Only Ones Who Know - Derp Crew High School AU

Chapter 10: Protecting My Heaven

(A/N: Chilled opened my package [the second one in the video, the white one with blue painters tape] on his first episode of "What's in the Box" and it was awesome. And Jess was literally the cutest when she saw the little Bolshevik I made, and the t-shirts I sent them, and everything. They're just so cute and awesome, okay!?

Also, I was watching Tom play Alpha Sapphire the other night and I noticed that he battled a female trainer named Johanna, hence their costumes in this chapter.

BTW, "cielo" is the Italian word for "heaven", which relates back to this chapter's title.)

"On my way, Chilly :)" the text from Steven read on my phone. I smiled and quickly replied, then placed it on my desk, finishing the rest of my costume before he made it here.

Today is Halloween, aka my favorite holiday all year because I get to be as diabolical as I please. Sitting at my desk in front of my mirror, I place the last bit of gel in my hair, comb it back, and insert my plastic fangs. Steven is on his way to pick me up for a party at Johanna's house and this year I'm going as a vampire. Pretty basic costume, I know.

For a darker touch I add eyeliner that I borrowed from Cielo and smear some dark foundation all over my cheeks. I stare at my half-done make-up job and smirk. I'm excited about tonight, but I'm more excited about Steven's going to be. He's been all secretive about his costume this week so I can't wait to see it.

I hear a knock on my door. "Come in," I call out, not before hiding behind the door and pulling the ends of my cape across my face.

"Anthony?" It was Cielo and I jump around the corner, opening my cape. I shrieked to try to scare her, but as soon as I saw her my jaw dropped. She was wearing a panda hood with a black-and-white dress and black heeled boots. I was surprised because it was definitely a... change from her usual Halloween get-up. I'm just not used to seeing her like she's almost 15; sometimes I still want to believe she's 10.

While I stood there silent, she took a finger and closed my jaw, pushing my face up to make eye contact with hers. "You okay there, Anthony? You seem a little shocked."

I shook it off and fixed my cape. "Me? Y-yeah, I'm fine, why do you ask?"

She looked down at her own outfit then back up at me. "Is it this?"

I tried to play it off. "No... well, maybe? It's... nice... just, nice."

"I know what you mean. You hate it, don't you?"

Oh yeah, definitely. "No, not at all. As long as you like it."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, grabbing the eyeliner from the desk and putting some on. "C'mon Anthony, I know you. You have to hate it just a little bit, because you're still in big brother mode. Trust me, I'm not the biggest fan of it either. I mean, I'll be ready when I finally get to take these boots off."

I cocked my head to the side. "Then why are you wearing it?"

As soon as I asked that and she was going to answer, we both heard the doorbell rang. "That's probably Ryan. I'll go get it." She bounced out of my room and I leaned back against the wall, taking a deep breath.

Then I had a realization: Cielo has changed a lot since she started seeing Ryan. She wore make-up for the first time ever the night she had her first date with him, and ever since then she's seemed more mature for... well, her. She was never the type of girl to dress up for someone like she has for him. I tried not to worry about her because I had faith in her to keep her own identity, but now I'm scared she might be changing everything to make him happy. And if she does that she'll hurt herself, and I don't want her to be hurt.