Revamped!

[I know it kinda looked like it for a while but don't expect weekly updates for this story. School and two other stories are killing me.] [2020: Ah, simpler times when that was killing me. Now it's university and so many stories that I've lost count.]

Beyond the Crescent Moon: Part Four

Thorne and Cress stand beside each other as he knocks firmly on the door of the Blackburn mansion. They wait on the doorstep, hoping that somebody would answer. Cress crosses her arms, shivering a little from the dawn's chilly breeze as Thorne hesitates on knocking again or even ringing the doorbell (which is probably what he should've done first).

"Nobody will open up at the hour," Cress says.

The door opens, shocking them. On the other side is a fully dressed Winter, smiling at the sight of them. Cress and Thorne are unsure if they should bid her a good morning, ask her why she's awake, or if they can come in.

"Good morning!" Winter exclaims, taking Cress and Thorne aback by this burst of unexpected energy. "Come on in!"

Winter opens the door wider for the two of them to enter. They both wonder why Winter is even awake an already pumped for the day energy-wise. Thorne closes the front door before he and Thorne follow Winter up the stairs.

"We should've called her to bring a ladder," Cress whispers to Thorne.

He laughs a little as they reach the top level. The three of them see Levana exit the bathroom, already looking dressed and professional for the workday. Thorne and Cress mutter a series of good mornings along with compliments for the house. Levana responds with a pleasant gaze and a small nod, making Thorne and Cress feel super awkward. She probably meant well and maybe they would've gotten that notion if she didn't look so intimidating.

"I'll call your parents and let them know that you two stepped out early and are with my girls," Levana says to them, pulling out her cell phone.

"You're not going to ask why we're here?" Thorne questions.

"Not at all."

Levana leaves, dialling a number. Thorne and Cress look at each other before looking at Winter who gives them a much more friendly smile on Levana's behalf. Although it was pleasant, it only makes Thorne and Cress realize that Winter hasn't even asked them why they were knocking at four-almost-five AM, she just let them in.

"How does Levana even know us?" Cress asks.

"Probably through our parents," Thorne guesses. "Still, it's nice of Levana to do the lying for me. Makes me look more credible."

Winter smirks. "Levana needs a polite reason not to have to talk to you and be a friendly host."

Thorne and Cress are quiet. Winter used their silence to her advantage and decided to give Thorne and Cress a house tour of the upstairs. They didn't interrupt or ask why she was doing this.

"Wait, Winter," Thorne politely interrupts. He points at a door Winter already explained. "Cinder's still asleep, right?"

The moment Winter nods, Thorne enters Cinder's room. Winter and Cress follow. Thorne approaches Cinder's bed and sees her sleeping in a mess of tangled bedsheets and uncombed hair. He kneels on her bed and shimmies over to Cinder. Thorne puts his hands on her shoulders.

"Cinder!" Thorne yells, shaking her awake.

Cinder screams as she pushes Thorne to the floor. He laughs from there until Cinder throws her bedsheets and pillows on top of him to suffocate him. She groans in frustration and fatigue as she looks at Cress and Winter with Thorne digging himself out in the background. He eventually gets up although his feet are still tangled in Cinder's sheets.

"How the stars did you get in here?!" Cinder yells at him. She doesn't care that Cress is here.

Thorne brushes himself off. "Winter let us in."

Cinder looks over at Winter who smiles sweetly while rocking back and forth on her toes. Cress peeks over from behind Winter and gives Cinder a small wave.

"Morning to you too, sunshine," Thorne says to her.

"We're not friends anymore," Cinder tells him (not meaning it - or so he hopes). "Go make my bed."

Cinder gets out of bed. She takes Cress's hand and takes her out of the bedroom with Winter following, leaving Thorne in Cinder's room to fix her bed. The girls enter Winter's room which is not only filled with everything pastel but has an aromatic hint of frankincense thanks to an essential oil diffuser on top of her dresser.

"You're closer to Winter's size so we'll just use her school uniform," Cinder says.

Winter opens her closet and it's organized in many ways: by season, colour, type of clothing, accessories, jackets, shoes, and so much more. Cinder and Cress aren't only smacked in the faces by order but by all the floral prints. (And Cinder already knew it was all there.)

"It's like the mall blew up in here," Cress says.

Cinder scoffs. "Or the florist. It's basically a garden. Everything this girl owns has a flower on it."

They look at Winter who smiles proudly as she pulls out a set of uniform for Cress to borrow. Regarding Cress's backpack and school supplies, the girls agreed that Thorne should take care of that. He was the one who brought her out here so he should be the one to handle all this.

After they all finish getting ready, they go back downstairs to Thorne who has helped himself to some bagels in their kitchen. At least, that's what they assume since they doubt Levana offered him anything. Thorne swallows the rest of his bagel and walks out to meet them.

"How about I give you girls a ride to school?" Thorne offers.

"Yes," Cress says giddily.

"No," Cinder says uninterestedly.

"Yes," Winter says excitedly.

"Yes," Thorne says only to persuade Cinder.

"Please, Cinder," Winter begs, tugging on her arm.

Cinder rolls her eyes, acknowledging that she's outnumbered 3-to-1.

"Fine," Cinder states, "but it's literally 5:30 AM."

"We gotta drive to my place and we'll grab breakfast somewhere," Thorne says.

-o-

Thorne parks outside his house and runs inside the house to get dressed, leaving Cinder, Cress, and Winter in the car. He wouldn't borrow a set of uniform from Winter since he wasn't allowed to show up in a skirt (although he believes that his legs could pull it off). They know it'll take a bit longer since not only does Thorne care about what he looks like, his parents might scold him.

As they wait, Cress taps her finger against her bare leg until she looks in the rearview mirror of the passenger seat to see both Winter and Cinder staring at her with piercing eyes. Cress shakes her head a little. Not only were the Blackburn girls beautiful but they were intimidating just like Levana but in a much more charming way.

"What is it?" Cress asks them cautiously.

"What were you doing out with Carswell Thorne all night?" Cinder interrogates.

"He wanted to take me on an adventure," Cress replies innocently.

Winter claps her hands together. "See, Cress, confidence is key."

Cress shrugs. "I guess."

"What did you do?"

"Stargazing."

Winter coos, being a complete sucker for romance and a night of stargazing just sounds like a happily ever after. Cress blushes and Cinder rolls her eyes. Thorne walks in the car, now wearing his uniform and throwing his backpack in the backseat with Winter and Cinder.

"Talking about me?" Thorne questions, buckling up.

"Always!" Cinder exclaims sarcastically.

"I'm just excited that I get to drive three hot girls to school."

Winter laughs a little, Cinder hesitates on jumping out of the car, and Cress smiles at the fact that Thorne called her hot since she's sitting beside two of the most beautiful girls she has ever seen.

-o-

Once they arrive at school after picking up breakfast at a bakery, Cinder exits the car before Thorne even parked it. Thorne sighs happily, proud that he managed to piss of Cinder so early.

"Who knew Cinder loved to learn," Thorne says sarcastically as he watches her run to school just to get away from him.

Winter laughs a little. "Thank you, Thorne!"

Winter skips out of the car. He smirks watching her go before looking at Cress who's smiling lightly at him.

"Thank you, Thorne," she says, "for everything. It made my day - or night - depending on how you see it."

Cress tries to get out of the car but Thorne has locked her in. She looks at him and he's unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face her.

"I'm not done with you yet," Thorne states.

Cress is confused, waiting for an explanation.

"Now, you have to thank me with a grand gesture," Thorne says.

Cress frowns. "Wait, so you did all that just so I'll have a debt with you?"

"And now I sound like a dick. But no, Crescent Moon, I'm not. You told me yourself that you've had a boring life and so you may thank me by allowing me to continue to take you on some spontaneous adventures."

Cress scoffs. "Spontaneous adventures? Spontaneous is just another word for random and random doesn't always equal fun."

"True but random always equals memorable."

Cress is over the moon happy at that idea. She can't help but think that Carswell Thorne wants to spend more time with her.

"Was last night a date?" She blurts out, instantly covering her mouth and feeling her entire face turn hot and red. If she wasn't so tired, then she would've kept that to herself.

Thorne laughs wholeheartedly. "If you want, then it could've been. I'll count it as one if you do."

Cress can't believe that she just had her first date and it was with Carswell Thorne.

-o-

At the end of the school day, Thorne walks through his house and says hello to the family maid as the family dog jumps up to greet him. The maid tells him the dinner plans and he doesn't ask if his parents are around since he doesn't care. His parents could be on Jupiter for all he cares. He goes up to his room and throws his bag on the floor. Thorne changes out of his uniform and into some more comfortable clothes - sweatpants and shirtless. He looks down and sees that his phone has a new text.

Little Crescent Moon: My dad's going to be off on business again for a week.

That statement alone makes Thorne so happy for that and immediately takes his phone to answer right away. The possible adventures to take Cress on are running through his head and there is a lot.

Thorne: Nice!

He has no idea why he said something that naturally sounds so sarcastic over text with an exclamation point. Why does he suddenly feel like he doesn't know what to say? This has never happened to him before.

Thorne: So…

Little Crescent Moon: So…

Thorne: What kind of adventure do you want?

Little Crescent Moon: I thought you said these would be "spontaneous"?

Thorne: There are just so many options. Like you said, there is so much beyond the crescent moon.

Little Crescent Moon: Surprise me.

Thorne finds himself grinning. He likes the sound of a challenge which involved giving Cress the spontaneous adventures of her life. All he has to think about where to start…

[My Cresswell heart is just bursting with love and fluff now.]