What lies beneath ( Edit)

Chapter 7: Tell me a story

POV Nicholas

I close my laptop after finishing my 5000-word descriptive story for my English class tomorrow, Friday, or today, since it's already 1:30 a.m.

It has been a week and four days since the start of the academic term, and Anne has not been able to attend due to a persistent cold. As a result, I have been collecting her schoolwork from her teachers and receiving complaints about how her absence is impacting her progress as a freshman. However, I don't understand how that's my fault. At least her being sick means my parents pay me no mind.

So far, school has been good, well, except for the fact that tomorrow is the monthly performance for Mr. Everton's class, and I have nothing prepared. Although he did say he would let me skip this one since I'm new, I don't think that's a good idea.

Although I have been getting along with the guys now to the point that I think of them as friends, which is a first for me, they also invited me to Evan's birthday party on Sunday, saying it's a surprise and that only close friends and family are going. So it's more of a get-together than a party. I was surprised they asked me to come, especially since Rick was the one who asked.

It did not take me long to realize that they are the guys that everyone wants to hang out with and the guys that girls desire to date, although they prefer to keep to themselves, having been friends since kindergarten and never having had any other close friends. They all state that it is because Rick chases them away, but in my personal opinion, it is not only him who is closed off. For some reason, they seemed comfortable with me, which was a surprise.

Since I have completed my work, I went to the bathroom and opened one of the cabinets. I retrieve my prescribed sleeping pills that I recently had refilled. I take out one pill, momentarily contemplating whether to take a second one as I observe the pill resting on my pale palm, which bears faint, small, semi-circular marks from my nails At that moment, I heard my phone ringing. Given the lateness of the hour, I am curious about the caller's identity. Despite this thought, I swiftly swallow the pill and rush to answer the phone lying on my bed, realizing that the sound might awaken my parents, which is an outcome I wish to avoid.

Our family dynamic may be relatively peaceful, with my parents generally disregarding my presence unless necessary. However, if I were to do anything that cause them annoyance, the consequences would undoubtedly be unpleasant.

Without checking the caller ID, I answered the phone.

"Hey," I hear the cheerful voice on the other end say the minute I pick up.

I instantly know who it is. "Hey, Emmett," I reply dryly. "Is there a reason you're calling me in the middle of the night?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice," I hear his voice say as it slightly gets deeper.

"Yeah, well, I'm hanging up now," I say, pushing away the weird feeling I got.

"I just miss you," he whines.

"Goodbye."

Before I can hang up on him, Emmett shouts, "Wait, please wait!" he begs me. "I just couldn't sleep."

"What do you want me to do about that?" I say, feeling irritated by this man-child.

"Tell me a bedtime story," He says with a sweet voice that sends shivers down my spine.

"Go to sleep,"

"Please, please, please," he kept on begging.

"Fine, one story, then you sleep," I said, caving in.

"Yay! You're the best!" His cheerful voice came from the phone. "Oh, make it a sad story. They always help me sleep best."

Seriously, is he a child? "Don't blame me if it's crap."