~~~~~~~~~~~~Barry's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I went into the living room, Violet was still there but she was still crying. I don't cry all too much and even I would have ran out of tears by now. "Hey, Violet. You still wanna work today?" I ask.
"Y-yeah, it'll take my mind off it… a bit… Hey, could you pass me that other letter?" Violet wiped her eyes clean of tears.
I turn around and get what she needs. "Do you know what time it is?" I ask.
"Barry, sorry to burst your bubble dude but you're wearing a watch." She smiled opening the letter. I look at my wrist after face palming, 10:38 am huh? A few moments of stillness and then she spoke. "HELL YUSH!" Violet bellowed. "That's what's happening tonight! Woo. Independence."
"Good things will always go to the right people, eventually." I smile and Violet put her hand out for a celebratory high five- How could I deny her? After she went to her suitcase and pulled her slippers, pyjama bottoms and hair brush out.
"I can't be arsed with the dresses today. Pj's will have to do." Violet got changed out of the bed shorts and in to the pyjama bottoms right in front of me. Looking in to the box she received last night, Violet pulls out the dog tag necklace and puts it on. She continued to brush her hair while scrolling up on her Windows phone. "Are you… Planning anything at this moment in time, Barry?"
"No, why'd ya ask?" I replied.
"I have had an idea for something to cheer me up." She smiles.
"Go on…" I continue because it broke my heart to see her so sad the night before.
"How about pranking Dan?" She says half enthusiastically and half mysteriously.
"Oh my god, yes. That is awesome."
"I just thought it would be fun a couple of days ago after I noticed how fucking gullible he is… I'll tell you more in the car." Violet grabs my wrist after grabbing her parasol and putting on her slippers, still with her phone in hand.
"Let me lock the door." I say after being lead out of my own apartment. "Lucky for you Dan has his own car and key set." I smile.
"This is gonna be so fun." Violet grabs my hand and leads me to the stairs. She ended up pulling me down them, if I was to let go I would have went face first down the stairs so I just let her pull me along. When we reach the bottom, letting go of my hand she spins in one place before skipping out of the complex.
Mrs Cranbury was at the desk with a raised eyebrow. I returned the questioning look by shrugging my shoulders. Violet waited for me at the bottom of the stairs that lead into the complex, excitedly. Grabbing my hand, she knew exactly were the car was parked as we always had the same spot. Leading me to the spot she puts up her parasol trying not to hit my face in the process. When we got there the parasol came down as she hurried into the passenger seat.
"This is gonna be so much fun. I can't wait to tell you guys the ones I had in mind." Violet giggled.
"Tell me when you're ready." I say smiling, returning the happiness.
"So, this will only work if you're up for public embarrassment. The first one I had in mind anyway."
"It depends on how good you think I'd fool Dan." I smile remembering how people in college only did pranks.
"Well, you have to pretend to go insane, sit cross legged and talk to the wall. That's the just of it." Violet smiles and pats my head. "I think Dan would freak the fuck out. And you don't mind if I record it do you?"
"Certainly not, I don't mind at all. And who do you plan to tell?" I return the questioning.
"Everyone- aside from Danny… We'll get him so good." She was so excited.
"Sounds fair." I say stopping the car at the traffic lights which had just turned red. "What about the other prank?" I ask.
"Well the other one involves some good acting from the rest of you and a good hiding spot for me. We have to make Dan believe that I have went missing. Easy, right?" Violet was buzzing, she literally couldn't keep still. The dog tag necklace jingled. "I could book a hotel room and- *gasp* I think I know the best time to do it!"
"When?" I ask while pulling away from the traffic
"I 'go-missing' two days before Christmas. And secretly come into where ever he's at and hide in a gigantic present box behind the tree in which you and Arin will drag out and voila! I scared and surprised Dan!" Violet jumped as if she'd over loaded herself with really gross energy drinks.
"That sounds quite hilarious. We spend Christmas together so that's perfect." I smile back.
"So, I won't be alone this Christmas, like I thought I would." Violet smiles with a really hyper anime expression. When we got there, Violet's plan exceeded everyone's expectations. Then Suzy asked one fatal question, accidentally spoiling Violet's mood.
"What's with the dog tag jewellery, I like it. I'm just confused, is all." Suzy said and I almost instantaneously remembered that her hyped up mood had made Violet forget.
Violet looked straight at me, pounding straight into my chest she began to tightly cling on and sob. Suzy looked at me confused and I just shut my eyes, rocking side to side even though I knew it didn't help the women next to me. I picked up my phone and began to text her. I didn't want to speak what Violet cried about as it would just make her worse. When she received the text and read it, after throwing her phone to Arin, Suzy ran across the room desperately.
"Oh, Violet, I am so sorry. Please, forgive me. Please forgive me." Suzy yelped.
"Violet," A calm deep voice said across the room. The voice belonged to Arin. "Violet, listen to me." Arin bent down near the two women and me. Violet drew her attention to the man who spoke her name. "I'm here, I'm right here for you. You may not have your real biological father anymore but you have me. You may not see us the way we see us yet. But we call ourselves the grump family for a reason." He smiled through his facial hair. "You may not feel how we feel but just know we are all right here. You can tell us anything that you want and we won't be disappointed or mad."
The door opened and shut and a shirtless Dan saw the scene that took place in front of him.
~~~~~~~~~Violet's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wished she hadn't of reminded me, but it wasn't her fault. Arin spoke the truth only I think I do see them the same way they see themselves:
Arin was the father, Suzy was the mother, Barry was the caring oldest brother, Dan was the second oldest brother, Holly was the amazingly talented sister, Ross was the annoying little brother and me, well I was somewhere in between Barry and Dan. I think I'd be the littlest sister, actually, because I don't have a certain quality or talent. I'm still learning to be fair.
Dan stood in the doorway looking directly at Arin and I. How he comforted me after weeping profusely. Dan and I met eyes, his nut brown spheres were invitingly horrified at my blazing red cheeks and under my sparkling violet eyes was soaked with a never ending water fall of tears. I no longer felt like TokyoTrooper, I just felt weak and unable to control my sorrowful emotions.
"I'm sorry Dan," I sniffle. "I thought you could use the extra sleep after last night. You didn't have to stay awake to console me, I could have done it myself." I lie twice in a row and he didn't know about the first lie. Dan said nothing. He just walked into the room and sat on the floor.
I thanked them all for coming together so quickly and got down to the office. There was conversation upstairs after Barry came down, the conversation was long and we couldn't make any of it out. I texted Arin to ask him whether I could use his computer to animate. He came down, logged in and showed me the basics. Not too long after I got to work, I saw something out of the corner of my eye… Like- like a shadow.
"Did you see that right now, Barry? Over there you know… that thing, over there." I point to the right corner and Barry looks at me funny.
"What the hell are you talking about? There's nothing there." Barry looks beyond confused.
"But it was right there!" I slam my fist down on the desk in frustration. "I've been seeing that shadow for the past two months or so. No one else know what I mean."
"Hey, Violet look. I don't want to sound harsh but are you alright?" Barry looks at me in a concerned manner.
I mutter to myself a little bit too loudly. "Mother fucker. I am not crazy. I'm not her. I refuse to become like my mother. Fuck you, Flora Iris Lobelia Japonica Bush. I am not turning into you, mad bitch. Dahlia, get a hold of yourself." Dahlia, was what I called myself when I was sick of hearing my first name, Violet. "Violet Lisianthus Dahlia Hellebore Veronica Blackwell, you have to get it together. You're not a fuckin' loony like your mam."
"Hey, Dahlia… Do you mind if I call you Dahlia as well." Barry asks.
"Snapdragons, I don't care. I have so many middle names, you could each call me something different. No, I don't mind."
"Ha-ha… snapdragons." Barry gets why I say it. (Another flower name.) "Violet, do you need any… help?"
I breathe in through my teeth. "Actually I do," I write my name on an untouched scrap of paper from Arin's desk with a chewed-to-hell black ball point pen. "We need to sort out the naming system. Come upstairs with me." I grab Barry's wrist and yank him up the stairs. "Gather round! Gather round. Round up! Choose a name, only one gets Violet. Choose wisely." I call as I step into the living room breaking their conversation.
Arin straight up calls: "I bagsy Hellebore…" He smiles unwittingly. "Can I call you Satan for short?"
"OH HELL TO THE-MOTHER-FUCKIN'-NO." I yell. "Hellebore or nothing." I say circling the middle name that Arin chose and put his name out side of the circle.
"I'm gonna call her Violet. I did right the ad on the internet." Suzy calls. I circle my first name and put 'Suzy' on the top of the circle. I put Barry's name over Dahlia before anyone says anything.
"Ross you're getting Veronica, so you have less chance of fucking it up." I say putting 'Ross' above 'Veronica'.
"Oh, jeez, so kind." Ross teases lightly.
"Shut the fuck up Ross. Umm, Lisianthus goes to Danny." I say putting 'Dan' over 'Lisianthus'. "And Holly, you don't mind calling me by my second name, do you?" I ask apologetically.
"No, no. No worries." Holly smiles. "I like your second name… Blackwell. It's cool!"
"So… Umm, Hiya Lizzie!" Dan teases.
"Lisianthus!" I call. "Lisi-an-thus! Nothing else!" I spell it out.
"Lizzie!" Dan teases again.
"Lisianthus! Dan, you're really testing my patients now!"
"Oh, I'm sorry Lizzie." Dan was really annoying me.
"Ok, fine, I give up. You win. Lizzie it is…" I cross my arms. "…Lizzie… Lizzie!" I rejoice. "Nice thinking Dan. It's actually surprisingly pretty cute!"
"No problem-o Lizzie." Dan smiles undoubtingly. I sit down on the couch for a moment and Arin stands up.
"Dude, why does Dan get to give you a nickname that he'll permanently use and I don't?!" Arin was acting like a kid having a fit.
"Because he annoyed me 'til boiling point. You can't walk around calling me Satan… It'll look like harassment in the cops' eyes." I glance at Barry. "Plus, it's not like I've got the mark of the dev…" I stop and look at my ankle in which was rested on top of my right leg. Rolling up my pyjama bottoms, I look at my '666' tattoo on my left ankle. "Well, shit." I sigh.
Arin assessed the tattoo and began laughing, the rest of the grumps slightly looked over. Dan and Ross began laughing too and Suzy, Holly and Barry covered their mouth sniggering. "Oh my god." Dan had eventually recovered.
"Arin, you're still not calling me Satan!" I call running down to the office, hiding my heavily crimson covered face of embarrassment. When I get down to Arin's PC again, I go on google and type-'Other names for Satan or The Devil'. I see Lucifer in the results of a link I clicked on and follow up that search. I type 'Female versions of Lucifer' into the search bar. I click on a link that guides me to the same question but on 'Yahoo Answers'. I find some funny ones like Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion and Sarah Palin. But I go for 'Lillith in Jewish mythology'. "Lillith, it will be." I mutter and head back upstairs.
"So, have you changed your mind?" Arin asked.
"Kinda." I say.
"How 'kinda'?" Arin asks making air quotes after repeating what I say.
"You can call me Lillith." I announce.
"That sounds pretty darn cute!" Suzy smiles and Dan's eyes widen.
"What's the matter, Dan?" I ask.
"Lillith is-" Dan begins but I finish his sentence.
"Satan in Jewish mythology, I know. Is there a problem?" I ask.
"I'm… Jewish." Dan sighs.
"Welp, the more you know." I say heading down the stairs. "Barry, you comin' back down?"
"Yeah." Barry says following me.
I start whispering when I get down there. "You ready to start the prank. You can work while you do it, just sit by the wall." I smile.
"What, now?" Barry asks and I nod.
"You named the wall yet?" I ask.
"Erm, how about… Robert?" Barry suggests.
"That's a great name Bar… let's do this. I'll talk to you when Dan comes down, that'll be your warning sign." I whisper while going to Arin's chair and Barry gets in his place. I draw away and Arin comes down. He just smiles appreciatively when he realizes what's going on.
Arin steals Suzy's chair and rolls towards me as I finish with the drawing on the intro animation. "You doin' music as well?" He asks.
"Well, I was thinking about royalty free music but I wanna make this more of my own." I finish up colouring. "You wanna see it?" I ask. Arin nods. I let him see it and he was fairly surprised.
"Whoa there Violet, that was surprisingly really good!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I bite.
"N-nothing, Lillith. Nothing at all." Arin says remembering what we'd agreed to ten minutes ago. I wondered why the hell all the guys were like super nice to me all the time. It could have been that they wanted to show that it was a best-friends type situation but it was a little over the top.
"Hmm, I'll let you off this time." I search around the desk. "Well, fuckstick in a handbasket. Fuck it." I say putting the music on my phone up to the top. The song called 'Cut' came on, Arin looked a little surprised as I sang along.
"Vi-Lillith? Umm, how do you know the lyrics?" He asked.
"N-n-no reason… No reason at all." I stutter. He looks through the songs on my phone, a shocked expression on his face. There was barely any good ones. (By good I mean happy.)
"And you know all the lyrics to these songs?" He questions and I reply by nodding.
"Yes, is there a problem at all?" I say.
"They don't seem like- you." He admits.
"Hmm? You don't know me too well still, then. You have a lot to learn." I sigh. "There's one happy one but I can only sing in certain conditions."
"Those conditions are?" Barry asks.
"I'll put the song on." I say heading to a song called 'Perfect Two'. I just awkwardly raise my shoulders as I didn't feel comfortable playing the song with two guys in the room.
"Dahlia, you are obsessed with music, aren't you?" Barry asks.
"A little bit more than obsessed. More like my-little-and-teen-and-adult-self-wanted-and-wants-to-be-a-singer…really-badly. But I guess…" I blush.
"You're sitting in front of someone who could help you out with that." Arin smiles.
"I guess I don't have enough confidence and never will… ever." I turn off the music.
"Once your youtube career is up and running-" Arin began but I cut him off.
"I can't abandon people like that, it's one or the other." I whisper. "I'm really too shy anyway."
"What about?" Dan ran down the stairs and I ignored him.
"Barry, are you and your friend enjoying yourselves?" I ask.
"Yes, Dahlia. We are!" Barry smiled.
~~~~~~~~Danny's POV~~~~~~~~~~~
What the actual fuck was going on?
"U-urr, Arin they need you upstairs… Lizzie, what's going on? That's weird, right?" I asked.
"Stop dissing Barry's friend. That's a whole load of rude." Violet smiled. "So, what's going on upstairs?"
"I-urr-umm… Video stuff." I lie. Barry was muttering things to the wall.
"Like I believe that. I know you're not filming, you have enough footage to last you a week and the editor that' shere has company at the minute." Violet smirks after looking down at her phone. She puts a song on, I'm sure it was the female version of Fireflies. I couldn't believe how old the original song was. Muttering the lyrics she begins to draw again.
I left the weirdly acting Barry with the singing women and went back upstairs.
"Hey, do you guys know about Barry's friend, also known as the wall?" I ask.
"Dan, his friends are a little unsocial, don't dis!" Holly complained.
"Don't you worry just a little bit?" I ask again.
"It's okay, chill man. Veronica's down there in case he starts going batshit crazy." Ross convinced.
"After what she's been through and the way her body language has been lately, I very much doubt that she'd do anything."
"So, for now let's forget about that and continue planning their joint birthday party." Suzy said.
~~~~~~~~~Violet's POV~~~~~~~~~~
I saw the figure again. Standing up, and freaking out. Barry stopped smiling after his success.
"Dahlia! Are you okay?! What's the matter?" He asks me.
"Aaagh! I've had enough. That freaking shadow can go fuck it's self…" I say then it clicks. "Maybe I am mad. I'm insane! I'M MENTAL! You're not your mother Violet… not yet at least." It was getting on to 8:00 pm by the time this was happening. "I only see it here!" I shout almost punching the wall. "I need to go get my apartment fixed up."
"Shit, even I forgot!" Barry exclaims saving his work.
Someone runs down the stairs. "Is everything okay, down here?" It was, the still shirtless, Dan.
"Long story short, 1. I need to go and unpack at my new apartment and 2. I'm going crazy." I describe.
Dan raises an eyebrow letting me past so I could get up the stairs with my phone still blasting music. "I'm really sorry, Ross. I forgot about my apartment and I have to go, please tell Arin and Suzy that we're going home now. Sorry, bye!" I rush while putting my slippers on and putting my parasol up.
"Goodbye, Vi-Veronica!" Ross called as I opened and shut the door. Dan and Barry soon follow as we get in the car.