home (halsey)

2

Ashley

That night, we scattered pillows across the cold, hardwood floors and laid carelessly as the warm summer rain tapped against the windows.

The house was quite cold, so we turned on the fireplace and huddled close by, waving our hands in front of the blazing, crackling fire.

"Ashley," Maya whispered, her eyes widening. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Someone is tapping on our front window," She said nervously, her hands becoming sweaty.

I laughed unbelievably. Who would be at our window at 3:46 in the morning?

"I don't hear anything, though. Are you sure it wasn't just the fire cracking?"

She frowned and turned her head back to the front window again.

"I'm one hundred percent sure. Can you go check, please?"

I sighed and got up, grunting as my body moved farther from the heat of the fire. Maya watched me carefully, holding a pillow to her chest and tightly wrapping her arms around it.

I tiptoed silently towards the front of the house, goosebumps rising on my arms and legs as the cold floor came into contact with my feet. I moved the curtains away from the window and saw nothing there, laughing because I knew no one was at our window. Right as I closed the curtain again, I heard the tapping noise that Maya was talking about. Looking out, once again, I saw nothing.

Confused, I walked to the door and slowly pulled it open, the creaking echoing throughout the empty house. I peeked from side to side, the wind blowing small water droplets onto my face as I scanned the area.

"Ashley!" Someone yelled, causing me to scream in fear and shut the door, my heart beating rapidly.

"Who is it?!" Maya screamed, rushing over to me.

"I don't know, Maya. Someone called my name," I said shakily, my hands trembling. All of a sudden, the same tapping that was on the window reverberated onto the door.

I looked through the peephole, my vision becoming blurry because of the rain drops that covered the opening. I nervously opened the door and my jaw dropped at what I saw.

My parents and two brothers standing out in the rain, their hair stuck to their scalps from the wetness, their clothes dripping lightly.

"Mom, dad! Sevian, Dante!" I exclaimed, pulling the door opening and urging them to come inside. "Holy shit, why couldn't you just knock on the door like normal people?" I laughed as they walked in.

"Sev said you loved being scared," Dante said proudly, then smiling to display his missing front teeth. I laughed and crouched down to hug my little brother, squeezing his little body and kissing his cheek.

"You weren't cold out there, buddy?" I asked, pulling him away and looking into his eyes. She shook his head quickly and lifted his arm up, flexing his tiny muscles.

"Nothing makes me cold, I'm too strong for that," He said proudly, causing Maya and myself to laugh.

"And who is this pretty lady?" My mom spoke up, moving her eyes over to Maya. My cheeks became pink and I bit my lip.

"Mom, dad, this is my girlfriend Maya," I smiled shyly, stepping back and allowing the attention to be on my beautiful girlfriend now.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Frangipane," She smiled politely, sticking her hand out to greet them.

"Please, honey, call me Nycki," my mom said. "And put that hand down, I only do hugs," She teased, pulling Maya in for a tight hug. Maya giggled, holding onto my mom tightly. After pulling away, it was time to greet my dad.