Miniature

Chapter Nine: CARTER!!!!

Hello my wonderful peoples! I need a fan name for my wonderful people. Any ideas, post them in the comments because my inbox is possessed by computer demons and doesn't work. This is dedicated to my new followers yolocody and Firejellybean, we welcome thee!

Oh hellOOO, Carter, let's take a trip into your mind, shall we?

_______________________________________________________________________________

In all honesty, I'm kind of surprised that Justin agreed to let me go to school. He's like my dad, my big brother, and my best friend rolled into one. And I love him to pieces, but he worries too much about me.

While Hannah grabs some breakfast, Justin hurriedly throws some clothes at me. He arranges everything just so after I put it on and runs his fingers through my coppery curls.

"There," he says. "You're ready now."

Justin gave me blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Then he made me wear a red plaid shirt that feels like flannel on top of it, unbuttoned, with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows.

"I-I-isn't this a l-l-little cl-cli-shay?" I ask, cursing my tongue for stumbling over my speech.

"I think you look fine. Now have a good time, remember your manners if you run into any other Miniatures, and take care of yourself, please Carter? I can't lose you. Not again. Promise me nothing's gonna happen to you!" he pleads.

"I-I-I'm not psychic, I c-c-couldn't tell y-you. But I p-promise to t-try and stay out of tr-trouble, k-kay?"

Justin hugs me so tightly I'm worried that he'll break me. "Okay. I'll see you later, buddy. Have fun with Hannah."

"I-I w-will!" I say happily. Hannah comes back in and picks me up.

"You look so cute! Who picked that out for ya, Justin?"

"Y-y-yeah," I mumble, blushing.

"Well, come on or we'll miss Sophie's limo." She puts me into a small glass box with a dip in the floor. I sit down cross legged in the small depression, waving goodbye to Justin as I leave.

Hannah sprints through the rain and into a huge black car with tinted windows. There's a strange girl there, with crazy brown curls and tanned skin. She has a Miniature box in her lap like Hannah.

"Hi Hannah!" the girl says happily.

"Hey, Sophie."

"Is that what I think it is?" she asks, pointing to me.

"This is Carter. Carter, this is my best friend, Sophie," Hannah says.

"P-p-pleasure to m-m-meet you," I stammer shyly.

"You taught it to speak already?!" Sophie squeals. I wince because her shrill voice sounds especially loud in my small brain.

"HE, not IT, Sophie. Carter is an intelligent little guy, aren't you Carter?" Hannah asks me.

"I-I-I guess so."

"Carter, this is Rick. He's Sophie's Miniature. I'm sure you two will get on very well together," Hannah says.

I offer Rick - who looks like he's about seventeen - a hesitant smile. He scowls at me in return.

This is going to be a long day.

Hannah's first few classes are okay. I get to come out of the cage and sit on her desk, quietly soaking in all the new information. My favorite, though, is in the middle of a boring history class lecture, where Hannah rips off a tiny scrap of paper from the corner of her sketch pad, breaks a piece of graphite from her pencil, and lets me draw.

I used to be a pretty good artist, before I was shrunk by my own parents. It feels good to once again have a pencil - or a piece of one, anyways - in my hands.

I study Hannah's face as she takes notes, focusing on her notebook. In a few quick strokes, I've perfectly captured her face, from the way her hair falls down into her face, to the way she narrows her eyes at the page, to the band of freckles dusted lightly across her nose. A little shading here and there, and it's perfect.

When it's lunch time, I press the scrap of paper into Hannah's hand. "F-for being a g-good m-model for my d-d-drawing," I stutter, cursing my stupid brain. And my stupid parents, for sticking me in the light socket in the first place.

Hannah gasps. "Carter, is this me? It looks exactly like me! Where'd you learn to do this?"

"T-took c-c-classes at the c-c-community center b-before....." I let my voice trail away.

"I see," she says, almost sadly.

Sophie plops down beside us and grabs me in her hand. My head spins as she whisks me up and then drops me down. Once I can see straight again, I realize that she put me in the cage with Rick.

"You two play nice now, while Hannah and I have some lunch," she trills, before she skips away to get some food.

"I'll brig you something, Carter. And you too, Rick," Hannah murmurs, walking away.

I turn around to see Rick glaring at me with an undisguised hatred.

"H-h-hello..." I say, holding my hand out for him to shake. He doesn't take it.

"D-did I do s-something to o-offend you? I-I'm sorry....." I stammer, confused.

"H-H-Hannah is m-mine. Y-you're t-t-trying to s-s-steal her from m-me. Y-you better b-beat it." He cracks his knuckles dangerously. "H-here's a w-warning...."

His fist connects with my face. Blood spurts from my nose as I go stumbling backwards and he draws back to punch me again.

As he manages to knock me out cold, the last thing I can think is: I broke my promise to Justin.

___________________________

Awwwwww poor little Carter.

Man Justin is gonna be piiiiiiiiissed......

Who wants to see Justin come and beat Rick up for hurting Carter? Tell me in the comments! Also, check out BTFTP and Fractured, and help me come up with a fan name for you guys! Thanks you, I love you all!

And I signed my name in Greek - or tried to:)

~ μοιιίε xxxxxxxx:3