Knock, knock, knock.
Ariana blinked, rubbing her eyes and rolled over, turning her bedside lamp on as she did. It was the day after she, Theta Sigma, Koschei, and Ushas had planned out a prank on one of the teachers.
It was a simple enough prank and Ariana had been surprised by how easy she had taken to the whole idea of doing something her parent's would think 'un-Time Lordly like'. They had all agreed that two people would set everything up while the other two would be look outs; they had also decided that they would do everything tomorrow.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Hang on," Ariana muttered as she pulled her dressing gown over her white, nightgown and pulled her door open. The hallway outside was dark and it was hard to make out the person standing in front of her for a moment before she recognized his floppy hair, "Theta? What are you doing here?"
"Sorry," Theta said sheepishly, "Do you mind if I come? I wouldn't ask only I don't think the teachers would like it if they caught us..."
Ariana eyes widened in horror at the very thought but at the same time blushed. The thought of someone she had only just meet, a boy no less, being inside her bedroom, she could practically hear her parents screaming...but he did have a point, if a teacher were to come along and find them...
"Get in," she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside before he could say anything, quickly glancing around the dark hallway before closing the door, leaning against it.
Theta raised his eyebrows at her, "Is that how you treat all of your friends or am I just special?"
"I told you earlier I don't have any friends," she sighed, nervously fiddling with arm of her dressing gown, "Most of the other students are either jealous of me, hate me for no reason or try to be friends with me just so they can copy my work. I learnt early on not to trust most people".
"You trust me," Theta pointed out, running his hand along the many books on her bookcase, "We only meet two; three days ago and here I am, standing inside your bedroom. Late at night".
Ariana couldn't help but blush, "First off: the reason why I trust you is because you're different from everyone else around here. Like me. Secondly: the only reason I let you in was because not only would we get into serious trouble if we were caught but my parent's would murder me. And thirdly: we've known each other four days, two hours, and eleven seconds".
"You've been keeping track?"
"No," she shook her head at him, "Now, you never answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Theta thought about it for a moment, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Alright…"
"Have you ever walked around the school at night?"
Ariana sighed, shaking her head, "No, it's against the rules".
"What about been thrown out of class?"
"No".
"Ran down a hallway just because you felt like it?"
"No," Ariana sighed, "Does all of this have a point?"
"Yes," Theta nodded, "I was thinking…how would you like to finely see what the school looks like at night?"
"What?" she frowned, "You mean walk around it? Right now?"
"Yep," he grinned at her.
"You have to be joking," Ariana almost laughed at the thought, "We would get caught and then my parent's would find out and kill me".
"I'm being serious," Theta said, "And we won't get caught. I know this place like the back of my hand and on the very rare possibility that we do get caught I'll take the blame".
"I couldn't let you do that," Ariana frowned.
"'Cos you can," he shrugged, "I'm used to getting into trouble anyway".
"No," she shook her head, "Playing pranks on teachers is one thing…"
"How?"
"Well, for one thing it's night time, everyone else is in bed and I'm still dressed in my night things," Ariana pointed out, gesturing to herself, "Not to mention the fact that you're a boy and I'm a girl".
"You can always change your clothes," Theta shrugged before smirking slightly, "As for the boy girl part, even I can't change that".
"I like that, 'even you can't change that'," Ariana shook her head at him, "Yes I can get changed but it's still against the rules".
"So is playing pranks on teachers," Theta grinned, "I saw the sparkle in your eyes when we we're making the planes. You have rebel blood running through you, all you have to do is admit it. Come on, all I'm asking is for one hour at the most, walking around the school, we won't even step outside".
"Whatever 'sparkle' you saw was from the lights," Ariana rolled her eyes.
"You can try to tell yourself that but I know better," he smirked, "Please, just one hour, you know you want to".
"I admit it's tempting," she confessed, reluctantly, "Just one hour?"
"Yes," Theta nodded, "And then I walk you back here".
Ariana thought about it for a moment before sighing, "Alright, fine but if we do get caught we both take the blame even if it means my parent's kill me".
"We won't get caught," Theta grinned, almost bouncing with excitement now, "But if it makes you feel better then deal".
"Why do I have the feeling I just sold my soul away?"
"Because you are finally starting to come over to the rebel side," he grinned, "Doesn't it feel brilliant?"
"Yeah," Ariana rolled her eyes, "You stay here, I'm just going to get dressed," she walked over to her dresser table and took a dress out before walking into the bathroom, "Feel free to make yourself at home," she said as she closed the door behind her.
"Sure," he shrugged, taking a better look at the room. The wall's a pale blue with cream colour carpet. It was quite a large room with big windows at the end with a desk. The bed had red bedspread and pillowcases, queen sizes; beside it were two bedside tables, both with a lamp sitting on top. A large wardrobe, a two sitter sofa, and two bookcases also sat off to the side.
Theta walked over to the desk and picked a photo of an older man, obviously Ariana's father, with dark hair, standing beside an older woman that looked almost exactly like Ariana, clearly her mother. There was another man, black hair, blue eyes, an older brother perhaps? Standing beside another young woman not looking very happy, she to share some resemblances with Ariana and her mother, older sister, maybe?
"This picture, is this your family?" he called over his shoulder and through the closed door.
"Yeah," Ariana's muffled reply came, "My parents, older brother and sister".
"You're sister doesn't look very happy," Theta remarked, looking closer at the picture.
"She never is," Ariana sighed, stepping out of the bathroom, smoothing her dress down as she stood beside Theta, "She's always been jealous of me because she always wanted to be the one to make the family name proud. I have only meet my brother a handle full of times, he's always off doing work for the Council. He's three-hundred years older than me and my sister's just ten years younger than him".
"I take it you're not very close".
"My mother try's to bring us closer but she has her own work," Ariana shook her head, "My father couldn't care less, my brother has his own wife and children to worry about and I haven't spoken to my sister…I can't remember the last time I even saw her".
"What about your cousins?"
"There jealous and do everything that they can to make sure my life at home is hell," Ariana sighed making Theta frown, "But I don't see them enough for them to really bother me, plus they would never do anything that could get them in trouble by my father. He has a pretty big temper".
"Sounds like my family," Theta remarked, sitting the picture back down, "The only differences is that your parents don't look at you like a big disappointment," it was Ariana's turn to frown, "That's why I spend most of my holidays at Koschei place".
"How many cousins do you have?"
"45," he shook his head, "And everyone of them hates me".
"I know the feeling. Don't you have a brother?"
"Hmm," Theta nodded, not looking pleased about it, "Irving Braxiatel".
"I thought so," Ariana nodded, "My father invited him to a few parties over the years. I never meet him personally, though".
"Lucky you," Theta muttered, "So, are you ready to embrace you rebel side?"
"Can't believe I'm about to do this," Ariana groaned, "The logical part of me is telling me how stupid this plan is but as you called it my rebel side seems to have a mind of its own," Theta went to open his mouth but Ariana quickly coved it with her hand, "Don't you dare say 'I told you so'".
Thata met her eyes and nodded so she took her hand away, "I told you so," he grinned, grabbing her arm and pulling her over to the door.
"What have I done?" Ariana groaned.
"I think I'll be say that before the end of the week," Theta remarked, opening the door and running down the corridor together.
….
"I can't believe I'm about to say this about a library but they can be creepy at night, "Ariana whispered as they creped down one of the ails of bookcases. Theta had taken her around half the school and now it was the library's turn, "But at the same time is beautiful".
"Yeah," Theta nodded, smiling at the look on her face, "There it is".
"What?"
"That sparkle I told you about," he smirked, "It suites you".
Ariana rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the blush from spreading across her checks, "Thanks".
Theta shrugged, "Well, that's the hour up. I should walk you back to your room…unless you want to keep looking around?"
Ariana bite her bottom lip, "Um, maybe, ten more minutes?"
"Rebel," he grinned, going to ruffle her long hair only for her to cover his mouth, looking deadly serious, "What?" he asked
"Shhh!" she hissed, glancing over her shoulder, "I can hear footsteps".
They both held their breath as the footsteps approached when Theta had a sudden idea. He covered Ariana's mouth, putting an arm around her waist and brought his mouth closer to her ear, "There's only one way to get away. We're going to have to climb the shelves and hide on top. You go first; I'll boost you up, ready?"
She made a muffled sound, "Oh, right," he uncovered her mouth, "Sorry".
"Are you insane?" Ariana hissed, "I'm in a dress! Not to mention the book shelves are ancient they could clasps with our weight!"
"Don't worry," Theta shook his head, tickling the side of her check, "Last year Ushas, Koschei, and I had to do detention…" she gave him a look from the corner of her eye, "Right, sorry, getting to the point. Anyway, we had to spend a month putting extra support on half the bookshelves".
"A month?" Ariana blinked, "What in the name of Rassilon did you do?"
"You really don't want to know," he said, "Ready?"
"No," she sighed as he lifted her up by her waist allowing her to climb the rest of the way to the top, a moment later Theta joined her just as a man dressed in the traditional Time Lord clothing rounded the corner, his head buried in a book.
He paused for a moment, pulling one of the chairs out from a table in the middle of the aisle and settled down the whole time reading. From the angle that Ariana and Theta were the only thing that they could tell was that the man had coppery red hair, cut short, neither Theta nor Ariana recognized him.
"How long do you think he's going to stay there?" Ariana whispered after a moment of staring at the man.
"Your guess is as good as mine".
…
1 hour, three minutes, and two seconds later.
"He's a flipping Time Lord for Rassilon sack," Ariana groaned quietly, resting her head on her hand as they contoured to stare down at the unknown man, "Does he have to read it so slow? It's the middle of the night to couldn't he do this in the morning? Who is he anyway?"
"Never seen him before," Theta whispered back, "But I think he's one of the teachers".
"Really? I thought he was the cleaner," Theta raised his eyebrows at her, "I'm sorry, I'm just tired. This was not how I was planning on spending my night".
"Yeah, sorry about just turning up like that," Theta nodded, still both talking in whispers, "I really wanted to show you around in case…never mind".
"In case, what?"
"It's stupid," he shook his head.
"Can't I be the one to decide that, Theta?"
"Well, it's just, I mean…"
"Proper sentences usually work better when one is trying to talk".
"I'll keep that in mind," Theta whispered, "Anyway, I just thought that the only reason you helped us plane that prank was because Koschei forced it on you and if tomorrow was going to be last time you were around us then I wanted you to enjoy it".
Ariana blinked a few times, turning slightly onto her side to look at him, "You think I was just being polite?" in answer Theta nodded, looking confused and slightly hopeful, "Do you want to be friends? With me of all people?"
"What's wrong with being friends with you?" Theta frowned, still whispering.
"I would hardly say that I'm the most social person," Ariana gave a small shrug, whispering, "I mean I've never really had any friends before and I'm not usually out going when it comes to meeting people. I spend most of my time reading or doing homework and when I do venture out I keep my head down and hope know one see's me".
"I saw you".
"Only because I dropped a book on your head," Ariana smiled, "Otherwise you would have gone on with your life and never met me".
"Well, that's just boring," Theta whispered, grinning at her before he blinked a few times, taking deep breaths and let out a number of sneezes before Ariana could stop him. She quickly pushed his head down and tried to lie as flat as possible.
From below them they could hear the scrapping of wood on wooden flooring as the man pushed his chair back and stood, frowning up at the bookcase for a few moments before shaking his head and picking his book up, walking away.
"Is he gone?" Theta whispered, his voices somewhat muffled.
"I don't know," Ariana breathed, "I don't really want to check".
They meet each other's eyes and nodded, carful to make sure that they couldn't be seen looking over, checked only to find an empty chair and no one in sight.
"That's a relief," Ariana remarked, "For a moment there I thought we were going to be caught. Can you imagine trying to explain why we're up here at this time of night?"
"It wouldn't be pretty," Theta nodded, his voices rising just above a whisper, "Come on, that's enough dare-devilling for one night".
"Yes, father".
Theta mock gasped, "Is that anyway to talk to your old dad?"
"Don't…just, don't".
I hope you liked it, sorry about the wait, please review :)
