What Lies Beneath ▸ House of Anubis [1]

chapter thirteen. house of rumors

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            I lean my head against the wall, glancing at my housemates beside me. Nina's shivering and Fabian gives her his robe. If I wasn't afraid we're about to be caught and expelled, I might smile. But I am afraid we're about to be caught and expelled, so I just listen carefully for any sign Victor's gone. Then it comes with a door slam.

            "I think it's safe," I whisper, pushing myself up from the ground. The panel opens up again when Nina and I put our necklaces on the imprints, and I step out first. "It's safe. Come on."

            We sneak down the stairs quietly, and Nina has to pick the lock again to go. Fabian pokes his head out the door and says, "Coast is clear."

            "My heart is still pounding," Nina tells him quietly after locking the door back. I check around the corner, smiling to myself as I eavesdrop on them.

            "Me, too."

            "I hope I can sleep. Who am I kidding?" she says. "I might never sleep again." She hands him his robe back. Giving someone your jacket, or in this case robe, when they're cold is literally the cutest possible thing you can do. "I can't believe we got away with it. Night."

            Nina smiles at him, and Fabian smiles at her. I shake my head, grabbing the doorknob to our bedroom. Turning it, the first thing I see is Amber standing in front of the door, and Amber asking, "Can't believe you got away with what?"

            I throw my thumb toward Nina, stepping around Amber. Nina asks worriedly, "What? Nothing, nothing. Nothing at all."

            "You've been sneaking around with Fabian in the middle of the night, your heart's beating really fast, and you think you got away with something," Amber lists. So I guess she heard all of that. Then she gasps loudly, sitting on Nina's bed. "You were having a secret date!"

            I laugh loudly. Nina denies, "No! Not exactly—"

            "This is so exciting! You, me, Mick, Fabian, Ashley and Evan from Isis House—"

            I throw my hands up. "Don't bring me into this. I was stealing cookies from the cookie jar when they were coming back from this so-called date," I lie.

            "—triple date, I can see it already!"

            "And I barely know Evan," I continue.

            "Well, nothing has happened between you and Jerome," Amber says, "unless something has happened and you haven't told anyone." I roll my eyes, not even dignifying her with a response. So she turns her attention back to Nina. "I can't wait to tell everyone."

            "No!" Nina exclaims. "No one. You tell absolutely no one. Promise?"

            "Oh. I get it. Secret love. So romantic. Your secret's safe with me."