Pestilence

Two- Answerphone

"Sorry that I won't be able to stay and help you get settled Noah but I had to trade shifts at work so I could pick you up so I have to head to Tower Hill immediately." Tracy apologises.

"That's fine Aunt Tracy." Noah shrugs.

"Tegan, you know that if you're staying the night you have to tell your mum first okay?" Tracy states as we approach Toft Avenue, the street that we would spend our summers playing on, the street where Noah used to live, the street that Beth still lives on.

"Yes Mrs Winchester." I nod with a smile.

"Feel free to have your friends over, I'm sure that Noah's missed them." Tracy encourages as we pull into the Winchester driveway. My eyes meet Beth's as we share a look of distain, Tracy doesn't seem to understand that Harry isn't nearly as close of a friend with us as he was before Noah and Hilary left. We sigh.

"Of course mum!" Beth smiles.

We open the car doors and take Noah's luggage from the boot. Beth fumbles in her pocket for the house key, finding it eventually she shoves the door open and we are left waving to Tracy from the doorway.

"So how was New Zealand, was it amazing?" Beth enthuses.

"Jesus Beth, let me sit down before bombarding me with questions." Noah runs a hand through his shiny strawberry blonde hair, laughing cornily.

"Fine." I state, pulling a beanbag out from under the sofa and shoving Noah onto it. "You're sat. Talk." I smirk.

"You girls." he rolls his eyes. Beth and I stick our tongues out at Noah.

"And I thought you two couldn't act more like twins if you tried." Noah states sarcastically.

"What makes you think that I want to join your family." I tease.

"For one both of you have red hair." Noah begins his analysis.

"Mine is cherry hers is vino!" Beth interjects. I blush.

"She means hers is cherry red and mine is more like red wine." I clarify. "Anything else?" I cock a brow.

"So you've stopped wanting to look like my sister and now want to look like Beth's. That hurts Tegan." Noah says pretending to be wounded.

"That's not true, my hair was disgusting so I dyed it as soon as mum let me!" I defend.

"You've been avoiding our initial question!" Beth gasps, offended.

"You're right, I'm so sorry." Noah snorts. I look to Beth, we nod at one another.

"Tickle time!" we sing. His jaw falls, eyes wide.

"No!" he shrieks.

Beth and I begin to tickle him, wildly and frantically he begins to kick his legs around like a loon. "Ready to tell us about New Zealand?" Beth asks.

"Fine." he gasps for air.

"Good boy." she pets her cousin's now messy hair.

"I'm older than you!" he protests.

"By a month!" she points out. I sigh, leaving the room to bring us all drinks. Some have said how uncomfortable they would be to know that their child's best friend is totally comfortable with just walking into the kitchen and getting food and drink to eat. I would shrug it off, just like Tracy still does. I decide that Beth would be best off with an apple Tango while Noah can have a second Mountain Dew and I will have some vanilla Coca Cola.

"Here, I have drinks." I call, bringing in the glasses of pop on a breakfast tray.

"Beth yours looks like piss!" Noah chortles, clutching his sides.