Thank you for the support, everybody. Here's another update for you. Please review.
Effie leaped up into the air, a piercing shriek shredding from her lips as she struggled away from the hand clamped on her shoulder. Another hand reached across and pressed over her mouth, and her head span in fear as she hit out at whoever was behind her, catching them square in the stomach.
"Oohh…" They moaned, letting go of her and doubling over in pain, arms crossed over the affected area. "Ow, Effie, it was supposed to be funny, not painful."
"Nick?" She gasped, spinning to face him, dropping her defensive stance quickly "What on earth!"
"I was trying to scare you as a joke, Effie. Because I thought it would be funny. You could've told me you took fighting classes or whatever!"
"Self defence." She corrected him angrily, before her expression melted into one of concern. "Nicky, are you alright?"
"Yeah." He puffed, standing up straight again, hiding his pained expression behind a mask of disinterest. "You didn't hit me that hard anyway."
"Right." Effie could never understand the male instinct to appear as macho as possible in front of an audience. "Well seeing as you're not hurt, I might just kick you again!" She threatened, advancing towards him and he backed away quickly, his hands held up in front of him.
"No don't!" He half laughed half choked, flinching as Effie pretended to hit him over the head. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I just wanted to scare you, that's all."
"Well you certainly did just that!" She cried, finally able to see the humour in the situation. "You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you were a thief or something!"
"Nope, just me." Nick grinned, running a hand through his curly dark-brown hair, his cheeky eyes glittering. Effie found herself smiling back for a moment, feeling awkward with nothing to say.
"So," she said eventually, breaking away her gaze to peer around. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Oh, I'm staying here for the night. With my dad." He explained.
"Oh of course." Effie remembered. "He's the night guard, isn't he?"
"Yeah." Nicky narrowed his eyes, suddenly defensive. "There's nothing wrong with that."
"Oh, no." Effie floundered, her eyes wide. "I never said there was. I think it's a good job, actually." She tried to cover. "It's better than Travis's job, anyway."
"Tra- oh yeah. You're adopted, aren't you?" Nicky asked hesitantly, and Effie looked at her feet, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, was that insensitive?" He screwed up his face, reaching out a hand towards her. "I didn't mean it, honest."
"No, I know." She answered simply, glancing up at him and offering a small smile. "I just get very tired of being 'that girl who was adopted," you understand?"
"Yeah, I do. It sucks to be picked on." Nicky said sympathetically, taking a step closer to her. "I know you get that a lot, from Tara and stuff."
"Hmm."
"And," he hesitated, as if afraid to go on. "And, I know things aren't good with at home, you know, because I've heard you talking about it with Mrs. Dewan. I wasn't listening in or anything, but I was outside, and I know you're having money problems. But I want you to know that it doesn't make you any less worthy of being a person, you know? I still like you a lot, Effie, and would really like to be your friend, whether your adopted, English, poor, or not."
His words were quick – almost merging into one sentence – as if he were afraid to pause and to hear Effie's reaction. She remained silent for while after he had trailed off, her eyes fixed back firmly on her feet, her expression blank.
"Since when was being English a fault?" She challenged, and Nicky turned red, his jaw dropping open. It wasn't until he saw her eyes warm and glittering with humour when he realised she was winding him up. "I thought I already was your friend." She murmured again, but more seriously, and Nicky let out a silent breath he hadn't known he had been holding.
"Yeah, you're my friend. But am I your friend?"
Effie paused, deliberating. She saw Nicky watching on anxiously out of the corner of her eye, and decided to let him to suffer a little bit more after the prank he had played on her earlier.
"Well…" She started, tapping her fingers on her chin as if deep in thought. "I have to consider whether I think you're worthy, first."
Nicky looked taken aback, but nodded, saying nothing.
"And you have to complete a series of challenges for me, also." She grinned wickedly in Nicky's direction, and he caught onto the fact that she was joking around.
"Oh, very funny-"
"Task one. Get me back to the lobby before Mrs. Dewan thinks I've been kidnapped."
"Oh, that's sorted." He said breezily, waving an arm in dismissal. "I told her you were coming home with me."
"What?" She demanded, taking a step back in surprise. "Why?"
"Cos you're staying here for the night, of course!"
"I am? I wasn't aware of that."
"Well you are." He grinned proudly, handing her a laminated card. Effie took it, and read what was written on front.
"Night pass." She muttered, before laughing. Nicky was outrageous. "Alright, that's nice of you Nicky, but I actually have to get home. Sorry."
"Why?" He asked, looking a little bit hurt, and Effie felt a slight twinge of guilt at his forlorn expression.
"Because my parents will be expecting me."
"Give them a call."
"I don't have a phone."
"But I do." Nicky proclaimed, digging an old mobile from his pocket. "Here, give them a call and tell them you're staying here."
"I don't know their number." Effie tried lamely, though she could tell Nicky wasn't buying it. She sighed, and pushed the phone away gently, rolling her eyes.
"Look, Nicky, I appreciate the offer, really. But I don't really want to stay here the night. It's not really my cup of tea."
"But you'll love it, I promise." He urged, his eyes bright. "Seriously, I know you think it's going to be boring and everything, but it won't. You're going to be blown away, I swear."
"Blown away by what, exactly." Effie argued, putting her hands on her hips. "A few dusty wax statues and dark corridors? Or is there a grand heist planned for the night, and I get to help you defeat the baddies with my self defence skills."
"Stop being so mean, and just accept my offer!" Nicky exploded, glancing around him anxiously. "You're running out of time to decide!"
"What?"
"Just-" He faltered, waving his arms madly, before grabbing her arm. "Just come with me. And don't let my Dad see you."
"Why?"
"Stop asking, and start doing!"
Nicky dragged her down the hallway, half-running as he did so, ducking out of sight every time he heard the footsteps of who could only be his father. Effie was forced to follow, her irritation and sheer exasperation growing by the second. She didn't know what the problem was with Nicky – he didn't seem to be acting himself, that was for sure – but she didn't want to appear rude and tell him to bog off, either. Although, by the time he had pushed her back into the lobby, the latter was beginning to look quite tempting.
It was when he pulled her towards the male bathrooms when she snapped.
"Oh for heavens sake!" She hissed, shaking him off angrily. "I'm not going in there. This is ridiculous, Nicky, and you're acting strange. I don't know what sort of game you're playing but I'm not interested."
"Effie!" Nicky interrupted bluntly, motioning for her turn around. Effie stared at him silently, before launching back into her tirade.
"No, I don't know what you're playing at, but I'm not interested. I've already said I needed to get home, and-"
"Effie!" He nearly shouted, pointing over her shoulder. She hit his hand down in a moment of anger, ready to continue shouting, but Nicky had had enough.
"Oh shut up and look!" He cried exasperatedly, before grabbing her shoulders and spinning her on her heels himself. Effie squealed and was about to shake him off, when she found herself face to face with Rexy the skeletal dinosaur. Rexy, the apparently living, breathing, and moving skeletal dinosaur.
"What the-" She began to scream, before Nicky clamped a hand over her mouth hurriedly.
"Don't shout! You'll scare him!"
Scare him? Scare him? Effie began to reel off a number of harsh profanities under Nicky's hand, struggling to break away from his grasp as she did. Her eyes bulged as it the dinosaur opened its mouth opened wide, displaying row upon row of sharp and evil looking teeth.
Effie let out a muffled shriek of terror, and broke from Nicky's bond, before ducking under Rexy's head and rushing past his legs.
"Effie!" Nicky cried out, as she skidded across the marble and towards the entrance, desperate to put some space between herself and the impossibly alive Tyrannosaurus Rex. She slammed into the glass doors hard, and yanked at the handle, before letting out a cry of desperation when finding it locked. She pressed her face against the glass, and could just make out the figures of people still out of the sidewalks, before the window fogged up with her fast coming breath.
"HELP!" She screamed out to them, banging with all of her strength at the glass with her fists. "Help me! There's a dinosaur! Heeelll-"
Another hand clamped over her mouth, and she bit down hard, her teeth sinking into what felt and tasted like… wax? She moaned and fell back, feeling an arm wrap tightly around her chest, pinning her own against her.
"Please don't panic, my good lady." A voice ringing with authority called into her ear, holding her tight as she struggled. "I know you are afraid, lady, but you have no reason to be."
Effie went still, giving up, her body trembling with fear. She squeezed her eyes closed and sent up a prayer, not understanding what on earth was going on. Why did the man she had bitten taste like wax? Why was the dinosaur alive? Why was Nick doing this to her? Her eyes began to sting, one or two tears escaping over her cheeks. She was terrified and felt ready to vomit, wanting her mother more than anything else at that moment.
"Please." She begged, under the restraining hand. "Please let me go. Please don't hurt me. I don't want to die, please don't kidnap me. You can have my money, you can have anything just-"
"My lady," The voice interrupted her, the tone gentle and comforting. "Do not fear us. We are not trying to hurt you, believe me."
Their hold relaxed on her slightly, and Effie took the opportunity to turn around, coming to face her capturer. He was quite a bit taller than her, and a little bit on the large size, with a soft, round face and a kind smile. He wore a green army suit adorned with various badges, and a matching hat with a wide brim sat on his brown curls. She recognized him as the man sitting on a horse by the entrance. A man made of wax, representing Teddy Roosevelt.
"What is going on?" She breathed tearfully, backing up against the glass doors. "Why are you moving?" She cried out again again, but with a little less vigour, and Teddy put an arm on her shoulder.
"Perhaps Lawrence would better answer your questions, young child." He smiled, tipping his hat gently. "Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States, at your service."
"But-but…" She pointed towards his pedestal by the door, where his horse stood watching curiously. She let out a whimper and pushed past him, coming to a stop in the middle of the lobby and looking around astounded. Around her, various figures from the exhibits she had seen in the day stood watching her curiously, each one seemingly alive on their feet.
"Impossible." She shouted, her voice echoing, earning grunts and snorts from a group of dirty Neanderthals hopping around by the door. She looked over at them in despair, her face turning pale, and streaking with new tears.
"Please Miss. Sit with me and wait for Lawrence." President Roosevelt probed gently from behind her, and she ignored him, taking a few shaky steps towards the staircase, before breaking into a run.
"Where are you going?" Somebody – she didn't know who – called from behind her, but she didn't give an answer. Effie didn't exactly know where she was going herself, but she was aiming somewhere far from the lobby.
Well I didn't like it, that's for sure. I couldn't think of a suitable way to introduce the idea of living exhibits to Effie, and I didn't like my result. I think it was a little bit too rushed. Perhaps I will fix it in time. I didn't want to cut off where I did, but I was already over 2000 words, and thought that any more might be a bit of a brain melter to anyone reading.
A certain Egyptian Pharaoh makes an appearance in the next chapter, and no, he doesn't have a lisp. Only a very, VERY beautiful face. Yes, Ahkmenrah 3 What is a good NATM story without his marvellous presence?
Thank you for all of the reviews in the last chapter, everybody. They were much appreciated.
Shoutouts! (because I find them fun):
MamaLita: Nope sorry! It was neither of them. But good guess! Thank you, I hope this is a relatively okay cliffhanger as well :)
Lillykins: Glad you like it :)
Pinkxjellybean: I'd love that facebook picture too XD
Rumbleroar's- apprentice: I'm glad I made you smile :) hope it works again
Badness Bunny: Thank you for all of the compliments! They really made my day. Ahk in the next chapter :)
Rage :)