The Occult Twins

Chapter 4: Actions Burn

It was closing in at 7pm still no sign of Josh calling, I sat upon my bed. I was worried about Aria and her burn, mom drove her to the hospital and I'm waiting for hear back from them, I hope either Aria call first and then I can talk to Josh happily if all goes well. 

It was 7pm, no call from Aria and no call from Josh. I still had about 50 seconds, there's still hope.

An incoming call from ... Josh, I answered without hesitating. "Hello, Josh?" I asked

"Yeah Arna, you sound a little ... Worried, what's on your mind?" He asked, it seemed like I was worrying him with me being worried. A lot was on my mind, not that I'd want to talk to him about my feelings for him, that'd be too weird. So I replied back simply, with what happened with Aria.

"Well, me and Aria were baking cookies and she said some stuff and I did some stuff actually I didn't do anything ... I done something wrong though. We smelt smoke so she quickly went into the kitchen to pull the oven open, I had time to tell her to use the oven mitt but I didn't because of what she said and she got burnt pretty badly and she's at the hospital now with my mom and I'm totally freaking out." It felt good to let it all out, especially to someone who sat there and listened.

"Ah, I see, well when she gets back just explain to her what happened and say sorry I'm sure she'll see it as an accident and you didn't mean it." Josh gave me advice, but I'm not sure she'll forgive me, I had the time to tell her to use the oven mitt and I chose not to and that's pretty bad on my part.

I really didn't want to be negative to Josh, I'm sure the last thing he wants to be hearing is me rambling on. "Yeah I'm sure she'll forgive me, so what's new with you?"

"I have a party invite, Alex's though and I was kind of hoping you'd be my plus 1? You don't have to it's just a question" Josh asked, I felt so much happier that JOSH CARTER wanted me to be his plus 1 to a party, granted it was someone I didn't like and didn't like me, but I'm sure he won't kick me out for Josh's sake, then he'd have no one to dance with.

"Yes! I mean ... Yeah sure I'll be your plus 1." I sounded way too excited and I think he could tell.

"Great, so the party's tomorrow at 9 so I'll pick you up at 8:30?" Still excited I had a party invite there was just one thing on my mind.

"Um, can Aria come too? I mean ... If she's okay, her hand that is, if her hand is okay and she's up for it?" I stuttered.

"Yes, of course, I'll discuss it with Alex but I'm sure he'll be fine with it. 2 gorgeous girls, who wouldn't want you two at their party?" Josh's compliment sounded awesome, especially when he was the one saying it, dad's always been the one to compliment me but it doesn't sound as good, maybe it's because he's my dad.

"Okay, I need to keep my phone free so I can answer it if Aria calls, but I'll see you at school tomorrow, bye." I really didn't want to end the call, I felt like even on the phone not talking was the best thing ever, but I had to because of Aria.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." After that the call still went on 10 seconds after that, nobody would hang up, I was hoping he wouldn't be the one so I quickly hung up myself. 

Still absolutely nothing from Aria and mom, I got up from my bed and turned my laptop off and went downstairs to see if dad was okay, as I walked through the kitchen the burnt cookies still lay on the counter. I walked over to it and picked up the tray and poured the cookies into the trash can. As I placed the tray in the sink I noticed dad sitting on the couch eating chocolate and he's not one for chocolate. I sat down next to him and asked "Is everything okay? With you and mom?"

"Yeah, we're okay, not good but not bad, it's difficult, she doesn't think she's doing a good job raising you and Aria, I keep telling her that she's the best t this kind of stuff, without her I don't think I would've stayed because I couldn't do it on my own and I see how amazing you two are and it's a very happy miracle and our miracle we want to share together. I hope you see how special you and Aria are to us." He really opened up to me, it was the first time in forever that I had felt this close to my dad.

"I know she thinks that and I will tell her she's doing the best she can possibly do. And yes I know how special we are to you two, and we're only trying to make you proud with what we do, just know that we both love you and we wouldn't know where we'd be without you two." I hugged him, I felt like now I could tell my dad anything ... Except for what's going on with Josh, I know him and he would go full protective dad mode on me and plus I just want to see where me and Josh are heading.

As I walked upstairs to sleep, because it was going on 11 and I had to get up for school at 7. I still worried for Aria and if she was going to come home with mom, but somehow I felt inside that she was fine, it was weird ... Maybe this was the first stage of hallucinating? I put my hands in front of my eyes, my hands didn't seem ... Weird. This was weird, I felt a strange feeling and it wasn't obvious as to what it was, I really needed sleep. Every time I thought about mom I couldn't tell if she was fine like I could with Aria. 

I forgot what happened and shrugged it off and got into bed, I had a text from Josh. It was a goodnight text, my first proper goodnight text off a really nice guy, I replied with a goodnight. It was nice I had finally met someone who cared about me enough to send me a goodnight text, I just hope soon that Aria would find hers. I put my phone on my desk and tried to sleep.