We Only Come Out at Night

I woke up and yawned. I opened my eyes and saw Edward Scissorhands starting up again. I looked around and noticed Ange passed out on the couch to the left and Mads slumped on the floor next to him. Chris was hanging off the couch to the right and I realised I was on the middle couch. We must have fallen asleep. Ghost and Balz were nowhere to be seen and Ryan was lying on the floor in front of the TV, I felt someone shift beside me and looked over. Ricky was there curled into a ball. He looked so peaceful when he slept. I quietly got up and moved slowly so I didn't disturb him. He shivered and I crept upstairs. I opened a built-in cupboard and grabbed five blankets. I went downstairs and threw a blanket over Mads, Ange, Ryan, Chris and Ricky. I quietly walked into the kitchen and filled the kettle, the guys would want coffee no doubt and Maddie would want hot chocolate. I shut the door to minimise the sound of the kettle to prevent waking them. I texted Ghost and he called me.
“Hey. Where'd you go?”
“You all fell asleep during the movie. I have to say, it looked like you were trying the hardest not to fall asleep.”
“It's a good movie!”
He chuckled.
“Where's Balz?”
“He woke up shortly after the movie ended and I dropped him off when he had woken up a bit.”
“Kay, well, thanks for leaving out two cups of coffee for me to make.”
“Any time. Oh, before I go, I just wanna say...don't get too cosy with Ricky.”
“Huh?”
“Well, there's a side of him that he hides a lot, I don't want you getting hurt.”
“This is Ricky we're talking about. None of you guys could hurt me.”
“None of us want to, it's just...everyone snaps sometimes, and...it can...get ugly.”
“Devin, what are you trying to say,” I sternly said. He gulped. I rarely call him by his real name, the stage name kind of grows on you.
“Do you remember how Chris looked yesterday?”
“Yeah...”
“Think of what could have happened if he acted on his anger, then put Ricky in that position.”
I shuddered at the image. He sighed as though he saw my reaction.
“I'm only bringing this up to keep you safe. You guys just looked really comfortable when you were asleep, I don't want anything to happen to you, or Maddie.”
“I know man. I'll see you later.”
“See ya. One last thing, it's Halloween tomorrow. Just something to cheer you up.”
I grinned. “Thanks man. Bye.”
“Bye love.”
I hung up and sighed. After thinking about what Ghost said I grabbed six mugs and three teaspoons. I heard a creak and looked behind me. Nothing. I frowned and focused on the guys coffee. It was quiet until I finished the last cup. I heard a soft step and slowly turned around. I softly sighed and smiled.
“Hey Ange,” I said quietly.
“Hey,” he replied sleepily.
I smiled wider and passed him his coffee. He grinned at the sight of it and gladly drank some of it.
“Thanks Lyss. You haven't changed a bit.” I smiled a little at that.
“They still asleep?”
“Yeah, why?”
“It's the 30th, Ange. You know what that means?”
He grinned and his smile took up half his face, I nearly laughed at the familiar sight.
“Let's wake them up.”
“I dunno Ange, it's,” I checked my phone, “eight in the morning. That's pretty early for them.”
He sighed sadly.
“Give 'em ten minutes, then we'll wake them.”
He smiled again and drank his coffee. I downed my tea and Maddie walked in.
“Hey girl, here.” I handed her hot chocolate.
“Thanks,” she muttered and immediately started drinking. After she woke a little she looked at us with a look in her eye. “Neither of you have had anything to eat, have you.”
I sighed and leaned back on the counter behind me.
“Alyssa.”
“No, we haven't eaten yet.”
She turned on Ange and said sternly, “You know you have to force her to eat breakfast, Angelo.”
“Yes ma'am, I'll get her something.”
He mock saluted her and she playfully smacked him. He started to rummage through the cupboards and Ricky walked in.
“Dude, what the hell are you doing?” He sounded really tired.
“Maddie is demanding that I feed Alyssa.”
Ricky sighed, “She doesn't want to eat, leave her alone.”
“Thank you!”
Maddie gave me a look then glared at Ricky. He rolled his eyes and opened a cupboard and pulled out a packet of brioches. He threw me one and I slowly ate it while Maddie watched like a hawk. I gave Ricky his coffee and he smiled at me.
“Lyss,” Angelo whined.
“Come on then.”
He sprinted into the living room and I laughed following him.
“Yo, guys, get up.”
Ryan grunted and rolled over.
“Dude, wake up!” Ange nudged him with his foot.
“What the fuck, Angelo. Leave me alone man.”
“Wake...the fuck...up.”
Ange started to shake him and Ryan hit him. I shook my head at them and moved to Chris who had moved from hanging off the couch to fully on it.
“Hey, Chris, get up before Ange attacks ya.”
He groaned and rolled towards me.
“Dude, don't fall on me.”
I pushed him back and nearly collapsed under his weight when he rolled back.
“Fuckin' hell man, how much do you weigh?” I groaned.
“I'm not that heavy!” he cried opening his eyes.
“Fuck this.”
I stepped back and he fell on the floor in a heap of limbs.
“What the hell! Was that necessary?”
“Yeah, unless you want me crushed.”
He rolled his eyes. “You're so dramatic.”
“You decided to be my friend even after you found out. You gotta deal with the consequences.”
I heard Ricky chuckle and I turned and grinned at him.
“What's the big deal?” Ryan grumbled.
“It's Halloween tomorrow, that's the big deal!” Ange exclaimed.
There was a silence. Ricky and Chris looked momentarily shocked and Maddie looked at me in horror. Ryan showed no emotion but there was panic in his eyes. Ricky was the first to move. He sprinted out of the room and I looked at Chris. He shrugged and I looked to Ange and Maddie who shrugged in response. Ryan looked like he was asleep again so I didn't bother trying to get a reaction out of him. None of us had seen Ricky so eccentric. There was a clatter and I was considering going up and helping him with...whatever he was doing. We were listening to the noises coming from upstairs when Chris piped up.
“Any chicken wings left?”
“No, we ate them all,” Maddie answered.
“I think we should help him.”
“If you can be bothered,” Ange said to me and hit Ryan to wake him again.
“Lazy git.”
Ange gave me a crooked smile and I heard footsteps above. Ricky came down with his arms full of Halloween decorations and I skipped to him and took most of it from him. I set them on the couch/sofa and he copied me, then set off back upstairs. I followed him ad saw the hallway cluttered with decorations.
“Now THIS is what I'm talking about,” I said happily and Ricky smiled.
“We love Halloween, what do you expect.”
“Exactly this.”
He lightly laughed and picked up a plastic spider that was HUGE, it was almost the size of my head. Ivy would HATE it, she hated spiders with a passion. I grabbed a load of cotton wool that acted as cobwebs and some more decorations and headed down with Ricky in front. Together we got the last of the decorations in the living room (or sitting room, if you prefer), ready to be put up for tomorrow. Angelo grabbed a few and started putting them up. I grabbed a chair, cotton wool and drawing pins and got to work.
Ghost and Balz arrived a little later and helped us get Ryan off his ass and help. Together, the eight of us got the whole of the bottom of the house decorated with skeletons, posters, the ceilings were covered in ripped cotton wool with thousands of plastic spiders in it and coming down, often hitting Chris in the head, and a lot more that truly made the house perfect for Halloween. We were having a party for the rest of the guys, and all of their girlfriends, and our families. I was literally bouncing with excitement and the guys had to hold me down by the shoulders.
“Calm down, love,” Ghost chuckled. He walked to the TV, switched it on and played a DVD, which had to be Edward Scissorhands.
“What about your house?”
“It's decorated, don't worry. And Balz decorated his and Ryan's house. It's all sorted, love, calm down.”
I smiled and sat down. The guys sat down and Maddie collapsed beside me. We spent the rest of the day watching Tim Burton movies and talking about what we would do tomorrow before the party.