Ch. 5
(P.O.V : None)
They arrived at Nigel's house and were mesmerized at the sixty-foot tree house.
"That's…," Wally started.
"Wow…," Kuki murmured, completing Wally's statement. They got out of Wally's car, grabbed their things, and rang the doorbell.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Kuki said, giggling.
"I know!" Wally said as Nigel opened the door to greet Kuki with a hug and Wally with a high-five.
"Great to see you guys! Come on in," Nigel said, as they entered his home. By the time Kuki and Wally arrived, Hoagie and Abby were there, watching television on the couch.
"Hey guys," Abby called out, breaking the connection between her and the cartoon.
"Hey Abby," Kuki said as she dropped her bag and ran over to hug her. They both started talking when Wally went over to greet Hoagie.
"Whoa, nice wheels," Hoagie said, taking notice of Wally's car.
"Thanks," Wally started. "But I couldn't have been driving that thing around if it weren't for Kuki!"
"Oh, Wally," Kuki just said, giggling and rolling her eyes.
"You guys ready to go see what's up in that tree house?" Nigel said, with eight eyes glued on him from the moment he spoke up.
"You bet!" Hoagie yelled.
"Abby could use some adventure; even if it's walking through an abandoned tree house!"
"Yeah, let's go," Wally said, as they all got their bags and started up for the tree house. When they entered the tree house, hundreds of hamsters scampered into one big hole in the wall. Everyone got out their phones to use as flashlights and started walking around. Suddenly, the tree house started to light up.
"Weird," Hoagie mumbled, as they all walked as one until they came across one big room.
"This looks like the perfect place to stay in," Nigel said, after looking around the big room. They all agreed and sat their bags on the ground.
"We can set up sleeping bags later. For now, I say we explore this place some more!" Hoagie said, excitedly.
"Yeah," Kuki yelled happily.
"Then let's do it," Nigel said, as Nigel walked forward, Hoagie and Abby walked to the right, and Wally and Kuki took towards the left. After walking thirty feet, Kuki suddenly halted.
"Ouch," Wally said, after bumping into Kuki. "Why'd you stop?"
"There's two paths," Kuki spoke, the words pouring fluently from her mouth.
"So?" Wally questioned, lifting an eyebrow. After a few moments of silence, Kuki finally spoke up.
"It's dark."
Wally smiled and rolled his eyes. 'Girls,' he thought to himself, chuckling. "You want me to come with you?"
"Really, you'd do that, for me?" Kuki asked happily.
" Of course; what are friends for?"
They chose to go right and walked down a hallway. Soon after, they came across a door with the number '4' printed on it in red. Kuki and Wally shot each other a glance, then reached for the door. Kuki, noticing this, stopped herself from reaching any further to avoid an awkward situation. Just the thought of it made her blush.
"You okay, Kuki?" Wally asked.
"Who, me? Sure! I mean…Why, why wouldn't I be?" Kuki said, finding it hard to choose the right words to say.
"No reason," Wally said, ignoring the past moment. He opened the door and gasped.
"This is SO cool!" Kuki stepped in and saw the room. The floor was a giant medium blue wrestling ring, filled with punching dummies, weight lifting and wrestling equipment, a radio, and the tree branch that had grown inside had a small tire swing, where a lone pillow laid. Kuki could tell that Wally wanted to stay in here for a little bit, so she decided to let him.
"If you want, I'll go on and explore. Have fun," she said, as she skipped out. She walked slowly down the hallway for a minute when she came across another room. It had no door, but a giant purple curtain with the number '3' painted on again, in red. She pushed the curtain aside and walked into the room.
Then screamed.
Wally was punching the old, dusty dummy whenever he heard the gut-wrenching scream. 'Kuki,' he yelled in his head, as he ran out of the room and dashed into the hallway. "Kuki?" he called out to her, trying to find her desperately.
"Wally?"
When hearing this, Wally followed the voice and almost ripped the curtain when pushing it aside. When he finally got into focus of the room, he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Wally! Look how cute this room is!" Kuki squealed, hopping up and down, using Wally's arm to hold onto like a bar.
"Kuki," Wally mumbled, annoyed.
"Wally, what's wrong?" Kuki asked.
"Well, I heard you scream, and I came rushing over… Kuki, I thought you were really hurt!"
"Gee Wally. I didn't know-"
"-Don't ever scare me like that again!" Wally yelled, grabbing onto her arms.
Kuki stared in eyes, seeing something she would never think to see; fear. She was taken back by it and the guilt overwhelmed her. Pushing away from Wally, she dashed for the giant plush toy-like bed and buried her face in it. Wally slapped his forehead and sat next to on the bed.
"Kuki, I'm sorry," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I was just worried, and-"
"Thank you," Kuki said, sniffling and looking up at him.
"Thank me, what?" Wally said, confused.
"Nobody has ever cared that much about me. Especially, well," she started, but felt too ashamed to go on.
"I'll always be here for you, Kuki," Wally reassured her, as he stood up. "Now come on, let's find the others." He extended his hand out to her just as he did when they first met. She gladly accepted it and brushed the dust off her from the unused bed. They exited the door, walking slowly.
"And the room I saw was like it was designed by me!" Hoagie yelled, as he was telling Nigel and Abby about the room he was in, which was decorated with a mass of airplanes and invention schematics.
"Man, that's awesome!" Abby said happily.
"Did you find any cool rooms, Abby?"
"Well, I entered this room with a big five painted on. It was really cool! The lights could be dimmed, and there were many jazz music selections in it. I enjoyed it!"
Abby, Hoagie, and Nigel kept talking about all the cool places they found in the tree house.
"…And then when I was fifteen, I pulled the fire alarm! I got so busted by the school principal!"
"Wow, Wally. You're quite the daredevil there!" Kuki and Wally laughed as they entered the room with the other three. Hoagie leaned over to Abby and mumbled to her. "Looks like they are getting close, huh?" He laughed to himself until Abby smacked them with her hat. "Ouch! I was kidding!"
"So, you guys finally decided to show up?" Nigel said playfully.
"Heh heh, yeah…" Wally said, tossing one hand behind his head and eyed the floor.
"How come he didn't get hit?" Hoagie complained to Abby.
"Aren't we going to play any games," Kuki pondered.
"Great idea, Kuki! I'll go down and get food and drinks, while you guys set up your sleeping bags," Nigel suggested.
"You know," Wally started, "We could just sleep in those rooms we found. They have beds, and everything!"
"Ooh, good idea!" Kuki said, jumping from her tiptoes to attempt to pat his head as if he were a dog.
"Sure, but we're still partying in here," Abby said. Nigel returned with the drinks and food, and they all sat in a circle.
"So, what should we play?" Hoagie finally asked.
"Ooh, ooh! I know! Pick me!" Kuki said, flailing her arms around.
"Yes, Kuki," Abby said, eyeballing her.
".Dare…"
Personally, I really love this chapter! It's so cute :D
Sorry there wasn't that 'big dramatic thing' I promised was going to be in this chapter. I decided it would be too long if I added it! BUT DON'T FRET! It'll be in Chapter SIX, which I'm writing right after I'm done with this!