Puppeteer

Chapter 20-I am your judge...

Once we had all returned to the bus with minor bickering, I started explaining the whole situation to Violet with an authority like a judge.

"Ahem. So at the start, Nina and Ast both asked their parents to allow them to get their ears pierced. It was Nina who wanted her ears pierced first, but Ast ended up getting his ears pierced first... "

See!" Nina stuck her tongue out, determined not to lose." Tucking her short brown hair behind her tiny ear, she wiggled her ear towards Ast, showing off her spiky black earring. "And?" She demanded, with a victorious gleam. With a gulp, I continued (Violet looked very amused which is probably a good sign).

 "But!" Ast leaned forward, his chocolate hand clasping my own. "But I remember Nina mentioning the Black earrings first" Ast's hand shot out of mine. Good grief. "Ha!" "No she did not!" "Oh yes I did!" "Guys shut up we're in the bus"

Violet took out her earphones, revealed her ear that was hidden behind a curtain of long hair and started to listen to music.

Noticing the signal I gave them, Ast and Nina finally stopped and looked apologetic. "I'm sorry Violet, are we boring you?"

 By Nina's gentle concern, Violet looked so surprised. "No no! I just like listening to music" She sheepishly said. "What are you listening to?" Ast continued "I mean, if you don't want to tell us, you don't need to." "Ahh...Doubt you guys know it anyway..." "PLEASE!" In sync, Nina's low voice and Ast's high voice overlapped, and rang across the bus.

Finally paying attention to the other kids in the bus, Nina and Ast sizzled down. "Anyway, Ast got the earrings first so now you guys can argue." Ast and Nina started speaking in Ast-inese, so Violet and I kind of looked outside, ignoring the racket beside us. But I swear I heard a chuckle from Violet's direction.