"Well someone stayed up late", whispered Alex into Mari ear. The sound of Alex voice caused Mari to jerk upright on her bed and clutching her chest tightly.
"What the hell Al, you scared me", Mari hissed
"Scared you, I had no idea you could be scared", Alex teased her. She was now sitting on the desk chair and twirling a pen in her hands.
Sending a death glare to her best friend, Mari removed the covers and stood up from her bed, stretching and yawning at the same time she then asked "what are you even doing here this early"
Raising an eyebrow and smirking, Alex brought out her phone to check the time "how's early for having 20 minutes to get dressed and have breakfast"
It took a moment for Alex words to register into her head "Wait are you referring to me"
"I don't know, am the only one that's ready for school apparently"
"Shit..shit why didn't you say so before", yelled Mari grabbing a pillow and throwing it at her who caught it effortlessly and laughed.
"By the way you actually have just 16 minutes remaining", Alex said chuckling.
"Not helping Al", Mari yelled, grabbing her towel she stomped out of her room to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later and she was done dressing, she came downstairs and saw Arielle playing with her golden retriever puppy while Alex looked really bored flicking through the channel's on the TV.
Hearing the sounds of footsteps Alex looked up to her "finally your done let's go, I don't think I can take it any longer with Ari cooing at your dog"
"It's a puppy Al", Ari said getting up from the couch.
"It's still a dog, let's go", Alex said marching outside to her car with Arielle following suite and rolling her eyes at her sister.
"Annoying much", Arielle whispered.
"Heard it"
"Your supposed to"
Grabbing the toast and orange juice in a bottle her mum had prepared for her she wrapped it up and left the house towards the car.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what made Miss punctual to stay up late this time" asked Alex locking her locker.
They began to walk down the hallway to the cafeteria
"I didn't stay up late, I just overslept"
"That doesn't explain the eye bags"
"Wait I have eye bags, is it that noticable", said Mari already using her phone to check.
"Relax it's barely noticeable only when someone is close do they notice"
"Oh", Mari whispered then remembering what happened yesterday she decided to ask.
"Um....about..
"Am sorry for how I treated you yesterday I was being... overdramatic and apparently acted like a jerk", Alex said making Mari to chuckle.
"Very dramatic but It's ok your already forgiven I was just worried about you"
"And am sorry for making you worry about me too, but am fine by the way"
Reaching their table, Alex saw the state of her friends, basically Cleo and Hannah were halfway from falling out of the seat due to dozing, while Liv was practically knocked out on the table.
"I see you guys had a pretty rough night", she said sitting down causing Liv to wake up.
"Huh...what", asked Cleo half asleep
"Weird that all of you look exhausted, want to tell what you did last night causing you to look like a mess" she asked playing with her pencil between her fingers, bringing out a bag of chips from her bag she began to munch down "Or did you have a sleepover without me", she added looking up at them.
They all shared brief glances then looked at Alex who was more interested in eating her chips than the conversation.
"Well um last night we um....", Mari
"You sound like it's a must for you to tell me everything Mari, which is not so and plus I actually don't care, kind of find it funny though...your appearances I mean", Alex said then took out her phone to take a quick picture of them.
"Hey"
"What the..."
"That's not fair"
"Alex!!!!"
"My name", she said with nonchalance focusing back on her food.
"So is the sleepover still on tonight", asked Cleo.
"Yeah am up for it"
"Why not"
"Sure"
Everyone turned to look at Alex for her
"I don't know guys I kind of have a busy schedule this weekend....
"Al.....
"fine"
~~~~~~~~
Cleo house
"Ok... Five bags of potato chips check", Liv said happily opening one and plopping down on the couch.
"Rom com movies check", said Mari making Alex to groan in annoyance.
"Don't be grumpy is good old romance"
"Plus some cans of soda", said Cleo
"Pillows and blankets check obviously", Hannah said.
Cleo gasped "we forgot pizza"
"Chill is on the kitchen counter", said Alex
"Ok people girls night has officially started", said Liv clapping excitedly, Mari turned on the TV and the sleepover began.
*~*~*~
They were all engrossed in the movie, all except for Alex of cause who looked liked she preferred dying right now than sit through two hours of chick flick.
"Oh my gosh that's so cute", said Liv dabbing her eyes with a tissue paper. Alex gave her a weird look and abruptly stood up.
"Ok that's enough", said Alex turning off the TV.
"Oh come on Alex we were getting to the good part", whined Cleo with the rest of the girls agreeing.
"Which you said ten minutes ago plus you've all watched it more than two times"
"Third time the charm remember", said Liv
Alex glared at her "You've watched it more than three times", she said to which Liv just shrugged.
"Why don't we just play a game", said Hannah.
"What kind of game do you suggest", asked Mari.
"Hmmm....", Hannah murmured and started stroking her chin, after a minute she had an evil smirk on her face "how about never have I ever"
"Seriously that's what you've been thinking since and here I thought you will say something smart for once", Liv said then got hit at the head with a pillow from an angry Hannah "ouch..what the hell Hannah...ouch ouch stop it", Liv cried but Hannah kept hurling pillows at her.
"Never have I ever is kind of boring right now and overused, how about we bake some muffins", asked Mari.
"How's that any better", asked Hannah.
"That sounds good to me", said Cleo
"So you guys in", asked Mar.i
"Sorry guys but I have to go.....family emergency", said Alex standing up and looking at her phone.
"Is something wrong", asked Mari standing up with her
"No nothing to worry about just Ava having nightmares again", said Alex wearing her jacket. "I guess I will see you guys all on Monday, well except Mari since she always invades my private space", said Alex causing Mari's jaw to drop.
"That's rude, I do not", she said hitting Alex playfully on the arm who just laughed.
"Hey, hey hey sorry ok....gosh your hands are always so painful", said Alex playfully rubbing her arms, but Mari got scared for a minute thinking she probably hurt her because of her super strength.
"Relax am just joking", said Alex noticing Mari change in demeanor.
"Right...I guess I will see you when I see you... And also greet Ava for me ok", said Mari escorting Alex to the door.
"Yeah yeah", Alex replied waving her hand dismissively as she walked down the front porch to her car. Mari waved at her with a smile then closed the door. Walking back to the living room she stood in the center of them puting her hands on her hips and looked at friends.
"So baking it is", asked Cleo with raised eyebrow.
"No. On second thought I have a better idea", said Mari picking up her bag and opening it she brought out the book of truth.
They all gasped at her and looked at her with shock etched on their faces.
"What the hell Mari you can't be with that here, moreover carry it around, what if Alex was still around", said Hannah.
"Chill I knew from the start Alex won't stay past twelve with us", said Mari
"What do you.....and how do you know thar", asked Cleo.
"Because ever since Ava was born she always liked sleeping with Alex apparently she's her favorite, and Ava most of the times have nightmares when sleeping alone", said Mari. They were all quiet and stared at her.
"So what now", asked Hannah
"Now, we ask the question we've all been wanting to ask", said Mari then clapped her hands.
"I was really looking forward to eating some cupcakes", whined Liv.
"Oh be quiet you", said Hannah rolling her eyes.
They all sat in a circle with the book in the middle.
"Are you guys ready", asked Mari holding the key up, they all nodded. Mari inserted the key into it's lock, turned it and immediately it snapped open.
"Gosh this feels so scary and mysterious", murmured Cleo.
Mari opened the book but was met with blank pages "huh, that's weird it's blank"
"Please tell me our trip to the graveyard is not for nothing", groaned Cleo
"Check the last page maybe there is a text on how this works", said Hannah. Mari did as told and was gladly met with a text.
"There is one but it's not written in English, do you understand it", Mari said turning the book to Hannah
"Yeah I do...it says here that you have to ask the book for what you want, and when it answers it disappears after sixty seconds and the question can't be asked or answered again until after ten years"
"Wow.....Just sixty seconds and nothing else", asked Mari with surprise
"That's what it said", said Hannah shrugging
"Ok guys.. we could work with that", said Mari and took in a deep breath.
"Book of truth please tell us what a royal is", said Mari.
Immediately gold inscriptions started swirling and writing on the book
"What did it say", asked Liv.
"That the mermaids were right, well he didn't say that", said Mari
"He what if it's a she", argued Liv.
"Oh my gawd, not now Liv", groaned Hannah
"It a she", said Liv huffing.
"Our time is going guys", warned cleo
"Ok a she then it says that Royals are the first supernatural being to ever exist on earth. They posses the power of creation and destruction. One born with creation had the power to bring things to life, they use their power to create other supernatural creatures and they also have the power to heal the sick but only those pure of hearts.
While that of destruction have the power to take life but only that of sinners, some are blessed with the power to punish sinners while some are not, they balance good and evil on earth"
They were all silent after hearing this just trying to soak it all in.
"Book of truth how do you recognize a royal", asked Hannah
"A royal can be recognized either by their facial features or through family crest. But most royals are recognized through the royal crest because they love blending in with humans to look normal"
"How does this royal crest look like"
A drawing of two swords crossed together with a crown in the middle and on the crown was the letter 'C' and 'D' on top of each other written in italics. They all stared at it lost in their own thoughts.
"Well it's beautiful", said Liv mesmerized.
"It says there is no specific object they carry, they either wear it in form of an earring, bangles, necklace or ring , any type of jewelery but it was always on them no matter what"
"So we just look out for anyone wearing the royal crest, that doesn't sound hard", said Cleo sarcastically.
"Book of truth are royals still alive ", asked Mari
Hannah gasped "it said yes"
"Is there any royal living right here still in crescent fall", asked Mari
"Also yes", Liv said. Then they all looked at each other, each having the same thoughts on what they want to ask.
"Book of truth..... Please give us a name of a royal"
"Cleo am home", a voice yelled as they all heard the door slamming shut.
Turning there heads to the direction of the door, they all stood up as they saw Cleo's mum come into the living room.
"Oh hey girls, didn't know you guys would be here"
"Sorry I thought you would be coming back home tomorrow", Cleo said sheepishly, then going to help her mum carry her things together with Liv.
"What were you girls up too"
"Nothing", they all said at the same time then Mari and Hannah tried to cover the the book with their bodies
"Okkkkkkkkk", she drawled. "I will try and believe that", she said looking at them suspiciously to which they just returned with a smile.
"Anyways am exhausted from the trip I need my eight hours nap, see you girls in the morning and don't stay up late", she said then walked up the stairs to her room, when they heard her door close shut they all sighed with relief.
"That was so close" said Hannah.
"Guys the words are fading away", said Mari with pannick etched in her voice
"Shit", Cleo muttered the last letter they saw was 'E'.
" 'E' there so many people with names that start with the letter'E', there is Ethan, Emily, George...
"That's a 'g'", said Hannah cutting off Liv.
"Well it has an 'e' so what's the difference", said Liv
"Through the 'E' could be in between", said Cleo.
"And we can't ask the same questions again....this is really bad, we were so close", said Mari plopping down on the sofa with a frustrated sigh.
"Let's just try asking it again", said Cleo "Book of truth please give us a name of a royal", she said but the book remained blank.
"I guess this means were all going detective style", said Liv making them to all groan.
"We have no other option left... Let's just look out for anyone wearing the royal crest", said Mari and stood up. "come on girls it's already late we have to continue some other day", she added and they all agreed solemnly.
Now where were we with our sleepover",said Hannah cheering them up.