Five Nights at Wattpad {ON HOLD}

Chapter 1: The Interview

“Guys!” I shouted putting my phone back in my pocket. “I’m going in for the interview at 6:00!” They stared at me in disbelief. “You’re really serious about getting this job?” Miki asked. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I asked. “Well…” Momo said. “It’s just…You’re afraid of the dark…” Miki muttered. I stared at them. “You… You think I c-can’t handle it..?” I stuttered. “No..! Matt wait-“ I ran out the doors of the diner tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe that they didn’t think I could handle it. I know I have a slight fear of the dark since my house was broken into a few years back, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t have a job as a night guard! I’ve always felt safe at Wattpad, I’ve been going they’re for so long, talking to the animatronics as if they could hear me, they we’re my only friends when I was small…

I didn’t have Des, Miki or Momo growing up. I was bullied and had no real friends until I was 13 and that was when I met Miki, at first we weren’t very close but as the years went on we became closer. When I was 15 Miki introduced me to her friend Momo and the next year I met Destiny and I introduced her to Miki and Momo. They were all instantly friends, which was a shock, but it changed my life for the better. I considered them my family.

But before them, Wattpad was my family. The animatronics, the book salesmen and women, even the books themselves I considered real people. When the book fair first opened I had loved the animatronic they named Mango (@MangoKiwi). She was on a stage surrounded by a big blue curtain with white silhouettes of the characters from her books. I would sit in front of her stage on the first year the book fair came to town. I loved her books. They were mysterious, adventurous books! I would stay for hours as the animatronic would read all of her stories over and over. Then one day I rushed over to Mango’s animatronic ready and eager to hear her stories again only to find an ‘out of order’ sign taped to the closed curtains…

That day I ran to all the other animatronics to tell them the news of Mango. It was a sad day for me, even the animatronics seemed sad, I guess that’s the imagination of an 8 year old. But, I did become closer to the other animatronics that day such as, Nyan (@nyancatz210), Emma (@Artistgirl1), and Cutie (@DoNotTomato)!

I felt safe with all the animatronics. Any time the book fair was in my town I would spent every day there, even school days. Since I was bullied to the point where I’d come home with a busted lip or black eye every day I had to drop out and join a charter school, which was way more fun! My charter counted the book fair as a ‘learning experience’ so I was able to go whenever I wanted to. I used to tell the animatronics all my secrets about my life, the bullies, my parents, etc. They were my friends, they knew everything about me and I felt like I knew them. When I was 10 I had a vivid memory of one of the animatronics, Nyan, turning her head to me and saying I was gonna be alright, I had a pretty silly imagination, right? But it kept me going. It was what I looked forward to all year.  They would come near Halloween on a Sunday and stay for 8 days and 7 nights. I wished they would stay forever.

I finally stopped running. I was pretty far from the diner by now. I was so lost in thought I hadn’t even been paying attention to where I was running. I had made my way to the park on the complete other side of our town. I sat down on a park bench to rest.

“Wow…” I muttered to myself. I heard shouts from far away. “Where’d she go!?” “I think we lost her!” Miki and Des were shouting. Had they followed me all the way here? “Hey Matt...” I turned around to see Momo a foot away. I jumped back. “God Momo! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I shouted breathing heavily. “It’s almost 6:00, let’s get you to your interview.” She said reaching her hand out to help me up. I took it. “Look,” She said as we walked toward the others. “Miki and I didn’t mean it that way-“ I cut her off. “I know, I know…” I said. “You were just watching out for me…” I muttered still not looking at her. “We were talking about it and we know you love that fair! It’s only 5 nights anyways so if it’s too hard you can quit!” She said reassuringly. “Yeah, that’s why I know I can handle it!” I said now looking at her. “We know you can do it too!” She said as the others saw us and ran over. “Matt!” Des screamed and hugged me tightly. “Never do that again! I was- uh, I mean, we were so worried!” She shouted. “I-I’m sorry..?” She was tearing up. “You scared me…” She whispered. I hugged her. “It’s alright. “Nooowww kiss!” Miki teased. “Oh shut up!” I said. We all started laughing. “So we cool now?” Momo asked. “Yeah, you just owe me a ride to my interview, okay? And maybe a coffee…” I teased. “Lezzgo!” Momo said and started running back to the diner where her car was parked.

<<@>>

I ran out of the booth where the interviews were held. “I got the job!” I shouted happily as I ran over to my friends. “I knew you would!” Des said cheerfully. “I start tomorrow night! We all started screaming and fangirling happily. “Now for that coffee..?” I said giggling. “Sounds good to me!” Miki said. “Then you’re buying!” I laughed. “Sh*t…” We all laughed and got in the car.

If only I knew what the next night would bring…

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Hope your all enjoying this book so far! It's just so fun to write!!!

-Broccoli