The Night Children

Chapter 6

Edited

As soon as I hobbled out of the car, music blasted into my ear drums. I whispered about the need to still be able to hear when I was thirty but Aleena only rolled her eyes.

"Stop grumbling, you're get those ugly frown marks like Miss Anderson has." She remarked lightly. Her statement only proving her point as I scowled at her. She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing. "You look like a racoon when you do that."

"Do what?"

"When you scrunch your nose up. It makes you look ugly." She observed. I only gave her another frown, rewarding myself with an annoyed look from Aleena.

"Sure, that face will get you all the boys." She dragged the 'all', hinting that as per usual, no boys would even glance in my general direction.

"Good, I'm not looking for a boy at the moment anyway." I swore as my ankle bent inwards, stumbling slightly. Aleena burst into an amused chuckle but didn't offer any assistance.

"This is pitying to watch." She stated with a wide smile.

"Okay great, if it's too pitying to watch how about we go home?" I suggested darkly, managing to regain my balance.

Aleena shook her head. "I've successfully gotten you here without dragging you by the hair, I want to see if I can push the limit and get you inside."

I frowned but didn't retaliate, my nerves overriding the need to argue. I looked around in an effort to take my mind off the looming building that I knew contained sweaty teenagers dancing and doing god knows what.

I had walked down this stoned path at least a million times. The hedges that lined the walkway used to be Aleena and I's hiding places but now we were double the size of them. The pathway led up to a large wooden door built into white marble, nothing but a tiny entrance into a grand mansion.

I knew from visiting Aleena's that this house contained several rooms which put my home to shame. I also knew this house was the aftermath of the only reminder the Newmans' had of their father.

The thousands of dollars he left behind. His apology, Aleena had said but she'd spat the words out like they were poison.

We reached the door, my stomach doing a flip so I forced down a gag. Music dulled by the width of the door drifted towards us, causing my throat to tighten. I didn't have time to voice my sudden nausea before a strong arm swung open the door, the music immediately getting louder.

My eyes travelled to a set of recognisable eyes and I felt my lips tilt to form a smile.

"Ethan!" I beamed my stomach instantly unravelling at the sight of a familiar face. I stepped forwards to wrap my arms around his torso, embracing him. He was tall, but not nearly as tall as Isaac.

"Ren!" Ethan exclaimed, welcoming me into his embrace by coiling his arms around my back tightly.

"Ethan, I can't breathe." I struggled to escape his steely grip until he untied his arms from around me. I heard his chuckle as I regained my breath.

"I haven't seen you in years." He said with a light smile, his blue eyes searching mine.

I reflected his smile, feeling it pull at the corners of my lips. "The last time I saw you there were gaps in your teeth and you still had that cast on your arm."
He ruffled my hair at this, a bubble of laughter escaping his lips. Aleena swung out a hand, swatting him away.

"Hey, that hair took me a decent two hours to straighten." She hissed but her eyes shone, eliminating the harshness of her words.

Ethan only rolled his eyes at her, dropping his arm to gently shut the door behind us which gave me the time to actually look at him. His physic was nearly unrecognisable, his once lanky definition now matured into muscle. His blackened hair had been cut short, his youthful curls nothing but artefacts of the past. His rounded face was now sharper, his jawline carving into his face.