Part 43
The Warblers were all getting suspicious because their little brother was acting oddly. Every day after Warbler practice or martial arts practice he would disappear on them… only to be found in front of a computer or with his phone to his ear. They had no idea about who he was talking to, but he did it with a big grin on his face and whoever he talked to shared a lot of common interests with him. They talked about music and martial arts about video games and books and movies and school sometimes too.
The Warblers were dying to know who their little brother was talking to. At first they thought it was Lucas, Mark or Jerry or any other former Warbler but the grin on his face was not the kind of grin he had while talking to any of them usually. And it got "worse". They were always allowed to watch Wes' drawings but now… he refused to show them. He kept his sketchbook hidden. Something was going on and the Warblers were dead set on figuring out what it was. But that had to wait just a little bit… because the first annual masquerade party was to be planned!
"Austin and I are going as Mimi and Roger from RENT", Justine said happily.
"Who's going as Roger", Jesse said with a smirk and got a pillow in the face from Justine. "What?"
"Shut your petty little mouth", she spat at him. "Now what are the rest of you going as?"
But no one told her what they were going as, everyone wanted it to be a surprise, but their youngest member didn't say anything at all. They couldn't call him the smallest anymore because he was taller than Matt and Mitch.
"I bet you're going as hobbit", Jesse called mockingly and hissed when Nathan slapped him up the head. But there was no answer.
"Wes", Justine asked and turned to the younger boy. He was sitting and drawing, with a small smile on his face. Justine huffed and crossed her arms and turned from him. He did not like being ignored.
"Wes", Austin called with a small chuckle. "You better answer the lady."
Still no answer. Kim picked up an eraser and threw it, it hit Wes on the head.
"Huh, what", he asked looking up at them in confusion.
"Justine asked what you are going as", Otto said.
"Oh um… I'm not… going?"
"What!?" The Warblers all yelled and stared at him. Wes blushed.
"I don't know what to go as yet", Wes mumbled. "It depends…"
"Depends on what", Julian asked.
"Nothing", Wes said and blushed again. And suddenly Justine started smirking.
"Oh I know!" she exclaimed and everyone turned to her.
"Know what", Wes asked.
"I know what's up with you!" She got up and looked smug.
"Huh?"
"I've seen those looks, smiles and blushes before! Our little brother is in luve!"
"Oooh", all the other boys cooed except for Wes that had turned red as a tomato.
"I am not!" he spluttered out and Justine smirked in a all-knowing way. "I'm not!"
"Yes you are", Otto teased and pressed a finger to Wes' side and the younger boy squeaked and jumped away from him.
"What's her name", Nathan said from where he was lying on his stomach on a couch. He had his elbows propped up and rested his head in his hands. He had a way too innocent grin on his lips.
"I'm not in love", Wes spat.
"Then who have you been texting so much", Mitch asked.
"And called", Isaac added.
"And talked to through MSN", Rob asked.
"Who is it you've been drawing in that sketchpad", Austin asked.
"None of your business", Wes spat. "You are all too nosy."
"We're not", William said and poked Wes in the side just like Otto had and with a squeak Wes jumped back from him. "Tell us."
"No", Wes said.
"Tell us", Reed grinned and poked him in the side.
"No!" Wes squeaked.
The boys that lived in the Dragon shared a look before smirking evilly. Wes' face paled and he gulped.
"Uh oh", he said and made a run for it… buuuut the boys were older and stronger after all. Before he reached the door Otto had tackled him to the ground and with Nathan's help he held Wes down as William, Reed and Logan tickled Wes. Wes started laughing and screaming and squeaking hysterically. Justine got her phone out and filmed it so that she could send it to their older friends.
"Help!" Wes squeaked. "Help! Help!"
"No one can hear you", Otto said happily. "Now tell us her name!"
"No!" Wes laughed out. "Stop it!"
"Only if you tell us!"
Wes hysterical laughter was quite infectious it turned out. Soon everyone in the room was laughing and Wes was kicking with his legs to get loose. But Nathan held a tight grip on them.
"Go for the back of the knees!" he called and Reed did that and Wes' laughter got even more hysterical… as did his kicking. William was tickling his sides, Reed the back of his knees and Logan wherever he could. For Wes it was pure agony and he was laughing so much he couldn't breathe. He started coughing instead, really hard.
"Stop it!" Mitch hurriedly said. "Guys you'll suffocate him!"
The Dragon boy hurriedly backed off and Wes could cough and hold his cramping chest and stomach. He had been laughing so hard he was crying, but now it came from the trouble he had breathing. Nathan and Otto sat him up and gently rubbed his back. Feeling a little guilty.
"Sorry baby", Nathan told him and Wes glared at him. "We didn't mean anything by it."
Wes just glared at him and tried to get his breath back. Mitch rolled his eyes. They'd known the boy for almost three years now and still no one had learned how to handle him. He got up from his seat, cracked his knuckles and walked up to where Wes, Nathan and Otto was kneeling on the floor. Mitch crouched down in front of Wes, with a kind smile on his lips.
"Who is your new friend", he asked kindly and Wes looked at him suspiciously. "You told us about Chris, Mike and Tina, is it them you've been talking to?"
"No", Wes rasped out. "Mike and I talk a lot every now and then and I chat with Tina each weekend. Chris is too busy with his own life right now, lots of changes going on."
"So who did you speak with yesterday? A new friend?"
"Yeah", Wes said and nodded. "Her name is Olivia Boulton."
"Is she nice?"
"Yeah", Wes nodded. "We're really good friends. I met her a sectionals and we hit it off right away because she also thinks Becca is a bitch."
"A girl of my heart then", Justine giggled. "So is she coming with you to the masquerade?"
Wes blushed.
"Maybe… she hasn't answered yet…" he mumbled. Mitch got up and sent a smug look around the room. Everyone, but Justine were staring at him. Otto and Nathan helped Wes get up.
"But you invited her", Otto asked and Wes nodded. Then his phone rang and he hurriedly answered.
"Hi it's Wes", he said and they saw a big grin get onto his face. "Hi Olive! Yeah I really meant it. Yeah I know where that is… really? Sweet! Excuse me who? Hey I'm not that big on old movies! Okay, okay… So I'm gonna be a what, an expressionless robot and you a beauty? Oookay… yeah I think I can pull that off. All I have to do is think of my biological family and I'm good to go." He chuckled. "I promise. But are you sure it's okay? She did? Okay I'll see you then. Bye."
He hung up and found 28 pair of eyes watching him closely.
"What", he asked and was bombarded with questions, which he did not answer.
The day of the party came soon after that and the Warblers that had dates from Crawford or Westerville High where happy to finally have them on Campus. The girls were happy as well. Let's first check out what the senior Warblers were doing. Joseph and his date Josephina, yes my imagination ran short so sue me, were going as James Bond and Miss Moneypenny.
William was going stag but since the party was held with Crawford County Day he knew he'd find a girl to dance with anyway. He was going as Robin Hood and was going to find his Marion at the dance.
Roger was going as vampire. He had combed back his red hair and had exchanged his glasses for red contacts. All in all he looked the part.
We will wait with Matt for just a bit because he is part of a group, as is Malcolm Nolan.
Austin and Justine went together as Mimi and Roger from RENT. Austin pulled off the rockstar look really good and Justine had always been viewed as hot and sexy but as Mimi, one word. Wow. Austin had to send half a dozen boys in the Tiger glares that told them to back off. He knew he'd have his hands full that evening.
Reed caused a few laughs as he came dressed as a Police and introduced himself as "Officer Mark Connors!" He may be African-American as well but Mark had a good 35 centimeters on Reed… and much more muscle.
Tom Bedford came out of his room with a cape with a hood that was thrown back, he was wearing high boots and tight pants, a tunic and a vest, pointy ears and a long-haired wig. He was an elf a la Tolkien.
So let's check out the juniors then. Nathan left his room dressed as Aragorn when this was still a ranger because as Nathan himself said:
"Viggo Mortensen looks so much hotter when he is dirty and sweaty than as a king."
Otto left their room dressed in green, with a green mask over his eyes, he tried to copy the character from Smallville, while adding a bit of his own design. First people thought he was some modern Robin Hood or elf, but no. He was Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen.
Julian went for the more Halloweeny look, he went as a Zombie.
We shall also wait with Mitch because he is part of a group.
Eric Anderson went as a vampire, spiking his ginger hair, painting his eyelids dark, used mascara and eyeliner, made his skin pale and used sharp fangs, dressed as a vampire as well.
Carl Wilkins were going as a ghoul and Justine had made wonders on his makeup. He really looked the part, as did his taller twin John that was portraying as Frankenstein.
Jesse was the first sophomore to show up and he was dressed as a Hollywood super star, no name though. It was himself of course but he was not going to tell anyone. He had two hot girls from Crawford go with him as Playboy girls… dressed the part which didn't go that well with the teachers.
Kim, Alvaro and Eric & Brett Everett arrived together and caused some laughter because they were all Weasley brothers. The twins were the twins of course, the red hair looking odd on them and same for the freckles. Alvaro looked a bit better as Charlie Weasley, with a "burn" on his arm. Kim went as Bill and was the only one that pulled of the redhead look much better than the other three since he was strawberry-blonde in real life.
Rob Barton went as John Coffey from the Green Mile and Isaac you will know soon. Sadly his boyfriend could not come due to an figure skating competition in another state.
Now on to the freshmen. Howard Jameson who is quite tall with his 190 centimeters went as a werewolf and was quite frightening… even his howl sent chills down your spine. He had his girlfriend with him as well, she went as Red Riding Hood and he was the big bad wolf.
Logan went as a Ninja and Collin as Freud… he looked quite a lot like him actually and spent the whole evening talking with a Germanish accent.
Peter, who was nicknamed Pan because of his somewhat resemblance of the Disney version when he was much younger went just as Peter Pan, dressed up in green and everything.
Oliver with his "wooden" leg provided his adversary, Captain James Hook. He had forgotten the real last name sadly, as have I.
Alexander Dumas showed off his inner musical fan because he went as the Phantom of the Opera with his girlfriend Cristina… as Christine. Yes I know I did not count with Juan Fererra but there is a reason for that.
"Okay", Austin said as he looked around the Warbler hall. "We are missing five people… two seniors, one junior, one sophomore and one freshman."
"Anyone heard from Matt, Malcolm, Mitch, Isaac or Juan", Otto asked and looked around, waiting for his girlfriend Julia Edwards to show up and hopefully as Black Canary. Every Warbler shook their head.
"Not even Justine or Nathan", Joseph asked.
"Nope", these two said.
"Looking for us", a voice said from the door and the Warblers all started to grin because there were their missing members. They all had curled their hair, had pointed ears and big and hairy fake feet. Mitch was dressed in brown trousers that reached a bit below the knees, he had a white shirt and a brown west and over it a reddish brown jacket and a green cape. Around his neck was a chain with a golden ring.
Matt Jonson was dressed in grey pants with suspenders over a green-grey shirt and he also had a ring on a chain around his neck.
Juan Fererra wore a white shirt, grey pants and a grey jacket and over it he wore a brown-green-grey cape and to his belt was tied a silver rope.
Malcolm Nolan was dressed in brown pants that ended a bit below the knees, just like the others, a pale yellow shirt, a dark blue-turquoise jacket, a purple-brown cape over it and he also wore a knitted scarf around his neck. In his belt he had a sword.
And Isaac Newton wore brown pants like the others, ending just below the knee, a white shirt, over that a yellow vest and over that a green jacket. He too wore a cape but it was pale grey-violet color. He as well had a sword in his belt.
"Hi", Mitch said and smiled. "Guess what and who we are!"
Everyone stared at them before they started to laugh. The Dalton Academy Hobbit League was now literally standing in front of them. Nathan walked up to Mitch and kissed him.
"Hey", Otto called with a laugh. "Aragorn is supposed to kiss Arwen, not Frodo!"
"Do shut up", Nathan said happily.
"So", Joseph said. "Mitch is obviously Frodo, Juan is Sam, Isaac is Merry and Malcolm is Pippin… what does that make you Matt?"
"I'll give you one guess", Matt said and smirked. "Prrrrrecious."
"Gollum!" Otto said and pulled an arrow and aimed for Matt.
"Nope Green Arrow my love", Matt said happily.
"He's obviously Sméagol", Austin said and smiled. "Before he got the ring and became Gollum."
"Nerd!" Jesse called and Austin glared at him.
"I appreciate great literature Jesse", Austin spat at him. "I must say..." he turned back to the hobbits. "You guys have the best costumes so far."
"Oh and what do you call us?" Wes' voice asked and they turned to the door and they all gaped. In through the door came Wes and a girl with dark hair. They were both dressed as characters from the movie Edward Scissorhands. Wes was Edward and dressed almost exactly like him, the girl was dressed all in white, to be Kim.
"Holy cow", Justine said. "You two look amazing darling! Who helped you?"
"My mum's friend works at the theater down in Westerville as a makeup artist", Olivia said and smiled. "So you must be the Warblers then?"
"And you're Olivia", Nathan said. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you all too. Wes talks about you all the time and I saw you at sectionals in Lima. You were all amazing."
"Love the accent doll", Alvaro said with a grin.
"Why thank you love", she said and smiled
"I don't get it", William said. "Who are they dressed up as?"
"I'll give you one guess", Wes said and held up his 'Scissorhands'.
"Wes is portraying Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands, which has also become a ballet recently", Alexander said happily.
"It is so gay that you know that Alex", Jesse said and smirked. "Are you hiding something from us? Ow!"
Austin had punched him hard in the arm.
"Stay out of that Jesse or I will knock your teeth out", Austin spat and Jesse shrunk away from him.
"Hey, hey", Nathan said and grinned. "Let's not start a fight. It's time to party!"
They all cheered and headed for the big hall that Dalton had to host big dinners or proms in.
The Warblers watched their youngest member actually waltz around the ballroom with his date. Justine, Mitch, Austin and Isaac had taught all Warblers to waltz and dance a few other dances. Now the older teens were watching their youngest with soft smiles. Wes deserved to be happy with a girl, since his latest girlfriend was a total bitch. Olivia though seemed to be a sweet girl. She hit it off right away with Justine.
"So you see", Justine said as they sat by a table. "That total bitch were trying to get back in my darling's good graces."
"What did she do", Olivia asked and looked at Wes who just snorted and shook his head.
"Well", Justine said. "She serenaded our boy, trying to get him back. She did some belly dancing and suggestive things."
"And what did Wes do?"
"He tried to tell her off and ignore her but she was not taking the hint. So I had to step in and save his cute little ass."
Wes rolled his eyes but Olivia giggled and took his hand.
"What did you do", she asked.
"Oh I just grabbed my darling by the shoulders, turned him around and kissed him", Justine said while watching her nails. "And he's quite good at it too."
Wes blushed and Olivia laughed, still holding his hand and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"What next", she asked.
"Well the bitch didn't take the hint so I turned to her and said… Um…" She scratched her head and then turned to Wes.
"Darling what did I say?"
"You said", Wes said calmly. "'Keep your badly manicured hands off of my boy and move that horrible fashion catastrophe that is your ass and body away from us. Thank you.' Then you grabbed my hand and dragged me away, leaving her behind us."
Olivia laughed and Justine smiled proudly. Austin kissed her cheek softly and she smiled even wider.
"You are my new best friend", Olivia said. "Becca has turned into such a bitch and is bullying a lot of people, so I try to get at her in sneaky ways as often as I can."
"You could always use your and Wes' relationship", Justine said happily.
"We're not dating", both younger teens said, while blushing. The Warblers around them gave them a look which made both younger teens turn bright red. Which only led the Warblers to laugh. Suddenly the music stopped and everyone turned to the band.
"What's going on", Nathan asked but then heard how people started to clap and stomp their feet and not just anyone. All the Dalton and Crawford seniors. They started stomping their feet, clapping their hands, play on glasses and bottles. The bass-player and guitar player started to play, followed by drums.
"Austin", Nathan asked what's going on. Austin just smirked and jumped up as William started to sing:
William: I've been working so hard
I'm punching my card
Eight hours for what?
Oh, tell me what I got – Austin got up and walked up to William, putting his arm around his shoulders.
Austin: I've got this feeling
That time's just holding me down
I'll hit the ceiling or else
Both: I'll tear up this town
Joseph suddenly jumped onto a table and started dancing as he sang:
Joseph: Now I gotta cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
He jumped off of the table and the seniors started to dance all around the room.
Roger: You're playing so cool, obeying every rule
Dig a way down in your heart
You're burning yearning for some
Matt: Somebody to tell you that life ain't passing you by
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
Both: You'll get by if you'd only
Reed: Cut loose, footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Ooh-wee Marie shake it, shake it for me
Woah, Milo come on, come on let's go
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
Malcolm: You got to turn me around and put your
Tom: Feet on the ground, now take the hold of all
Both: Ah ah ah ah ah
I'm turning you loose
Justine smiled and got up from her seat and walked out in front of all the Dalton boys and started to lead a synchronized number.
Justine: Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose (footloose)
Olivia grinned and dragged Wes to his feet and they started to dance jitterbug while laughing.
All: Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues,
Austin: Everybody cut, everybody cut
Justine: Everybody cut, everybody cut
Joseph: Everybody cut, everybody cut
Seniors: Everybody cut, everybody cut footloose
All the grownups and younger students laughed and cheered for the seniors that all took a bow. Wes hugged Olivia happily and she hugged him back. The music started up again and everyone was having a great time.
Later that night the Warblers and their dates and lots of other students and teachers were staying in the big gym at Dalton. Since it was Halloween the teachers allowed the girls to stay at the school as well. Right now they were all telling ghost stories. When they began Wes was sitting beside Olivia but as it went on he found her on his lap instead, arms around his neck and shrieking at times, while laughing and hiding her face in his neck. Justine was doing the same on Austin's lap… while Nathan used Mitch's back to hide in when he got afraid.
"Wes your turn", Alvaro called and chucked him the story telling stone. Wes caught it and started to think of ghost stories he knew. He remembered one he told at Asian Camp and smirked.
"In a small city in LA", he began. "There ruled the Prince of Darkness, for real. Every summer it gets so hot there that everyone turns their fans and air condition up to maximum. But that causes blackouts almost every day. And in these blackouts walks the Prince of Darkness. He is not one of those fairytale princes you hear about or even dream about. He is a butcher. He walk into houses of sleeping families and climb in through the window to the children's room. He moves soundlessly but sometimes you wake up anyway. You feel that there is someone in your room and then you feel it…"
"Feel what", Justine asked.
"The stench of filth and cigarette smoke."
Someone screamed in fright because candle smoke had suddenly filled his nose and everyone laughed, nervously for a few.
"If you woke up to that you would not see anything above you", Wes continued. "Nothing but a dark shadow that was coming closer and closer… and since you are just a child you would feel two cold fingers caress your face slowly and a voice would rasp: 'Well, hello there'. Too terrified to scream you would just gape and the Prince would take you and carry you into your parents room. They would wake when they heard your scream in fright, screaming for them."
"Stop it", Nathan squeaked and held Mitch close to him. "Seriously dude you're freaking me out!"
"No it's amazing", Kim said happily. "Go on Wes don't stop there!"
"What's wrong with you", Alvaro asked his best friend and former roommate. Kim just shrugged.
"I'm not just scared of tails… I mean tales."
"Just not Kim", Alvaro corrected.
"You know what I mean!"
Wes chuckled at them before he continued.
"Your parents would wake up and see you in the arms of a scary looking man. They would yell for him to let you go and he would… he would shove you into a wardrobe… into the cold and dark space… where you were all alone and no one could hear you scream." He felt a hand on his back, it was Joseph. Wes got out of his own fears and continued.
"Then you would be forced to listen as the Prince of Darkness first raped your mother and then murdered your parents. You would not know that he left after doing so, he moves silent like a shadow and there is no way to telling if he is there or not. But after killing your parents he would leave, the same way he came in and he would walk out into the darkness, disappear like a shadow. Only to return to a new home, the next day… in the next dark of the night. Whistling ghostly as he walked down the streets of the town. No one could see him because no one can see a shadow in the dark. Some say he goes to other cities too. Some say he even goes to schools… like Dalton!"
When he said that Austin slammed the door shut and a lot of people screamed in fright. Justine hit her boyfriend, hard in the chest and Wes, Austin and a few others laughed hysterically. Olivia was hitting on Wes.
"You evil, evil boy!" she yelled and he just laughed and hugged her tight.
"Don't worry Olive", he said happily. "I'll protect you!"
"I hate scary stories", she said. "And that was mean Austin you git!"
"What it was funny", Austin said happily. "You scream beautifully, all of you ow!" Justine had hit again, as did a few other people.
"Oh bugger off", Olivia yelled at him.
"I love that girl", Justine said. "Wes keep her."
"I do not wish to belong to this prat", Olivia said and elbowed Wes in the side.
"Oh come on", Wes said and held her close. "You love me Olive."
"In your twisted head you prat."
"Good then I can do this." He kissed her cheek and she squeaked and hit him.
"Wesley!" she shrieked. "You prat stop embarrassing me!" He just grinned at her before she sat down on his lap again, muttering.
"No more scary stories", Joseph's girlfriend Josephina said and held her man close. "I will never be able to sleep!"
"We can do so much more than sleep", Joseph said. "Ow!"
"Behave yourself Mr. Hughes", Principal Carmichael said. He had hit Joseph on the head with his staff, he was dressed as Gandalf.
"Yes sir", Joseph said.
"But I believe Ms. Stewart is right", Carmichael continued. "It is time to stop telling stories and sleep. All of you."
"Yes sir", the teens echoed and started to lie down. None were in costume anymore, except for some makeup. Wes and Olivia slept beside each other and soon slipped off to sleep. But in the night, Olivia started having nightmares and Wes felt it. He moved closer to her so that they were spooning and Olivia relaxed at once, putting her hand on his. Justine was awake for this and snapped a picture of the two.
"Not dating my ass", she said and then snuggled close to Austin, dreaming of spooky people that her knight in shining armor kept saving her from. She smiled proudly in her sleep and snuggled close to Austin. Life couldn't be more perfect.
TBC I did NOT make that story up myself. It was based on and episode of one of my favorite TV-shows. Hugs to everyone who knows which and what episode I'm talking about! All I can say is that I watched that episode and had nightmares for a week!
Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:
Singing Violet - Nah not my thing. And having esoph-what?
Lissi47 - I don't agree with any of that. Sorry.