[𝟗] 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 ( descendants ) [DISCONTINUED]

─ chapter twenty-one

Elyse walked down the hallway, searching for the door to Kenzie's room. She'd only been in it a few times but she had some memory of which door it was. Take a left and it's the third door on the corridor. The door was finally in sight, however Elyse stopped when she saw it open, the sound of voices brief before Ari came out, closing the door behind him and walking off down the hallway. Elyse frowned and let out a sigh. She felt a sort of sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she turned on her heel, heading back in the direction she came, back to her own dorm.

Elyse opened the door, stepping into the room and closing it behind her. When she looked up, she saw Autumn sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"Hey cousinnnn." Autumn grinned, but then cocked her head to the side and frowned a little. "Why the long face?" She asked.

"No reason," Elyse shrugged, trying to keep her face neutral. "What are you up to?"

"I just thought I'd come see you, you know. See how you've been, how are you?" Autumn asked, looking up at her cousin.

"I'm fine," Elyse sighed, taking a seat on the desk chair. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. Just with everything that happened, and being back at school now and stuff." Autumn shrugged, swinging her legs around so they were dangling off the bed and she was facing Elyse properly. "Like, how are you and Maddie... how are you coping with homework and stuff... and the new VKs. Like Grey, he's pretty cool actually and he gets all soft around Rae and it's so cute. You've been quite close to Kenzie." Autumn added, raising an eyebrow at her cousin. "I haven't actually talked to her that much which is surprising considering I talk a lot." She said, glancing up at the ceiling in thought for a moment.

"You two would get along," Elyse replied, getting out a worksheet and a pencil from her school bag. "School's a pain but honestly there's nothing new," She continued, tapping the pencil on the table.

"Nothing at allllllll? Come on, I find it hard to believe that frosty." Autumn teased, pulling the blonde into a hug.

"Did you just call me frosty?" Elyse questioned, allowing her cousin to hug her but not returning it.

"Yeahhh, well, I think I need a nickname for you. You call me Fall so I thought Frosty since snowy or icy just sounds kinda weird." Autumn explained, pulling back from the hug and shrugging slightly. "Also, don't change the subject. Tell me more about Kenzie if you think we'd get alongggg." She added, bouncing up and down on the edge of the bed.

"Why don't you ask her yourself? She's free right now," Elyse said absentmindedly.

"How do you know?" Autumn questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I went to go see her before I came here," Elyse replied without thinking, before it registered in her brain and she paused her writing. "Fuck." She murmured, knowing she'd just given her cousin the indication she wanted.

"Oh my goddddd. You two are getting along so well! I knew it." Autumn jumped up to her feet, clapping excitedly.

"You knew what?" Elyse questioned, setting her pencil down. Autumn gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Nothing, nothing. Did I say that? I didn't mean to say that. You know I should probably get going so you can finish your work and sleep. I have stuff to do." Autumn spoke quickly, bounding over to the door. However, before she left she turned back and gave Elyse a quick, tight hug. "Love you frosty." She said before running back to the door.

"Autumn Rose Bjorgman," Elyse said slowly, extending her hand and freezing the door handle so her cousin couldn't leave. "I'm not an idiot. Explain." Autumn tried the door handle, trying to pull it up and down but had no avail.

"I have to go do Secret Santa stufffffff." She whined, looking back at her cousin and pouting. Elyse narrowed her eyes.

"That can wait." She claimed, not relenting. "Now, what did you claim to know? What are you planing?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. I'm serious, El. It's fine." Autumn continued to protest, her hand pulling on the door handle again.

"Autumn I've known you since we were born. You're acting suspicious."

"No, no no. I'm not. Of course I'm not." Autumn said casually, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Uh huh," Elyse hummed, crossing her arms over her chest, "So you mean to tell me that you sneaking into my room, waiting for me, then asking me about how I am and how Kenzie is, then getting excited over nothing and trying to run out, is normal and I shouldn't be worried about anything?"

"Like you saiddddd, you know me. I'm just me, I'm excitable and annoying and I'm just excited that you're not wallowing and isolating yourself and you're making friends." Autumn explained, plastering a grin on her lips as she tried to be as convincing as possible. "I'm just happy for you, Frosty." She added. Elyse narrowed her eyes for a second and sighed. However, before she could speak the cousins were interrupted by a loud banging on the door.

"Elyse? What the hell, let me in!" The Scottish-accented voice of Maddie came from the other side of the door. Elyse sighed again and waved her hand, removing the ice from the door handle. The door swung open and Autumn practically fell onto Maddie, since she had been leaning on the door. Autumn let out a squeal but Maddie caught the girl before she could fall.

"You know what, I'm not even gonna ask." Maddie muttered, helping Autumn to her feet before slipping into the room.

"Thanks Mads now byeeee!" Autumn said quickly before sprinting off down the corridor, before Elyse could stop her. Maddie raised her eyebrows and closed the door.

"What's up with her?" She questioned, looking at Elyse.

"Just... Autumn being Autumn..." Elyse sighed, sitting back down at her desk and going back to her work.

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