“Hold it right there!” A loud voice boomed out from behind us and we all skidded to a stop. I ended up slamming into Brock and falling back into Luke, who steadied me and set me back on my feet.
The huge security guard stood with his arms crossed, beckoning with one meaty finger for us. We all grinned at each other, knowing we were busted. Funny, I’d known them all for just under a month, and this was the second time something like this had happened.
The guard just turned without a word, confident we’d be scared enough to follow. Christian and Mitchel were walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders, skipping along and whistling. What can I say, they were used to this.
“How many times do I have to ban you guys from my shopping centre before you kids get the message?” The manager, a short balding guy we liked to call Stevo, looked up at us from his desk.
“Stevo,” Mitchel sighed, spinning in the office chair in front of him. “You know we can’t help it. Besides, if we didn’t cause so much trouble, we’d never get to see you.”
“Why are you never at school anyway?” he questioned.
“Home schooled,” Taylah and Georgia said together.
“Practically famous,” the boys all grinned.
“Genius,” I shrugged.
Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that? Okay, so maybe genius is a bit too far, but I did skip a couple of grades. So yes, I graduated two years early.
“Can you please just stay out of trouble for at least a week?” he pleaded.
“We can most definitely try,” Brock nodded, shooting the rest of us looks that we all understood instantly. We zipped our lips and let him do the talking.
“Well that was fun,” I broke the silence as we were being escorted from the centre by our bulky friend. Georgia burst into hysterical giggles beside me and I had to grab her arm to keep her upright.
“That’s the second time you guys have almost gotten me arrested,” I pointed out. “This friendship is proving to be dangerous.”
“But you see Maeve,” Luke threw an arm around my shoulder. “The benefits far outweigh the risks in this situation.”
Yes, yes, yes. Wait, what? Stupid boys with their stupid arms around me who smell so damn good. Annnd I’m being creepy again, whoops.
“What’s for dinner tonight?” Christian broke through my internal monologue. Now that you mention it, damn I’m hungry.
“Pizza?” Tyrone suggested and we all cheered our agreement.
“Scary movies pleeeease!” Christian and Mitchel begged childishly.
“Christian, you can’t even play Slender without bursting into tears,” Taylah rolled her eyes and Christian blushed.
“What’s Slender?” I asked, thoroughly confused. They all looked at each other in a way that creeped me out slightly.
“That my dear is a story for another time,” Christian grinned. “Slender cannot just be explained, Slender must be done, and done properly.”
I left it at that as they put on a movie and we all settled back to get comfortable. I was already curled up in my bean bag when I felt ‘the need’. I jumped up and darted out of the room to the bathroom. When you gotta go, you gotta go.
“Guys seriously?” I sighed when I came back into the lounge room. My previous spot was occupied and the boys were looking up at me innocently. I rolled my eyes and fell into the newly available spot on the couch next to Luke.
“Guys, let’s play a game,” Taylah suggested. “Everyone pick a character and we’ll see who lasts the longest.”
“I want to be her.”
“No that’s me – actually no wait, I’ll be her.”
“Ew no she’s with Christian, Georgia you can be her.”
“That’s me. Because he’s the hottest, duh.”
“He’s a dumbass, Luke all yours.”
“Oh my god, she’s going in,” I squealed, spreading my fingers over my face. “Georgia what is wrong with you? And where the hell did Christian – oh shit he’s dead.”
“No, wait,” Tyrone said excitedly. “I’m coming to save – oh wait, never mind. Sorry Georgia.”
That. Was. Some. Scary. Shit. It was set in a forest with this creepy as villains murdering everyone he came across. Blood everywhere, people screaming. Basically, nightmare city.
After a particularly loud combined scream from Taylah, Georgia and I, Brock jumped up to make some popcorn. I jumped and found my face buried in Luke’s shoulder. I leant back and went to apologise but the killer chose that moment to decapitate Tyrone. He just wrapped an arm around me and let me curl up close to him and lean against his side.
“Nawwws,” Tay grinned from behind her phone as she snapped a picture of us. I flipped her the bird and went back to watching the movie. I reached over Christians head and grabbed a handful of popcorn, making him jump.
“We’re going to make it!” I cheered, high fiving Taylah and Brock, the only three of us left. “No! Wait, what? No! Save me! SAVE MEEEE! Literally hate you right now Brocolli!” I pouted and he shrugged apologetically.
Damn, that Jason could take a hell of a beating. His head went through a wood chipper for crying out loud.
“He’s dead!” Tay said, seeming incredibly shocked. “We actually did it.”
Taylah and Brock were sitting on a peer, having just dumped the bad guy’s body in the water. We all relaxed. I pulled away from Luke to stretch from being curled up for so long.
“SHIT!” Georgia, Taylah and I – and I think quite possibly Christian – screamed. He jumped out of the water! He was so beyond dead and he just jumped out of the water and it finished and oh my god I hate my life.
“Whoever picked that movie, I hate you,” Christian grumbled, getting up and flicking his hair out of his face to glare at us all.
“I’m never going to be able to sleep again,” Tay buried her face in a couch cushion. “We’re keeping the lights on and all sharing my bed.”
“Why don’t we all just crash in here?” Mitchel suggested.
“Yeah, let’s have a sleepover!” Georgia said excitedly, bouncing up and down in the armchair.
“Hells yeah, let’s go TEAM WAT!”
