The Artful Beast | Completed✔

#2 Gossip

Casper's POV

"Go home, I'll be fine. I'm sure they missed me." Troy assured with a confidence of an Arab mother at a bargain market.

"Are you sure?" I knew he wasn't certain, nonetheless, he grinned curtly.

He nodded with a chuckle, "Positive. See ya later." And stepped away from the car, approaching his house with long strides.

I twisted the key, bringing the engine to life and started driving down the road. Moments later, I felt Cassidy's presence from the backseat, and she asked, "We're going back, aren't we?"

"Yep." I took a U-turn, parking in front of his house and waited.

Soon enough, screams and cries were overheard, the front door opened and out came Troy wearing a horrified expression on his face as he was tripping down the three-step stairs, his mother got out and threw his backpack at him before snapping, "And stay out!" And slammed the door shut.

Cassidy let out a long sympathetic whistle when Troy dropped his head down in distress. Well, who told him to run away again?!

He picked up his bag from the floor sluggishly and threw it over his shoulder, walking towards us ignorantly. He lifted his head and gazed at us with a knowing amused grin, "You guys! How did you know?!"

My eyes rolled unconsciously at his act, "A wild guess."

He opened the passenger's door and threw his bag beside Cassidy, slumping down on the seat before closing the door. He sent me a creepy smile and said, "You know what that means, right?"

I pursed my lips and stared forward, contemplating my options silently before suggesting, "Can't you rent a room at a motel? I'll pay."

"Whaaaaat~? And miss a sleepover with my bestie?! I mean, how dare I? I'll be leaving you alone with the boogeyman under your bed, Slenderman peeking from the window, Bed Drowned coming out from your TV, and Jeff the Killer barging in from your bedroom door!! I would never!" He placed a hand on his chest with a repudiating look.

"You did." I gave him the best poker face, "More than I can remember." Recalling the time, he purposely lost me in the haunted house we once entered at a carnival and would often leave me when we're watching horror movies for a bathroom break and disappear until the movie ends, and I would have to watch it alone. Yeah, I'm not a fan of getting scared.

He waved me off, "Oh, stop being dramatic. C'mon, I know you're dying to have a sleepover with me!"

I'm dying alright.

"I wanna join!" Cassidy chimed in excitedly.

I could feel Troy breaking a sweat, it was no secret that Cassidy has a crush on Troy since we were kids, and being her brother, I asked Troy to stay oblivious instead of brutally rejecting her to prevent her from going through heartbreak, she'll end up getting the memo that he wasn't interested and try finding a new target.

"Eh, Cassidy dear," He used a sweet mother's tone, "This is a guys-only sleepover— Unless you're a guy disguised as a girl, you are not allowed."

"I'll send you a dick pic." She patted his shoulder assuringly before leaning back.

His eyes widened in shock, and he stared forward stiffly throughout the whole drive, "So many unanswered questions." Is what he whispered before falling into silence.

Parking the car in front of my house, my eyes caught the sight of my parents chatting with the Parkers; Our neighbours. I shut down the engine before getting out, Cassidy and Troy behind me as we walked closer to them. My mom caught me and waved at me to come, and I stopped once I was close enough and greeted the Parkers, sending my mom a questioned look.

She wore a smile on her face, "Did you know about this?"

I tilt my head in curiosity, "About what?"

Mr Parker faced me with a raised bushy eyebrow, "Someone moved in the neighbourhood. Three houses away from mine. I saw them trucks, and they got a shit load of bags. Ms Miller was a lonely woman, got no family to inherit her house and had it for sale while she was getting treated. Got the house sold after passing away, tragic, really."

My eyebrows raised unintentionally from the news. It was a rare occasion for someone to move out or move in. If you're born here, you're stuck here. And if someone wants to move in, it's either for a short amount of time or because they inherited a house from a family that lived here. But by the sound of what Mr Parker said, we have new incomers.

"I desperately try to leave this place, and people actually want to live here?" A snicker left Troy's lips as he spoke in disbelief. My dad raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well," I intervened, placing my arm around Troy's shoulder, "We'll go now." I turned to my blond friend, "Put your stuff in my room and help me with the horses."

He let out a loud whine, "The animals hate me, they all hate me. Why can't you accept that?" He pouted.

A smirk strongly touched my lips, "That's the point."

🔮_🔮

"Casper! Casper help!! I'm going to die!!" Troy cried, jumping away from the chicken, "They're going to eat me! I'm too young to die!!"

I burst out laughing and shook my head, "They won't eat you dumbass, and if they do eat human meat, they won't eat yours."

He suddenly stopped running and gawked at me, "That's just rude." The chicken stopped at his feet and began poking his shoes.

"That's the truth." I mumbled under my breath with a simple shrug.

"I'm delicious!" He declared with open arms, the chicken was startled by his sudden outburst and flapped her wings at him, he squealed in fright.

"I know you're delicious~" Cassidy sighed dreamily, resting her elbows on the fence with her cheeks balanced with her fists.

Ew.

The night rolled in exhaustingly slowly and threw me on the bed roughly, I breathed out a tired sigh and stretched my aching muscles from today's chores, ready to drift off to sleep and dream about random stuff.

"Casper," Troy's muffled voice called from beside the bed, "Can I sleep beside you?" He rested his chin on my bed and gave me his famous puppy dog eyes.

"No." I answered surely, "Have you ever considered why I never let you on my bed after that one night you slept over? Why I bother to move my ass to get you pillows and duvets instead of letting you sleep beside me?" Before he could reply, I spoke, "Because you. Are. A. Heavy. Ninja. Sleeper. I sincerely thought you were going to murder me that one time," My eyes stared at him in fright, "But you were asleep, I think that's what made it even scarier. Besides, I'd like not to get paralyzed by dislocating my spine." I shuddered. He pursed his lips in shame. "Does that answer all of your questions?"

His pout deepened, "I only asked one." And dropped down on the comforter.

I let my head fall on my pillow with a small playful smile, "Why don't you ask Cassidy? I'm sure she'll be more than happy to assist you."

Silence.

"Night, Wildcat." I smiled in satisfaction.

"Night, party pooper." I heard him grumble under his breath.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Ya'll, I am Casper on this one. I barely move when I sleep and I'm super conscious if someone sleeps beside me, so I basically stay in the same position throughout the whole night🧍🏻‍♀️. Back AND neck pain ik but at least the person I'm sharing a bed with doesn't get kneed on the ribs.

I CANNOT handle people who move a lot, like, can you please consider the person you're sharing the bed with? Smh 🙄