it. She was good but he was a little better. "Well, you guys are good." He answered before kissing her cheek gently. "So, Joy. Is anything…strange happening?" He asked, raising an eyebrow a her seriously.

Joy frowned, looking at him. "What do you mean?" She asked, pulse racing a bit. He seemed so smart, he could help. He could save them from this. He could potentially be the one to save Nina's life. Joy shook her head. She couldn't let herself justify telling him the truth. She couldn't do that.

Josh shrugged. "Just anything out of the ordinary.." He asked, eyes probing.

"No, nothing." She answered quietly, eyes lingering over his shoulder.

Josh looked to the front of the class where the teacher was getting ready to start class. "Alright." He answered before letting out a breath. "Well, you know that if you need help, I'm here."

Joy nodded before looking over at Nina and Eddie as the teacher took to writing on the board.

Nina was frowning at her hands, eyes studying the lines across her palm. Eddie's eyes were watching as Nina's fingers gently traced the lifeline that ran across the center of her palm. "Nina." He whispered almost silent in the quieting room. "Don't give up." He begged just as the teacher started talking and Nina started thinking again.

Thinking almost always hurt. It was painful to think. She didn't care though. There was nothing else to do during class.

The riddle drifted to her mind and she pondered over it without much accomplishment. This riddle didn't seem to have an answer and it was frustrating her. How could Iris expect them to figure this one out? It was a mystery beyond mystery.

Wait.

She gripped Eddie's hand under the table, eyes growing intense as she started at a spot across the room. Eddie's eyes turned to look at her, frowning deeply. She could see it. She knew where the piece was. In fact she'd seen it before in passing and not given it a second thought.

The room was spinning with excitement as she turned her gaze to the clock. The bell rang, sounding throughout her head and sending shocks along her spine. She shoved her books into her bag and dashed out of the door faster than anyone could process, dragging Eddie behind her.

is it over yet? can I open my eyes? is this as hard as it gets? is this what it feels like to really cry?

in an ideal world I could look him in the eye and tell him the truth and everything would either stay the same or become amazingly better. yes, I know he knows but it's not possible. I can't do it. I can't say it. the words won't come past my lips.

oh. and btw, this is the second to last chapter. *evil laughter*