Elijah's P.O.V

"Hey! Do you guys know where Nick is? I haven't seen him since yesterday" I said, frowning immediately I got to where Alex and Bex were standing.

"Well..he was with me yesterday..." Alex said and Bex raised an eyebrow at that. I deflated a little, hearing Alex say that. They were together?

"Oh" I made my expression unreadable and Alex glanced at me.

"Zoey is a bit late too" Bex spoke up "I guess something is wrong. I think we should wait till lunch to see if they will still come to school"

"Yeah, you're right" Alex agreed with Bex as I nodded too.

"Okay, thanks. See you later" Eddy said and we walked away. I was in deep thought about what Alex said earlier. Why did she say it with a bit of hesitation? Did something happen between them? Does she like Nick? Does Nick like her? So many things were going through my head that I didn't realize that Eddy had stopped walking.

"Hey man, are you okay?" Eddy called and I stopped. He walked over to me. Am I okay? No! But I don't know if it's because of what Alex mentioned earlier or because Nick is missing as well as his sister.

"Yeah. I'm just worried about Nick and Zoey. We should check their house after school" I said with a furrowed eyebrow. Eddy's lips curved into a frown and I knew it was because of Zoey.

"Yeah. But Zo never misses school. I remember the last time she was sick, she came to school with a box of tissues and a little bin. She carried it with her to all the classes she attended. I remember she had a really bad cold then" he chuckled to himself, in deep thought. He liked Zoey. A lot. But he hasn't got the balls to tell her in fear of never having balls again because of Nick of course. Nick was overprotective over his sister and he knew how Eddy and him played girls over the years. The girls never lasted a week with them.

"Whipped" I muttered, making sure he heard me. He smacked me upside and punches his arm lightly. "Don't worry lover boy, they'll be fine". He nodded and smiled at me. It seems like we are just avoiding the negative thoughts by saying they will be fine.

"I know you like her" he said and my eyebrows furrowed. Zoey? I've never thought of her that way. She's like a sister.

"Zoey? No! She's like a sister to me" I explained immediately to avoid any confusion but he rolled his eyes at me.

"I'm talking about Alex, dude. You like her. Obviously" He explained and my eyes widened like a deer caused in the headlights. Was it that obvious?

"What? Of course not. She's a... friend" I said and I winced slightly at the last word. Nice going, dumbo.

"Stop being a wimp and admit it. I notice the way you look at her like she makes you all tingly inside" he nudged me teasingly. I rolled my eyes at him and I opened my mouth to talk but he shushed me ." If you are going to deny it again, I'd rather go. I don't want to be late for class." He said and started walking away, leaving me to my thoughts.

I like her. I really like Alex. But she doesn't like me. At least not that way. I'm willing to give it a try but I doubt she will. Probably because she definitely doesn't want to meddle in my fucked up family issues. I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts and made my way to class as well.

My only prayer now was that I hope Nick's consequences hasn't caught up with him and is now affecting his sister. I really hope.

Alexandrea's P.O.V

After the last class for the day, I gathered my books and stood up, heading straight for the door. There was something about the last class of the day that just makes me feel like I have finally been released from a prison or a cage of some sort. It's just satisfying.

"Hey Ally!" Bex yelled, waving at me before running towards me. I grinned as she approached me and I suddenly thought of Zoey. Where could she be? Is she sick? Why would she miss school? A figure in front of me interrupted my thoughts as she placed a hand on her waist, giving me a questioning look.

"What?" I asked.

"I said how was class?" She raised an eyebrow. I shrugged with a frown in response.

"Same as always" I muttered as we both started to make our way to our locker.

"You look like you were in deep thought. Thinking about Eli?" She smiled teasingly and wiggled her eyebrows while I rolled my eyes. My cheeks turned a light shade of pink and I played with the edge of my notes.

"Whatever" I tried to act like I don't care and she started to nudge me repeatedly, still wiggling her eyebrows. "Fine, fine. I was thinking of Zo" I said and after a pause, "And Nick" I added.

"Hm. We should head to their house and check if everything is fine" Bex suggested and I nodded in agreement.

We got to our lockers and got everything we needed before heading to our cars. Bex's car smelt of beer and snot. In short, it smelled and looked disgusting. She gave me a sheepish smile and we decided to leave her car in school instead. We took mine after making sure hers was properly secured.

We got to Nick's house few minutes later and we got down from the car. Leaving our bags inside, I locked it and put my phone and car keys in my pocket. We walked to the front door and I looked at Bex assuringly before knocking.

There was no answer.

I furrowed my eyebrows and knocked again. Bex passed me an horrified expression at the thought that something bad had happened to them but I dismissed the thought immediately. There was no answer again. I raised my hand to knock for the third time but an half naked Nick with disheveled hair and sweat dripping from his forehead opened the door.

A green towel was hanging from his neck as he took one end of it to wipe the sweat from his head and face, making his hair more messed up. He was in sweats and was staring at me with an annoyed expression. "What?" I rolled my eyes at him. What crawled up his pants now?

"Thank God" Bex exhaled in relief beside me and that snapped me from my thoughts. "Good afternoon to you too" she replied to Nick's rude remark as he saw us. His gaze shifted from mine to Bex's and he raised an eyebrow.

"Nick dear, who's there?" Nick's Grandma called from the house. Then she appeared beside Nick who wore a sore expression on his face. Her gaze firstly landed on Nick and his bare chest before she smacked him on his head. "Why are you half naked? Do you not own any shirts or tops? Or you want to turn my house to strip club!" She scolded as Nick rubbed the upside of his head and grumbled before walking back inside. I almost laughed out loudly.

Then she noticed us. "Afternoon Mrs Hunter" Bex chirped and smiled politely at the old lady. She smiled back widely.

"Bexlee, Alexandrea. How are you kids? Come in!" She ushered us and we walked in the house as she closed the door behind us. We sat on the couch in getting to the sitting room.

"We are good! How about you?" I answered for Bex and I, grinning. I just loved how friendly and warm she is. She reminds me so much of my grandma.

"I'm great. I'm sure you are here to see Zoey?" She guessed and we nodded eagerly. She smiled sadly and my heart began to beat faster "She is in her room" she informed us before disappearing into the kitchen.

I've been in there house before so I led the way, while Bex trailed behind me. I knocked in her door and we heard a faint, 'come in'. She was buried under her bright pink covers and her back was facing us. Bex closed the door behind her and we walked in slowly.

"Gran, I already told you. I'm not hungry" She groaned as she sat up on her bed to face us. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was flushed. She looked like she has been through hell, the way her black hair flows messily on her. Then tears started to well up in her eyes and Bex and I quickly rushed to her.

Bex pulled her in a hug while I rubbed her back slowly. What the hell happened?, I thought. Her shoulders shook as she cried on Bex's shoulder. My heart sank at the sight. What's with people being sad today.

"It's okay, everything is gonna be fine. We're here now" I comforted her as I rubbed her back in soothing motion. Bex gave me a worried look because she wouldn't stop crying. It seemed as if she just started letting out all the tears she had been holding in.

"I'm scared" she whimpered finally. I glanced at Bex in confusion as she mirrored my expression. Scared? Of what? "I-" she started to talk but was cut off by knocks on the door.

I stood up and gave a look, telling her I'll be back before walking out of the room to get the door. My mind was clouded with different thoughts and emotions. Something just felt off about everything but I couldn't tell what.

"Nick dear, please get the door!" I heard Nick's grandma yell from the kitchen. Then Nick's door opened and he got out. With a sweatshirt this time.

"Okay" he yelled back. Then he stopped as he saw me. The look he gave me made me know that this had turned to a competition. He glanced at the door and smirked. Then he lifted three fingers. The index finger, the middle finger and the finger between the pinkie and middle finger. I don't really know what that's called.

'Three' he mouthed as the finger between the....ugh. Let's just call it the between finger. So he dropped the between finger. The knocking became harder. I'm sure the person by the door is wondering what is going on.

'Two' he mouthed again, dropping the middle finger. I have to win this. Even though it's a race from the sitting room to the front door. The knocking became more persistent.

"Nick! I told you to get the door!" I heard Nick's grandma scold again. Still from the Kitchen but we ignore everyone, focusing on the short race.

'One' he dropped the index finger and I felt myself running towards the door. The door already opened before I reached for the handle. Nick smirked and winked at me while I rolled my eyes at him, partially because he won.

"Hey" Eli's voice snapped my eyes to the person by the door. It was Eli and Eddy. I smiled at them and ushered them in. I closed the door when they entered and looked back to find Nick and the boys talking.

"Um... where's Zoey?" Eddy asked nervously and a grin broke out on my face. My ship is sailing, yes!!! He rolled his eyes at the expression on my face with a small smile. Nick glanced at me with amusement and averted his gaze back to Eli who was talking to him.

"She's fine but we need to speak to her first. She'll be out soon" I assured Eddy and he let out a breath, nodding. "I'll be right back" I said and headed to Zoey's room.

She laid her head on Bex's lap and was laughing, when I came in. I raised an eyebrow at that. Bex was resting on the head board and their eyes snapped to mine as they noticed my presence.

"Alex!" Zoey chuckled "Why didn't you tell me how you and Bex met. Gosh it is hilarious. And apple pie? Really?" She fell into fits of giggles again. A chuckle escaped my lips and I bounced on the bed beside them.

"Yeah! I had no idea she was here to stay. But life had different plans" I laughed and I remembered one of Bex's ex boyfriends "Hey, do you remember Loni?" I asked Bex. She scrunched up her nose in Hought and she started laughing when she remembered.

"Yeah! The doll boyfriend" Bex laughed. Zoey lifted her head slightly in interest. "I swear he had the largest collection of dolls that he started to creep me out. I mean, which seventeen year old guy collects dolls?" She conveyed and we all started laughing. Our faces were flushed by the time we stopped and I laid my head on Zoey's stomach.

"I wish there were never sad things in this world. That everyone was good and happy" I smiled, staring at the pink wall. Zoey hummed in agreement and Bex nodded.

"You know, now that I think of it. I don't blame some people for their behavior. The world made them that way. And the world broke some beyond repair" Bex suddenly said and I glanced up to stare at her. Zoey did the same too. We both stared at her in shock.

"Wow" Zoey said and Bex raised an eyebrow at her. Then at us both.

"What?" She asked in confusion. She was probably wondering why we were staring at her as if she grew another eye in the middle of her head. Now that I think of that, I'm never thinking of it again.

"That's the deepest and most sensible thing you've ever said ever since I've known you" I said. And I got a smack. On my back. By Bex.  "Ow" I groaned and she glared at me as Zoey started to laugh.

"You guys are annoying"Bex grumbled and we pulled her into a group hug.

"But you love us to the bone" Zoey said in the hug and Bex hummed in response. We stayed like that for a while before pulling away and giving each other smiles. "I love you guys" Zoey said, suddenly tearing up. Jeez, what's up with her?

"Aww, we love you too. But I don't think Eddy will if he sees you like this so get your ass off the bed and take a bath" Bex said, pushing her off the bed. I rolled my eyes with a smile at Bex's way of comfort.

"I'm sorry, it's my strawberry week so I'm really emotional" she explained and I nodded, knowing how it feels.

"It's okay stinky. Now go and take a bath. Eddy is waiting for you!" I ushered her and her eyes widened.

"He's here?" She asked in shock and I nodded. "Oh my God, he's here!" She said and she took a towel before disappearing into her bathroom, locking the door behind her.

I sighed with a smile and I caught Bex giving me a weird look. "What?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I have this ugly feeling" she muttered, looking down. I put my hand on her shoulder and massages it softly.

"Zoey will be fine" I assured her and she looked back up at me. Fear evident in her eyes.

"It's not Zoey. It's you" I furrowed an eyebrow in confusion as my lips formed a frown.

"Me?" I asked. "I don't understand" I said and I moved closer to her. She is really confusing me and scaring me as well.

"It's about Nick. Be careful. Please" She said and laid in the bed, closing her eyes as I thought about what she said. My frown deepened. Does she mean Nick is a bad person?

"How's Luke?" I asked, changing the subject and distraction myself. She hummed with her eyes closed. Her cheeks started to turn pink at the mention of his name.

"He's fine I guess. We talked in class today. He asked me to be his girlfriend" She shrugged like it was no big deal and I screamed in excitement while jumping up in the bed.

"Shut the fuck up out there!" We heard Zoey yell from the bathroom and we both chuckled. I looked at Bex with a wide eyes and a grin.

"I'm so happy for you!! What was your answer?" I asked excitedly. She sat up and opened her eyes. She gave me a smile and played with her hair.

"Well....I said no" she said and my grin dropped. She rolled her eyes at my expression, still with a smile.

"What? Why? He made you all red and fidgety all the time so why the fuck did you say no? You don't like him anymore? Did he hurt you? Because if he did, I swear-"

"He didn't, Mother" she rolled over r eyes again and I breathed a sigh of relief. "But, he asked me in gym class. Full of sweaty and smelly people. Does that sound romantic to you? No! So I told him to try better next time. And he said, he's going to surprise me" she said and ended with a giggle. I slapped her arm. Hard. And she flinched.

"What the fuck Bex!" I exclaimed at her stupid reason for saying no. "What did this poor boy get himself into? It's a pity he likes you" I slapped a hand over my face. She pinched me and I winced. "Ow!"

"Fuck you!" She flipped me the middle finger and I smirked at the comeback I was about to use.

"Sorry, I'm straight" I said with a fake apologetic smile. She slapped my arm again while I got into fits of laughter.

"I'm done!!!!" Zoey sang as she got out of the bathroom in a pink towel. She noticed me laughing "What's funny?" She asked, thinking I was laughing at her. The face she made out of confusion made Bex started laughing too. With a narrowed eye, she snarled and ignored us, disappearing into her closet.

I stood up and knocked in the door of her closet. "Fuck off" she answered. I glanced at Bex with a mischievous smile as she quickly left the bed and knocked in the closet door. "I said, fuck off" Zoey answered again. She hardly swore. Which means Bex and I were rubbing off on her.

"We're sorry" I said to Zoey through the door, looking at Bex who was trying hard to hold her laughter. She eventually opened the door with a straight face. I pouted dramatically and Bex pushed out her bottom lip excessively. And that was all it took to make Zoey burst into laughter too. I loved this. I loved us. But as much as I don't want to spoil this moment, a question kept bugging my mind as I stared at Zoey.

Why is there a cut on her wrist?

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××
Writer: Hello sweethearts,
How are y'all doing? Did you miss me? Of course you did. So another surprise chapter. Did you like it?

Alex: Apart from the grammatical errors and your exaggeration, it's not bad.

Writer: Thank you Alex. You're so nice-

Alex: *cuts me off* -But it's not good either.

Writer : I'll pretend I didn't hear that. *Faces the audience* Okay, don't forget to-

Nick: -Vote *winks and a lady from the crowd has an heart attack*

Eli: -Comment *removes his shirt and throws it to the audience*

Eddy: -and of course, follow. *Grins and ruffles his hair*

Audience: *faints*

Writer: *gasps* I can't..You...My... *Grabs a suitcase and leaves* I can't take this anymore.

Bex: Um....Nick, Eli, Eddy,....I think you broke her.

Zoey: I think-

Writer: *comes back with a bomb*

The boys: *runs for their lives*

Writer: *follows the boys*

4/11/2020