Once Upon a Cliché

Chapter 11

I just realized the last chapter was only 1800 words and this one is 5700. Lol I have no idea why the change in chapter lengths. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 11 ~

Two days later

"Em, you're being ridiculous. Come out already!"

I moaned, my voice muffled by the pillow. "Nooo!"

There was a moment where I all I heard was the sound of barely perceptible whispers. Then the banging started. "EMICA RACHEL ROSS," my sister groaned, "I gave you a day off already! I know you're not sick! I saw you scarfing down half of the chocolate stash we were reserving for the trick-or-treaters!"

So much for my being sneaky. I'd even gotten up at the dead of night to eat them. "Well," I shouted back, "the chocolate made me sick again!"

Amongst Hale's attempts at comforting my sister and Hailin's odd whisper-shouts, I could hear them arguing over what to do with me. I couldn't make out most of Hale's suggestions. Hailin, on the other hand, kept throwing out methods of torture or bribery. "I'M BURNING ALL THE REST OF THE CHOCOLATE IF YOU DON'T GET READY FOR SCHOOL RIGHT NOW."

I just grumbled into my pillow again.

This was followed my Hale's heavy sigh. "Hey kid," he said, trying to coax me out. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I was about to remind him of the "kid" thing again, but Hailin beat me to the punch. "Hale!" she reprimanded. "Only I can call her a kid when she's acting like one! Like now." It almost sounded like she was going to knock the door down. "GET OUT NOW, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

When I didn't answer, there came an ominous click of the door as Hale made his way in. I sat up in bed for a brief second to throw a pillow at him. He caught it with ease, of course, gesturing offhandedly to the door. "You really need to fix that lock."

I folded my arms across my chest with a pout. "You still remembered about that?"

He threw me a simple "no shit, Sherlock" type of look. "It hasn't been that long."

"Oh." I hugged my arms close to my body. "You still can't make me go to school, though."

A corner of his mouth lifted up ever so slightly. "Even for a cookie?"

"Nope. No amount of bribery or force can get me out of this bed."

I should've known better than to challenge him. Immediately, that familiar gleam in his eye reappeared. "You want to try me?"

Uh oh. I recognized that look. I already knew where this was heading. "No!" I squeaked, ducking under my covers. I should've known it was a useless tactic, since he threw off my bed covers and lifted me up in one swoop like I was just another pillow that'd been thrown at him. Even as I kicked and squirmed, he had a firm grip on me. He ignored my shrieks of protest to glance at Hailin. "Ready?"

Hailin nodded, her hand already out. "Give me the keys and I'll go start the car."

He tossed her the car keys while simultaneously trying to keep me still. Needless to say, I made it as hard for him as possible. "Whoa there, tiger. Settle down or I might actually drop you."

"Just go ahead then!" I yelled.

I never thought he actually would.

Yowch. I never remembered my bedroom floor being this painful. Even the carpet did little to cushion the blow. I blew some of my flyaway Merida-esque hair out of my face to glare at him. "Did you really have to drop me?"