A Surprise in Store
The Rancho Carne Toros were on cloud 9, they'd come second in the national cheerleading championships, but by the way they were celebrating everyone would expect that they'd come in first. They'd partied all night and were still doing so whilst the bus they were driving on trundled back to San Diego, the male driver now just a bag of nerves due to the occasional scream that would make him swerve by accident and almost hit other incoming vehicles.
At the back of the bus cheerleader captain Torrance Shipman lay sprawled across her new boyfriend Cliff Pantone who held her protectively in his arms. Across the isle from them Missy Pantone was taken up tow seats and leaning back against the bus window watching the two interact, she had been sitting silently but when Torrance pulled her brother down into a kiss she couldn't resist calling, "Hey! Don't make me separate you two," Torrance broke the kiss laughing while Cliff just glared at his sister wishing that she'd spontaneously combust.
"Hey guys," the three turned their heads to see Courtney leaning over the top of her seat a big grin on her face, when we get back some of us are gonna hit the clubs, you up for it?" her eyes were wide in anticipation and her hair bounced playfully due to the movement of the bus.
"I think I'm just gonna crash out," Torrance replied with a yawn, "I'm gonna go to bed and get some rest."
"Hey Torrance, you can stay over our house tonight if you want," Missy said an innocent tone in her voice, "Our parents have to fly to New York on business so me, you and Cliff will have the house all to ourselves," she didn't disguise her wink at Cliff who in turn gave her the finger.
"That's nice of you to offer but…" Torrance was unsure if Cliff actually wanted her there.
"Come on, Cliff won't mind," Missy turned to her brother, "will you?"
"Of course not, I can crash on the couch and you can have my room," Torrance 'awed' at how sweet he was until a voice filtered up from the seat in front of them.
"Pussy."
"Shut up Les," Courtney yelled, "I think its really sweet, but don't get too comfortable because if we're not going out tonight then that means the whole squad has to come out tomorrow at The Underground," she could see her two cheerleading counterparts looking pretty unsure, "Come on, it'll be fun."
Taking a glance over at Torrance who shrugged Missy turned back to Courtney, "Alright, we'll be there. Say about nine?"
"Great, I'll spread the word," leaping off of her seat Courtney began spreading the information to everybody that they'd better be at the Underground the next night by nine or they'd have her to answer too.
"That girl has some serious issues," Les laughed as Courtney practically threatened Jan until he agreed before moving on to the next row.
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The bus slowly rolled to a stop outside the Pantone household as the three weary travelers climbed off and collected their bags from the storage compartment, "Are you sure it's okay?" Torrance piped up as Cliff lugged both his bag as well as hers up the pathway towards the front door, "I don't want to intrude."
Missy laughed, "Torrance would you shut up, I've told you a million times already that it's fine, here," she tossed the a key over to her, "open the front door while Iron Man here struggles with the cases, I'm gonna go get the mail."
"Funny," Cliff snapped, he was positive he'd pulled his groin muscle.
Torrance shook her head and smiled, it was very enjoyable to watch brother and sister duke it out over words, kinda like the way her little brother acted towards her. Sliding the key into the lock she gave a satisfied grunt and pushed the door open, stepping inside she immediately felt that something was wrong when she noticed that the light on the upstairs landing was on, also the alarm system on the wall to her left had been disabled. Her mind screamed at her to call for Cliff or Missy but she was instinctively drawn into the main room where an empty soda can was perched on the table.
Clang
Her head snapped to the side, she was positive she'd heard a noise, it had come from the kitchen, swallowing nervously Torrance slipped a hand inside of her jacket pocket and extracted her mace (a girl never could be too careful in this day and age). There was another sound, like a sort of low humming, whoever was in the house was definitely a male, "Hey Torrance!" Cliffs voice cut through the silence like a loudspeaker, "can you please help me take your bag. I think I'm seriously injured."
Uh oh.
The humming had stopped, and now instead of the soft tune that had just filled her ears Torrance could now hear slow, methodical footsteps coming towards the divide between the door and the room that she was currently standing in. She wanted to run, but her legs seemed frozen, he was close now and the cheerleading captain watched as a shadow formed on the floor before a towering form seemed to block out all of the light from the kitchen shrouding the room and Torrance in darkness. Staring up at the guy he seemed confused, his brow was furrowed and his eyes studied her carefully, "Hello."
"Ah!" it was a reflex more than an intention, bringing her mace spray up she pushed the button down as hard as she could and jammed her eyes shut.
She heard the man cry out in obvious agony as the spray burned his eyes and she watched him stumble back into the kitchen his hands holding his face, "Torrance," obviously alerted by his girlfriends scream Cliff rushed into the room only to see his girlfriend standing over some guy who was hunched against the cabinets holding onto his face, "Who the hell are you?"
"The fucking pope, who the hell do you think?" the guy cried, it sounded like he couldn't believe that Cliff didn't recognize him, "What the hell's going on Cliff?"
Torrance turned to her boyfriend who was currently staring wide eyed at the figure who was beginning to get to his feet, "Andrew?" he asked a little unsure, "is that you?"
"Of course it's me," he yelled, "who were you expecting."
"Obviously not you," Cliff laughed at an attempt to make a joke, however Andrew wasn't laughing and removed his hands to squint angrily at Cliff, "how are you doing?"
"How am I doing?" the guy laughed, "Not good Cliff, I just got maced, how do you think I'm doing?"
"Cliff," Torrance whispered to her boyfriend who was currently helping this so called Andrew to the sink where he was rinsing out his eyes, "who's Andrew?"
"Oh right, hold on," after a few seconds Andrew reemerged and began drying his eyes with a dishtowel, "Torrance this is Andrew…Missy's boyfriend and Andrew this is my girlfriend Torrance."
"Nice to meet you," he said through gritted teeth while extending his hand, Torrance stared dumbfounded up into his red, bloodshot eyes and couldn't think of a word to say, "Well Cliff you still know how to pick em," retracting his hand Andrew shook his head, "Where's your sister," it was then he noticed Missy standing in the doorway, there was no emotion on her face and she stared blankly back at the man her age that stood in front of her.
Torrance quietly waited to see what would happen.
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To Be Continued
By Raven
The Rancho Carne Toros were on cloud 9, they'd come second in the national cheerleading championships, but by the way they were celebrating everyone would expect that they'd come in first. They'd partied all night and were still doing so whilst the bus they were driving on trundled back to San Diego, the male driver now just a bag of nerves due to the occasional scream that would make him swerve by accident and almost hit other incoming vehicles.
At the back of the bus cheerleader captain Torrance Shipman lay sprawled across her new boyfriend Cliff Pantone who held her protectively in his arms. Across the isle from them Missy Pantone was taken up tow seats and leaning back against the bus window watching the two interact, she had been sitting silently but when Torrance pulled her brother down into a kiss she couldn't resist calling, "Hey! Don't make me separate you two," Torrance broke the kiss laughing while Cliff just glared at his sister wishing that she'd spontaneously combust.
"Hey guys," the three turned their heads to see Courtney leaning over the top of her seat a big grin on her face, when we get back some of us are gonna hit the clubs, you up for it?" her eyes were wide in anticipation and her hair bounced playfully due to the movement of the bus.
"I think I'm just gonna crash out," Torrance replied with a yawn, "I'm gonna go to bed and get some rest."
"Hey Torrance, you can stay over our house tonight if you want," Missy said an innocent tone in her voice, "Our parents have to fly to New York on business so me, you and Cliff will have the house all to ourselves," she didn't disguise her wink at Cliff who in turn gave her the finger.
"That's nice of you to offer but…" Torrance was unsure if Cliff actually wanted her there.
"Come on, Cliff won't mind," Missy turned to her brother, "will you?"
"Of course not, I can crash on the couch and you can have my room," Torrance 'awed' at how sweet he was until a voice filtered up from the seat in front of them.
"Pussy."
"Shut up Les," Courtney yelled, "I think its really sweet, but don't get too comfortable because if we're not going out tonight then that means the whole squad has to come out tomorrow at The Underground," she could see her two cheerleading counterparts looking pretty unsure, "Come on, it'll be fun."
Taking a glance over at Torrance who shrugged Missy turned back to Courtney, "Alright, we'll be there. Say about nine?"
"Great, I'll spread the word," leaping off of her seat Courtney began spreading the information to everybody that they'd better be at the Underground the next night by nine or they'd have her to answer too.
"That girl has some serious issues," Les laughed as Courtney practically threatened Jan until he agreed before moving on to the next row.
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The bus slowly rolled to a stop outside the Pantone household as the three weary travelers climbed off and collected their bags from the storage compartment, "Are you sure it's okay?" Torrance piped up as Cliff lugged both his bag as well as hers up the pathway towards the front door, "I don't want to intrude."
Missy laughed, "Torrance would you shut up, I've told you a million times already that it's fine, here," she tossed the a key over to her, "open the front door while Iron Man here struggles with the cases, I'm gonna go get the mail."
"Funny," Cliff snapped, he was positive he'd pulled his groin muscle.
Torrance shook her head and smiled, it was very enjoyable to watch brother and sister duke it out over words, kinda like the way her little brother acted towards her. Sliding the key into the lock she gave a satisfied grunt and pushed the door open, stepping inside she immediately felt that something was wrong when she noticed that the light on the upstairs landing was on, also the alarm system on the wall to her left had been disabled. Her mind screamed at her to call for Cliff or Missy but she was instinctively drawn into the main room where an empty soda can was perched on the table.
Clang
Her head snapped to the side, she was positive she'd heard a noise, it had come from the kitchen, swallowing nervously Torrance slipped a hand inside of her jacket pocket and extracted her mace (a girl never could be too careful in this day and age). There was another sound, like a sort of low humming, whoever was in the house was definitely a male, "Hey Torrance!" Cliffs voice cut through the silence like a loudspeaker, "can you please help me take your bag. I think I'm seriously injured."
Uh oh.
The humming had stopped, and now instead of the soft tune that had just filled her ears Torrance could now hear slow, methodical footsteps coming towards the divide between the door and the room that she was currently standing in. She wanted to run, but her legs seemed frozen, he was close now and the cheerleading captain watched as a shadow formed on the floor before a towering form seemed to block out all of the light from the kitchen shrouding the room and Torrance in darkness. Staring up at the guy he seemed confused, his brow was furrowed and his eyes studied her carefully, "Hello."
"Ah!" it was a reflex more than an intention, bringing her mace spray up she pushed the button down as hard as she could and jammed her eyes shut.
She heard the man cry out in obvious agony as the spray burned his eyes and she watched him stumble back into the kitchen his hands holding his face, "Torrance," obviously alerted by his girlfriends scream Cliff rushed into the room only to see his girlfriend standing over some guy who was hunched against the cabinets holding onto his face, "Who the hell are you?"
"The fucking pope, who the hell do you think?" the guy cried, it sounded like he couldn't believe that Cliff didn't recognize him, "What the hell's going on Cliff?"
Torrance turned to her boyfriend who was currently staring wide eyed at the figure who was beginning to get to his feet, "Andrew?" he asked a little unsure, "is that you?"
"Of course it's me," he yelled, "who were you expecting."
"Obviously not you," Cliff laughed at an attempt to make a joke, however Andrew wasn't laughing and removed his hands to squint angrily at Cliff, "how are you doing?"
"How am I doing?" the guy laughed, "Not good Cliff, I just got maced, how do you think I'm doing?"
"Cliff," Torrance whispered to her boyfriend who was currently helping this so called Andrew to the sink where he was rinsing out his eyes, "who's Andrew?"
"Oh right, hold on," after a few seconds Andrew reemerged and began drying his eyes with a dishtowel, "Torrance this is Andrew…Missy's boyfriend and Andrew this is my girlfriend Torrance."
"Nice to meet you," he said through gritted teeth while extending his hand, Torrance stared dumbfounded up into his red, bloodshot eyes and couldn't think of a word to say, "Well Cliff you still know how to pick em," retracting his hand Andrew shook his head, "Where's your sister," it was then he noticed Missy standing in the doorway, there was no emotion on her face and she stared blankly back at the man her age that stood in front of her.
Torrance quietly waited to see what would happen.
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To Be Continued
By Raven