The Red Ribbon

Chapter 9

I opened my eyes. The light shone through the window, warming the house. All the windows were open causing a chilling breeze. The shades whipped as the wind swept through. I stood up. Rachel was laying the couch with her hand covering her face from the sun. Nathan was sleeping on the floor. That couldn't be comfortable. Lia was laying on the love seat by the fireplace. I knelt down and nudged Rachel away. She groaned. "Come on." I whispered. Lia groaned in the background. "I'm up." She yelled. Nathan jumped and Rachel fell off the couch. "Geez!" Rachel yelled. "We have to get going." I said. Nathan stood up, "Can I use your shower?" He asked. "Sure. It's the third door on the left upstairs. We'll get breakfast started." I answered gesturing to the stairs. He nodded and climbed up the stairs. Once I knew he was out of earshot I said, "What the hell?" I playfully hit Lia. "What was up with you guys yesterday?" She blushed. "What?" She asked and looked at the fireplace. "You know. You sat next to him the whole night yesterday." I smiled at her. Rachel looked at Lia and nodded, "You were partners in like every game we played. You even shared a brownie." Lia looked at Rachel and threw her hands up in the air, "Oh My Gosh! God forbid I share a ginormous brownie with someone. And don't even get me started on trying to make them feel welcome. We should've just locked him in the bedroom." She stormed into the bathroom. "She totally likes him." I whispered. "I heard that." Lia yelled. Rachel and I laughed and walked into the kitchen.

"So after breakfast we are gonna get your mom to teach you how to do a locator spell." Lia said. "I called Jeremy and asked him to come and help us. He was pretty freaked out from last night." I said. "Yeah it took a lot of convincing to actually leave you here with us." Rachel said. We sat around the kitchen island. Lia was standing over by the oven making blueberry pancakes. I heard the shower water shut off upstairs. "I'm gonna go upstairs and get dressed." I said leaving the kitchen. I changed into denim jean shorts and a mint green and white striped tank top. I slipped on my yellow polka dot flip flops and redid my hair into a fishtail braid. Ding Dong! The doorbell downstairs rang. I rushed down the stairs to open it. I flung the door open. "Jeremy!" I smiled. My heart flipped with excitement. He smiled widely and stepped through the doorway. He pulled me into a tight hug. I pressed my face against his warm muscular chest. "Are you ok?" He asked pulling out of the hug to look at me. "I'm fine. Rachel and Lia are fine too." I said closing the door. Nathan walked up behind me. "Er...where did you put my clothes?" He asked. I turned around. He had a towel wrapped around his waist. He wasn't nearly as gorgeously muscular as Jeremy. "Who the hell are you?" Jeremy said. I turned back towards him. His face was red with anger. He took a step closer to Nathan who now looked very frightened. Nathan was shoulder height next to Jeremy. Nathan opened his mouth to say something but Jeremy quickly punched him in the face. "Jeremy!" I yelled. Rachel and Lia ran into the room. "Oh My God!" Rachel yelled. I pulled Jeremy's arm. Nathan was holding his face with one hand and struggling to keep the towel up with the other. Lia and Rachel rushed over and helped Nathan. "Come on." Lia said. They walked into the living room. "Damn it." Jeremy grabbed his hand. "Let's fix this." I took his hand and walked him into the bathroom upstairs. He sat down on the toilet seat cover. I pulled out the first aid kit and ran cold water over his hand. After I repaired his hand I looked at him in the eyes and slapped him across the face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I demanded. He looked at me, stunned. "I...I..." He stammered. "You're an idiot to assume things!" I slapped him again. "Bethany, I'm sorry." He apologized. "Is your hand ok?" I asked. "Yeah thanks." He looked down at his hand. "That's one of Lia's friends. Gross! I can't believe you!" I picked my hand up in attempt to hit him again but he quickly stands up and grabs my wrist. "I'm sorry...Ok? It's just he...I..." He stuttered. I jerked my hand away but he only held it tighter. "No. No more hitting me." He whispered. He was really close to my face and my heart was pounding in my throat. Then completely out of nowhere he pulls me in closer and kisses me. I kiss him back. He lifts me up onto the bathroom counter. The door pushed open. Rachel. "Um...Arthur... Arthur's here." She looked at the bathtub then the sink clearly trying to avoid the awkwardness. I opened my mouth but was quickly cut off by Lia's scream downstairs. Rachel, Jeremy, and I rushed downstairs. In the middle of the doorway Arthur was hunched over and Nathan stood in front of him. Lia's face was red and tears spilled down her face. Rachel cupped her hands over her mouth. I rushed over to Lia who immediately hugged me. I saw what she was crying about. Nathan moved out of the way to reveal Arthur with a wooden steak sticking out of the middle of his chest. Nathan was breathing heavily. Arthur pulled the steak right out from his chest and took a deep breath. Lia looked up in confusion. "It's good to see you Lia." Arthur said half smiling.

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