Roaring Thunder

Well, I had asked Josh to keep it a secret that we were going out. Why, you may ask? Because we’re not really going out. I know, I’m a bad person for this. But … I like being a Lightning. And, luckily, Josh agreed. Sadly, Dylan saw us kissing.

“Okay, I haven’t told anyone … yet. Now why were you kissing Josh?!!”

“Shh! Look, we’re not really dating. Well, he thinks we are. Alison told me she’d date Martin as long as I dated Josh for at least three months. And Martin’s her soulmate, Dylan! I couldn’t just say no!”

“Okay, fine. I’ll keep quiet. As long as someday, when Alison and Martin are married, I can tell everyone the story.”

I laugh at that. Alison probably wouldn’t marry Martin.

“Fine.”

“Carry on on your little façade.”

“Thanks, Dyl!”, I say, jumping up and hugging him. I skip away happily, changing out of my dress and into my PJs, hopping into bed.

♠ ♣ ♠

It was my date-night. Great. But, I had to keep acting like we’re dating. And, I mean, c’mon! This is Josh for crying out loud! Although, he is kind of cute …

Ohmyfinggod … did I seriously just think that?!! Oh, crap!

“Ready?”, Josh asks, sitting down next to me at the edge of the cloud.

“Hmm? Sure,” I say absently, staring up at the star-filled sky. Josh grabs my hand, pulling us both off the cloud, as we land in the middle of the empty street. “So, what are we doing? Seeing as how I’m new to this whole dating thing.”

“Paris, France. Remember? I was gonna take you there?”

I look around, gasping. Here we are, in Paris, France. Ohmyfinggod … it’s beautiful!!! I think, smiling as I look around.

“Don’t just stand there and gawk! C’mon, lets enjoy this city while the stars are still out!”, Josh says, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him.

♠ ♣ ♠

I had the best time ever with Josh last night. I’m seriously considering about telling Dylan he can tell anybody he wants. But, that would totally set him off.

“Good morning,” I say happily, walking toward the dining area.

“Hey,” Alison lifts her head up from the table for a split second, before passing out all over again, making Sophie giggle.

“Alison’s grouchy!”

“Am not!”

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I’m not!”, Alison yells. “I’m just not a morning person …”

Sophie giggles, rolling her eyes. “Alison’s sleepy.”

“Mmm, shut up, Sophie. You know the rules.”, Alison grumbles, continuing in her attempt at sleep.

“How long she been out?”

“In and out since eight this morning. She came out with Sophie, and Duncan took over as ‘Mom.’”, Kevin holds back laughter.

“Hey, I’m surprisingly not insulted!”, Duncan says, holding his hands up defensively.

“Good for you,” I say sarcastically. “Now, wake up, Alison. And I’ll buy you that kitten you were eyeing on the way home yesterday.”

Alison snaps awake, smiling hugely. “The one with the two pink paws and black nose?”

“Yep.”

Alison’s smile grows, and she fights to keep her eyes open. “Don’t hurt yourself!”

“Sorry, but I was up half the night with that thing.”, she stabs a finger at Sophie. “She kept wanting to see Duncan.”

“Awww!”, Duncan says, smiling.

“Don’t get your hopes up. She’s still little. And I can still tear you to shreds.”

“Why didn’t you just take her to Duncan’s?”, I ask through a mouth-full of pancakes.

“Because, then I’d be up all night worrying. Gosh, think a minute, Mel.”, Alison rolls her eyes, before she falls onto the table, snoring lightly.

“That was a record for her.”, Kevin chuckles.

“Yeah, and now I gotta go buy a kitten with two pink paws and a black nose.”, I grumble.

“Smoky?”, Max asks, looking up. “Alison’s been sleep-talking the past three hours, at least.”

“Okay, where can I find him?”

“Down by the pet shop not too far from the school.”, Josh says, shrugging. “I visit it often. Running for bribes for the evil witch.”

“Flattery gets you no where,” Alison mumbles. “Eeeewwww.”

“Here, I’ll go down and get her for you. Alison’s gonna send me down for Rocky in about five seconds.”, Josh says, shrugging as he stands up. “Tell her I’ve got it when she wakes up.”

“’Kay,” I say absently, eavesdropping on Alison’s sleep-talking. It was surprising that she still did that.

“Yes, I want more marsmellows for my cocoa, Foxy.”, Alison mumbles.

“Alison?”

“Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue is 1642!!!!”, Alison yells, sitting up. “Huh? Sorry, you were saying.”

“What were you dreaming about?”

“Nonsense. I do that a lot.”, she shrugs. “Anybody got some hot chocolate?”

“Here,” Josh grumbles, holding the hissing kitten toward her.

“Smoky! Rocky! Thanks, Josh!”, she pets and scratches them lovingly. Her house was probably more packed than the zoo by now. “Ooh, and hot cocoa locoa moco!”

“Huh?”

“I like to make up words.”

“Ah,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, don’t critize. I’ll be winning a bet. Pay up, Josh.”

“Here,” Josh grumbles, handing her — frickin’ thousand bucks?!!! “You win.”

“Ah, how I love being psychic.”, Alison smiles happily, stuffing the money in her pockets.

“What’d — you — Josh — bet — thousand —”

“Relax, Kevin. It was a simple bet. I don’t believe in gambling. But, I’m dead, so, who really cares?”, Alison laughs. “I’ll be in my house. Have her back by lunch, Duncan!”

“Will do!”, Duncan and Sophie were skipping away. Okay, Sophie was skipping, while Duncan just smiled hugely beside her as they walked away.

“Okay, well, that was odd.”, Kevin says, staring after them oddly.

“OHMYFINGGOD!!!!!!!”, Alison yells, running back. “Kevin!! Can I go to this music competition?”

“What? Why?”

“Because I like music.”

“What am I? King of money?”

“You’re not a king of anything. And I’ve got a thousand dollars screaming in my pocket, and a concert that should be screaming in my ears.”, Alison says, rolling her eyes.

“Well, because you asked before going off and doing something stupid, yes.”

“Thanks, uncle Kevin!”, Alison squeals, hugging him. “Now, excuse me as I go running through my closet like the stupid girls at school!”, Alison says, disappearing to only reappear again. “Oh, who am I kidding? Oh, and I’ll need you to buy the tickets.”

“Why me? Why not you?”

“Because I’m thirteen. You’re over five hundred years old! At least you can pass for a legal guardian!”

“Alright, how many? And where do I go?”

Alison pulls out her laptop, typing in quickly. “THIS IS A NIGHT CLUB!!!!!!”

“Your point?”

“Here, I’ll go with her.”, I say, rolling my eyes. “My mom once took me to a night club.”

“Alright, fine,” Kevin grumbles, pulling out his wallet. “But I want you back before midnight.”

“No promises.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“If you’re so worried about her, Kev, why don’t you just go with her?”, Josh asks, rolling his eyes.

“Because he’s a fun-sucker.”

“Nooooo. Because I don’t want some random chick with fake-blonde hair trying to hook-up with me.”

“Whatever, fun sucker. All I want is to go to the club.”, Alison says, smirking as she skips away.

“Damn psychic witch,” Kevin grumbles.

“Heard you!”

“Whatever.”

“Dude, that’s one of the best things about night clubs! Random girls come up to you and start flirting like crazy!”, Josh says, rolling his eyes.

“I should’ve figured,” Kevin grumbles.

“Sometimes guys will come up to the girl, though.”, I say, rolling my eyes. “Then they try acting all tough and stuff to impress yah. And next thing you know, you’re drunk and having your best friend pull you out of there.”, cue look at Dylan.

“That’s it! I’m going!”

“Kevin, dude, relax. Alison’s thirteen. Unless she wears a completely hot outfit, no dude is gonna give her the time of day.”

“But Alison’s always hot.”, Martin mutters.

“Thank you, captain hormones!”, Kevin says sarcastically. “I’m going.”

“Seriously, dude, control those hormones of yours.”, I say, rolling my eyes.

“But Alison is seriously hot!”, Martin says, frowning. “At least to me she is …”

“Dude, get over it.”, Joan says, rolling her eyes. “Alison will go out with you when the world ends. Which is probably soon seeing as how Raine’s evil. Along with Kevin and Josh getting along with each other!”

“Hey, where’s Alison?”, David asks suddenly, making me jump.

“Gosh! She’s at her house! Check the thirteenth floor. She’s probably blasting music like crazy!”, I say, as David was already heading toward her house.

“Thanks!”

“No problem!”

“How come he’s never whacked on the back of the head!”, Martin whines childishly.

“Because he’s Alison’s friend.”, I say, rolling my eyes. “Not her admirer.”

♠ ♣ ♠

Well, it came down to just about everyone going. Sophie and Duncan were some of the few that stayed home. Kevin was keeping his protective stance near Alison, even though she was completely lost in this Justin Bieber song with Martin. And I’m not frickin’ lying when I say this: Justin Bieber is here!! LIVE!!

Josh and I are making out in a corner. I know, never would’ve expected that from me. But he’s just so darn hot right now …

Gosh, I’m turning into some love-blind idiot. He frickin’ kidnapped me! But he did it because he loved me …

We break apart, gasping for breath, smiling at each other. I seriously do think that I love him. He’s been nothing but nice to me. And he’s even been nice to everyone …

“I love you, Melody,” Josh says quietly, smiling at me, our lips inches apart.

“I love you, too, Josh,” I say, smiling as I kiss him. I couldn’t believe I said that out loud. But, yet, half of me was glad that I did …

Damn, I feel like a whore. Making out with some guy in a corner behind all my friends backs. But, at least he’s not just some random dude I picked up in the club. That would be a totally whore-ish thing to do.

“Oh, hey, hotty,” some girl purrs, flinging herself on Josh. I glare at her, as Josh tries pushing her off of him.

“Umm … I have a girlfriend …”, Josh says uncomfortably.

“Forget about her.”

“Hello?!! Yeah, bitch, girlfriend over here!!”, I growl, glaring at her.

“Back off,” she snaps, glowering at me.

“You know, how about I meet you at that motel down the road?”, Josh asks casually, smirking at the Bitch.

“Okay,” she purrs, getting up off his lap and swinging her fake little hips away.

“If you go to some damn motel —”

“Relax, I only said that to get her off of me.”, Josh says, kissing me. “Oh, and FYI, you’re hot when you’re jealous.”

I felt my cheeks heat up, as I kiss him quickly, breaking apart as I hear millions of shrieks. I look toward the stage, where Alison was dancing with Justin Bieber.

“Ohmyfinggod,” I breathe.

“I never would’ve guessed.”, Josh chuckles.

“Looks like she’s having a good time, too.”, I laugh.

“Oh, and check out Martin! The dude is freaking out!”, Josh laughs, pointing to Martin through the crowd of people. “The dude’s completely ticked off with Justin.”

“Oh, poor Martin,” I say, unable to stop laughing.