Hey guys! I have another chapter done! I don't really like how it turned out but it had to be done to go on with the story. I want to thank all the people who reviewed; you gave me lots of inspiration. Now on with the story!!
"Thanks Netha," I said as she got up. "I think I'm going to bed. Dealing with the terrible twosome made me exhausted."
"Same here," she said going to the door. I got up to change into my pj's. "Good night," she said closing the door.
"Night," I called. After I was changed I turned on my lamp by my bed and turned off my fan light. I laid in bed for a little while thinking before I turned off the light. My last thought before I drifted off to sleep was, 'This would happen to me.'
Chapter 6: Switch of the phones
The next day was Saturday, the weekend. Oh how I love the weekends, just sitting around doing anything you want… Then last night came back to me.
"Ung." I turned and put my face in the pillow, sad that last night was not just a nightmare in my dreams. I was about to fall asleep again trying to forget what had happened but there was a knock on my door.
I groaned and rolled out of bed. Walking to the door in my pj's, which were very short shorts and a blue tank top, I opened the door a crack.
"What?" I said in a low voice, my eyes barely opened. I was not a morning person.
"Hun, I need your sheets," said my mom cheerily. My mom is a morning person, and I hate her for that. She always woke us up early in the morning. "It's Saturday, that's when I do sheets and towels."
My mom says this every Saturday morning like we would forget or something. "Alright," I yawned and waved her off. I walked back to my bed and fell on it. I usually took me about five minutes to do what she asked. It drove her crazy.
Finally I got my sheets off and piled them in front of her door, so she could take them down stairs. If you hadn't noticed already, I am extremely lazy.
Netha came out of her bedroom carrying her sheets and dumped them in the pile, still looking half asleep. She then hugged me and put her head on my shoulder.
"Netha," I groaned. "I am not a pillow." I pushed her off and she stood back from me. She then asked, "What are we doing today."
I was about to answer when my mom came and interrupted me, "You both are going to do chores today." We both gaped at her. Chores? "Come on both of you. The house needs to be clean. One of you dusts and the other can clean the bathroom you both share."
"I'll dust," said Netha, getting to it first. I glared at her as I said, "I guess I am left with the bathroom."
We were about to go back in our bedrooms when my mom called out, "And both of you get dressed. I don't want you in your pj's the whole day. I want the cleaning done by noon!" she shouted the last part as she went down stairs.
"I hate that your mom is a clean freak," commented Netha. "It's like she never relaxes."
"True," I said as I went in my bedroom. "At least you haven't lived with her for eighteen years!" I shouted as I closed my door. I looked around the room to find something to wear. There were clean clothes all over the floor. I never put them away, and my mom hated that. That is why I never let her in my room if I could help it. I finally found a pair of jeans and a solid green T-shirt to wear. After shoving my clothes on I went and got the cleaning supplies from the laundry room.
Netha was waiting up stairs for me. I gave her the dusting supplies and turned towards the bathroom. At least I only had to clean our bathroom andnot my brothers. I won't even go into my brother's bathroom.
When our cleaningwas done it was around ten o'clock. We had gotten up around nine. We headed in to Netha's room and I laid out on her bed.
"You don't seem to be as freaked out today as you were last night," observed Netha. She was reading the new Hana-Kimi book that came out.
"Wait till I am fully awake," I retorted looking at her. "Then I'll be freaking out." I rolled out on my back, looking at her light green ceiling. "What are we going to do today."
Netha looked up from her book. "I thought I asked you that." When I just looked at her she said, "Why don't we see what Dar is up to. You could trade cell phones with him then." She put down her book and looked at me for an answer.
"Sure," I said after a moment. "And maybe Dar could help me out with my situation." I paused to think for a second. "What if he's not up?"
Netha got up smiling. "We'll wake him up. Let's go!" she headed out the door and I heard her running down stairs. "Don't forget your cell phone!"
I rolled off her bed and went into my bedroom to get my purse, which had my phone. I headed down stairs and towards the front door. Netha was already outside. "Mom, we're going over to Dar's house!" I shouted.
"Have you had breakfast?" my mom said coming to the front door herself.
"We'll eat there," I said going out the door. As my mom opened her mouth I answered, "And yes, we have done the cleaning."
"Oh alright. Have fun," she said going back into the kitchen.
I met Netha on the sidewalk and we started for Dar's house. If I haven't mentioned it before Dar and I were best friends since he moved in beside my family when I was around two years old. Dar's mom didn't work so she baby-sat both me and Dar. Since then we always hung out, at least till middle school. We didn't so much then because that is when we figured out that we were of the opposite sex and it got awkward. Our friendship I mean. He started acting dumb and hanging out with other guys. It wasn't till eighth grade that we got over our phase and became good friends again.
We walked up to his front door and rang the door bell. We waited for a few moments before the door opened. There before us stood Dar with tousled hair and pajama bottoms on and nothing else.
"What are you guys doing over here so early?" he whined eyes half closed.
"Well we were up and bored so we decided to bug you," said Netha cheerfully, now fully awake. She pushed by him and in to the house. I followed taking off my shoes at the door. What? It's polite.
"Wonderful," he said yawning. "I'm going back to bed." And with that he marched up stairs leaving us in his entry way. I looked at Netha and we both shrugged. We'll talk to him later. Then we heard it, feet pounding down the stairs.
"Netha! Stella!" said a boy around 8 years old, as he threw himself at us. Netha had managed to side step in time. I didn't. I stumbled back against the wall since I had just acquired more weight. I looked down to see a mini me of Dar, in batman pj's. The only difference was in height which was about 4'11".
"Hey Zach, how are you doing?" questioned Netha who rubbed his hair which was already messed up. He grinned up at her and took our hands, pulling us into the kitchen.
"I'm doing fine!" he shouted looking excited. Zach always wanted to hang out with us when we were over.
When we walked into the kitchen I noticed a women standing over the stove cooking pancakes. She turned and hushed Zach. It was then she noticed both Netha and I. She smiled while taking Netha and me into a hug.
"Hello girls," said Zach and Dar's mother, Kerie. She was a woman who would try to take care of all the children in the world. She always greeted us with a hug and a smile, offering us stuff to keep. She spoiled us like we were her own children. "Come sit down," she said as she pointed at the table. "Have you eaten yet?" Kerie wore her light brown hair in a pony tail to keep it out of her blue eyes. She was around 5'8" and a little over weight but not much. She had the best cooking in the world.
"No," both Netha and I chorused taking a seat. Zach grabbed a chair and put it in-between ours and took a seat grinning at us. Kerie smiled and went back to cooking the pancakes.
Zach started asking questions and was wondering if we were going to stay at the house. If we were he said that he wanted us to play a video game with him. Just then Dar's sister, Cassidy, who was a year older then Netha came down and greeted us. She had her mother's hair color and height but had her father's, Bob's, hazel eyes. She was gorgeous.
"Hey guys, did you come to bug my brother?" she said getting orange juice out of the fridge and poured a cup before sitting across from us. She took a drink before looking at us for an answer.
"Yep," I said suddenly remembering why we were here. It was easy to forget things with this family. "I have to ask him for a favor." I said nervously. What if he didn't help me?
"Does it have to do with the magazine?" questioned Cassidy grinning at me.
My mouth dropped open. 'How does she know?' I thought. Before I could have replied Kerie set pancakes in front of Netha and I.
"Here you go dears," she said smiling. She put the butter and syrup on the table. "Eat up."
Netha grabbed the maple syrup and poured it on, then dug in. I meanwhile was still staring at Cassidy. Cassidy just grinned at me and started digging into her own pancakes. I grabbed my fork and the syrup and ate slowly. We listened to Kerie ramble about graduation and how great it will be at the after party she had helped with.
Finally Dar decided to come down stairs. He still looked tired but now he was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He grabbed a chair next to his sister and gobbled down his breakfast, while his mom scolded him for eating to fast.
When he was done, and we were about finished, he looked at us and asked, "So what did you want again?" He got up and washed his dishes. We followed suit till Kerie told us she would do it. We met in the hallway with Zach trailing behind. Cassidy stayed in the kitchen, helping her mother.
"We need to talk to about a favor," I said hinting with my eye. He apparently got it because his eyes went big and he told his brother to stay down stairs.
"Why?" asked Zach. He had a puppy face on. He was so cute.
"Because," Dar sighed, who shook his head, "We need to talk about some important stuff, that you can't here." Zach pouted and then went back to the kitchen.
"Shall we go ladies," as he smiled at us. He waved us ahead of him as we walked up the stairs to his bedroom. His bedroom was a mess like mine, clothes on the floor. Usually there was garbage on his floor but at that moment there was none. His mother must have made him clean his room. He started moving clothes under his bed and in the closet as Netha and I took a seat on his green bed spread. Once he was finished he sat on the floor looking at us.
"So what happened?" he said with a bored tone. I told him what happened since Netha wasn't there the whole time. I told him from the phone call till I went to bed last night. After I told him I looked up to see his mouth hanging opened as he just stared at me.
"Are you going to say something Dar?" I questioned, worried that he had some problem. I hadn't even told him what the favor was.
"Whoa," Dar finally said in an awe voice, "You have the worst luck in the world." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Thanks Dar," I said sarcastically. I got more serious. "The favor I want from you is…." I didn't know how to word it.
"Just switch cell phones with her till the competition is over and done with and if they do call, just call Stella so she can make a run for it," blurted out Netha bluntly. She just looked at Dar as if daring him to refuse.
"Sure I'll do it," said Dar cheerfully. He got up next to me and put his arm around me. "That's what friends are for!" He then proceeded to hug me. He then looked at me and said, "What if they do call your cell? What would I say?"
I took over from here, relieved that he was agreeing to do this. "You just make up some excuse that I left the city or visiting some relatives or that I moved to give me time to leave."
"Well… where do you plan to go?" questioned Dar. I blushed as he asked me that. He sighed. "You have no idea do you?"
"I'll figure out something," I mumbled. Netha patted me on the back.
"We'll figure out something," said Netha looking me in the eye. "I am not going to let you do this by yourself you know. What kind of cousin do you take me for?"
I hugged both of them. "Thank you so much." I told them. "I don't know what I would have done with out you guys."
Dar just had to ruin the moment. "You probably would have freaked out, scaring little kids and give yourself a major headache." I hit him in the arm, while both he and Netha laughed at me.
"Yep that sounds like her," agreed Netha.
I growled at them and marched out the door to find Zach when Dar yelled at me, "Hey we haven't done the switch yet!"
Embarrassed that I forgot already I blushed as I walked back into the room glaring at them. I got out my cell phone and was about to switched with Dar when I remembered what his sister said.
He made a grabbed for it when I moved it out of the way. "What?" he said looking at me with confusion.
"How did your sister know anything about me and the magazine?" I questioned him angrily. That was supposed to be on the down low.
He grinned sheepishly before answering. "I was talking to myself about your problem and she heard me."
There was a muffled laugh from Netha. "You… talk to yourself?" gaffed out Netha.
He glared at her. "Yeah and I bet you do to so don't make fun of me!" He pointed a finger at her.
"Alright children," I said waving my hands in front of their faces. "We all know that people talk to themselves." I turned back to Dar. "Will your sister tell anyone?"
He pondered for a moment before he said anything. "No she won't." He said this with surety.
"Are you sure," I asked. "I really don't want this leaking to your parents and then back to mine."
"She won't. She knows how to keep a secret," he looked at me. "If you really are worried I will ask her not to tell anyone."
"Thanks Dar," I said handing out my phone. He took it and gave me his. "Now we just tell our friends to call the other person."
"Wait," Netha said standing up. "What if they asked you why you guys switch phones? What would you say?"
"Good point," said Dar who nodded. He then put his finger in the air. "I got it! We'll tell them this guy keeps calling you and he won't stop. You don't know who he is, so we switch phones so he won't know who to call anymore," he said this proudly.
I nodded. "That's a good idea. I hope they fall for it." I paused "I will tell Cam and Adalina though since they got me in this." I smiled evil. "I hope they feel the guilt of what is happening to me."
Both of them shook their heads at me. We got up and went down stairs to play with Zach. He was sitting on the couch watching TV, looking left out. We went and sat with and then played some video games till around lunch. We hung with Dar the rest of the day goofing around with his brothers Zach and his 12 year old brother Dillon. Kael came over and hung with us too. We then went home and spent the rest of the time inside till bed.
Sunday went the same with some differences. We went to church and then Dar and Zach came and hung out with us at our house. Just the normal stuff. The whole time I was paranoid, jumping every time my cell would ring, wondering if it was the witch.
Monday morning I woke up and went to school like normal. At school though, all the girls seem to be talking about the contest. One girl claimed they visited her this weekend and it went great, she thought she was going to be the winner ect. There were even fights happening between girls at school that day. At lunch I finally found Cam and Adalina so I could talk to them.
"Hey guys! How are you doing?" I asked with a fake smile. If you didn't notice I was not happy with them at that moment.
"Good," said Cam eating her sandwich. I think it was a Pb & J.
"How was your weekend?" asked Adalina. She, I wasn't as mad at. She was just so nice!
"Funny you mentioned that," I said, still smiling at them. "I had a couple of visitors on Friday night." They both stopped eating and looked at me.
When I didn't go on Cam asked, "So who were they?" She looked curious.
"OH just the parents of the guy in the magazine to interview me for the contest," I said this still smiling. The more I talked the more paler that both of them got. I glared at them. "YOU DIDN'T CALL THEM DID YOU?!" I shouted at them. People started to look at us and I saw Dar making a beeline towards me. "I didn't bother you and you still didn't call and now I am in the contest for good," I said softer hate still in my eyes.
Dar came over and put his arm around me. "Hey calm down there," He said looking at me. He then turned his gaze at the girls sitting in front of us. "We had to switch cell phones because they might call her in two weeks if she won," He said this quietly so people couldn't hear if they were listening in to our conversation.
Adalina looked like she was going to burst into tears, I felt so bad.
Cam on the other hand was trying to apologize. "I am so sorry! I lost track of time and forgot to call," she said nervously looking at me. "And it's not like you have a chance to win right?" she asked desperately.
I shook my head. "No they said I had a good chance of winning because they liked me so much," I said still glaring at her. "If I win this thing, I will make your life miserable, I swear this."
Cam nodded shock written on her face, as some tears escaped Adalina's eyes. I kind of felt bad for them but it was their fault in the first place. I nodded back at them then walked to my next class.
The rest of the day Dar and I spread our lie about us switching our cell phones to our friends. At first they didn't looked like they believed us but I guess looking at me and seeing how I was…. I think they believed us in the end.
School was pretty much the same on Tuesday and Wednesday excluding the conversations we had with our friends. Every time Dar called me I freaked out always thinking he was calling to tell me I won, but that didn't happen.
By mid week I was tired. I was tired of school, tired of work, tired of being freaked out every time Dar called, just tired of everything. Even worst, when I came home to see Netha packing.
"Why are you packing," I asked her as I dumped my stuff in her room and laid on her bed.
She looked up at me and grinned sheepishly. "Well I am actually leaving today to see my parents. My plane leaves at 7."
"What?" I said suddenly awake. How could she not tell me until today? "When was this decided?"
"Yesterday," she said packing again. "It was cheaper so I went with it."
I told her I didn't want her to leave me but that is what happened. She left that night saying good bye. She was to be back the next Wednesday. I packed my bag also incase they called and put the money I was getting from work in there in case I needed to leave in a hurry and didn't have time to grab more money.
School continued. The weekend came and went. Homework was lightening up because finales were in about two weeks. I stayed paranoid even though Dar tried to cheer me up when he was around. Most of the time I spent trying to study, practically isolating myself. Netha finally came back on Wednesday like planned. I was happy and we went out to dinner because my mom didn't fell like cooking. There was still no call from the witch.
Finally it was Friday, the last day of the week and the last day of the contest. I was starting to feel happy, but was still stressed out about finals. Cam, Adalina and I we now back on speaking terms again, hanging out. Once school was out I raced home to grab something to eat. I was always hungry after getting out from school. Netha was out of college for the summer and was there at the house already.
We talked and played video games till both of my parents came home. They soon left again saying they were going out to dinner just the two of them. We said good bye and went into the kitchen to cook our own food.
"So do you feel pretty good about finals?" asked Netha getting some grapes out. Her and her grape fetish.
"Yeah a little. I will feel better when today is over, you know?" I said getting out some left over enchiladas. I put them in the microwave and punched in some numbers. Pressing start I turned to get some plates for us.
"Yeah I know," she said getting silverware and placing them on the table. "I won't have to deal with your freaked out self," she joked.
I was about to comment back when Dar's phone rang. I looked at the number id and it said my name. "Dar might want his phone back," I said to Netha before answering.
"Hey Dar what's up?" I said as the microwave dinked.
"Ding Dong we have a winner," he said. I dropped the enchiladas on the floor with the phone.
"What?" asked Netha, who was staring at me with confusion.
I gulped before answering, my eyes starting to water. "They called."
Whoa they called? What course of action is Stella and friends going to make now? Sorry this chapter is mostly a filler chapter to show that time pasted. The next chapter is going to be fun to write. Also I am now in school so it might take me even longer to write because I am taking really hard classes. The homework is going to be around 2 and a half hours a night. Please bear with me. Thank you and please R&R!