Wicked Games

48 - Eliana

Chapter Forty-Eight | Eliana

Girls night.

I don't think I've ever really had a girls night before.

Well, if you can count the times me and River went out together to the club after torturing and killing a man, then I suppose I have.

But not like this.

Not with matching pink pyjamas and snacks that will put us into a food coma. Not with chick flick movies River swears by. Not with smiles and giggles, and relaxation.

Unfortunately, I was taken before I could get a chance to do this with my old friends. Some of the girls at the facility would manage to sneakily have sleepovers, with snacks that had taken them weeks to gather, although they had to retreat to their rooms at some point before, they got caught. I remember asking once if I could join and they laughed at me and told me I wasn't welcome.

I cried to Reid on those nights. And he tried his best to replicate what the girls did, but despite how much I loved him, I wanted girlfriends. I wanted to feel included elsewhere, not just with Reid and Ivan.

So, yeah. This is new to me. I stare down at my pink satin pyjamas, as River puts sweets and chocolate into bowls. "I do this with my nieces all the time."

"Sweeties!" Ellie squeals, squeezing Marshmallow. I smile. I gave it to her because she kept asking if she could have the teddy bear. My sister looks adorable in her pink pyjamas with a pink bonnet on top of her head and fluffy slippers on her feet. My eyes sting because this is all I want for her. There is still time for her to live the normal childhood that she deserves. I don't want her to have to go through what I did, she's been through enough as it is.

She grabs a handful of sweets and starts gobbling away. "Not too much or you'll be bouncing off the walls all night," I warn, and she pauses, shrugs her shoulders and grabs some more. I roll my eyes, smiling lightly.

We all gather around the bed, staring at each other, just as the door opens and Dax strolls in, taking a seat on the end of the bed. He's clad in a plain white t-shirt and plaid pyjama bottoms. "Dax, you came!" Ellie beams in excitement, throwing herself at him. River, Elena and I stare at each other with wide eyes.

"Erm... Ellie, babe, this is girls night only." River states and Ellie pouts.

"I came bearing gifts." Dax holds up a pack of Haribos. "You wouldn't want to upset this little princess, would you?" He smirks, and Ellie crosses her arms sassily over her chest and lifts her chin.

River smiles tightly. "Of course not." Then her smile turns mischievous. "You like pink nail varnish, Dax?" River wiggles the nail polish bottle that is baby pink and Dax's eyes widen, ready to protest but when he looks at a wide eye Ellie on his lap who waits for his answer with anticipation, he decides to nod his head.

He scoffs. "Yeah."

"Lovely. You'll paint his nails, won't you, honey?" River asks Ellie and my little sister nods her head enthusiastically.

"I promise I'll do a good job, Dax. Tank and Brick let me paint their nails last week." I snort, thinking about how two Viking men let a little six-year-old paint their nails.

Surprisingly the girls plus Dax night goes well and the moment Ellie falls asleep in Dax's arms, the conversation gets deeper.

"So, you spent your life in a small room underground?" I hit River discreetly, glaring at her. She has no filter.

Dax chuckles, adjusting Ellie. "Yeah."

"And they brainwashed you?"

"Tried. They thought that it was working because I went along with it. They tried to turn me against my brother." Dax nods.