The room went quiet.
Alan looked through the peephole. Outside stood a guy wearing a red and yellow jacket, a muffler wrapped around his neck, and a bag held in front of him.
Alan immediately opened the door.
Ellie tried to crawl down from the bed to get a look at who was there.
Alan looked at the delivery guy.
Alan: Yes??
The Guy: You're Alan, right? I was told to deliver these nuggets to this address.
Alan blinked, then nodded slowly.
Alan: Yes, it was me. I ordered these.
The Guy: Alright, here. And please quickly give me the bill.
Alan took the bag from his hand and paid the bill with cash.
The guy left, and Alan closed the door again.
He turned around and looked at Ellie, who was half on the mattress and half down toward the floor, still trying to get a look at the door.
Her hair had fallen toward the side of her face. She quickly settled herself back onto the mattress.
Alan walked toward the bed and placed the bag between them.
Ellie sniffed the air.
Her eyes sparkled.
Ellie: Nuggets! You ordered them?
Alan: Yeah. Before you came, I was actually thinking of eating some.
Ellie smirked playfully.
Ellie: You do eat this stuff, huh?
She chuckled softly as she grabbed one.
Alan: Yeah, why not? I can eat these too.
Alan took one after her.
Ellie savored the flavor in her mouth as she placed one hand against her cheek.
Ellie: So yummy.
Alan looked at her, but he didn't stop eating.
Ellie looked at the clock. There was still some time before the others arrived.
Alan looked at her, then asked.
Alan: So, Ellie.
Ellie looked at him.
Ellie: Yes??
She blinked.
Alan spoke.
Alan: I was wondering, what happened between you and Bob after that day when I was beaten up to death?
Ellie thought for a moment. She remembered that moment pretty clearly even now.
Ellie: Don't talk about that. I don't wanna think about it.
She said that, though she continued to answer his question.
Ellie: What do you think happened between me and him?
Alan looked at her. Now she was questioning him back.
Alan: From what I've seen, I don't think he succeeded in it, considering it was his jealousy that made him start a fight that day.
Ellie crossed her arms.
Ellie: You're correct. I saw the guy beating up my friend in front of me. There was no way I would be with him now.
Alan finished the last nugget from the box and then pushed it away on the mattress.
Ellie looked at him with a curious glance.
Ellie: You knew already, didn't you? Yet you wanted to hear it from me.
Alan sighed.
Alan: I could be wrong, you know. I don't assume things.
Ellie: Hmm, fair.
Her shoulders fell slightly as she relaxed.
She looked at the clock, then at him.
On the bed, inside the room, within this house...
It felt different from back then.
Now, she was feeling butterflies in her stomach.
Ellie's cheeks warmed slightly as she kept staring at him.
Alan was looking down at his phone. He then looked at her from the corner of his eye, his head turning slightly toward her.
Ellie moved without meaning to, getting closer to him.
Alan noticed, but he didn't make a move.
Alan: Are you feeling alright?
He asked plainly as she slowly got closer.
Their faces were only a few inches apart.
Ellie: I don't think I am alright...
Before she could get any closer, the doorbell rang.
Ellie blinked as she came back to her senses.
Alan, who wasn't bothered by what had just happened, looked toward the door.
He got up to open it.
Meanwhile, Ellie sat at the corner of the bed, cupping her cheeks in both hands as they trembled.
What was I doing? Am I stupid...?
Why did I suddenly get reminded of that evening?
Baka!! Baka!! Baka!! Ellie. You can't do that just because it happened once before.
She was reminded of that evening when they had been ambushed in the schoolyard by Nel and his group.
She remembered it all.
The unexpected kiss she had given Alan because they had met again after eight years.
She slapped both of her cheeks before looking up.
Daniel, Daisy, Casey, and Max came inside.
Daisy: Hey, Ellie!
She waved at her, and Ellie tried to compose herself.
Alan didn't get close to Ellie. Instead, he went to the kitchen.
Ellie watched him walk away instead of coming back. She sighed, her heartbeat still quick.
Daisy sat on the mattress, followed by Casey.
Daniel sat on the couch, with Max sitting next to him.
Ellie: Thanks for coming here today, guys.
Daisy shook her head.
Daisy: No need to thank us, Ellie. We would've come if we knew it was his birthday today, you know.
Daniel: Well, I'm Alan's first friend from this school, so I would've come too.
Daisy: Oh, shut up. You were too lazy to leave your bed, Daniel.
Daniel: Hey, I wasn't! We had to come along with these two kids too.
He pointed toward Max and Casey.
Casey crossed her arms.
Casey: Excuse me? I'm 14, not a kid.
Daniel: That's a kid!
Daisy: As if you're old, Daniel. You're 17 too.
Daniel pouted.
Daniel: And so? I'm way older than her. Besides, Max is actually a kid.
Max placed both hands in his lap before speaking while looking down.
Max: I'm not. I just turned 14 too.
Daniel: That's basically a kid.
They continued arguing like this, while Ellie smiled softly.
Alan came back from the kitchen holding a tray with multiple glasses filled with cold drinks.
Daisy looked at the tray.
Daisy: Woah. Alan sure nailed it.
Daniel: Well, don't think we didn't bring the cake, haha.
Alan sat down on the couch.
Alan: Thanks for all this, especially to Ellie.
Ellie looked away.
Ellie: Stop saying thanks now. It feels weird when you say that with a plain face.
She said it without any real bite in her words.
Everyone laughed.
Daniel raised his glass.
Daniel: Alright, let's enjoy tonight. Christmas plus Alan's birthday.
He lifted his glass, and everyone raised theirs as well.
The glasses connected with a soft clink. 🥂
---
Meanwhile, outside...
Somewhere in the city, at a casino.
A few boys were playing games on the arcade machines when one of them turned toward the girls standing behind them.
Kelly, Mina, and Samantha.
The boy looked at them with confusion.
Samantha smirked.
Samantha: You're him, right? Tom.
The boy, who had glasses and an ordinary student haircut, wore a yellow and black jacket.
Tom: Yes, it's me. What happened?
Samantha's smirk remained.
Samantha: Alright. We have some work for you.
Samantha whispered something into his ear.
Tom's eyes widened.
Samantha then turned back.
Samantha: Let's go, Kelly, Mina.
Kelly: Yes. We're done.
They all left, while the boy continued looking after them.
As they left, Kelly and Mina caught up to Samantha and began walking beside her.
Kelly: Are you sure we're doing this?
Mina: I think it would be too much for Lily, no?
Samantha paused and stared at Mina.
Samantha: Too much? Did you forget what she did to us in front of the whole class two days ago?
---
2 Days Earlier...
Samantha's voice echoed through the hallway.
Lily rolled her eyes and entered the classroom.
Lily: Yeah... Too normal.
She placed her backpack on the desk as she turned to look at the door.
The three girls entered.
Samantha, smirking as always.
Samantha: There you are, the crybaby Lily.
Lily looked at them.
Samantha: What's wrong? Not gonna speak?
She started laughing, while Kelly and Mina smirked behind her.
Samantha: Go buy us stuff from the canteen, little Lily.
Samantha patted her shoulder.
But for some reason, Lily grabbed her wrist and pushed her away.
The whole class gasped in shock.
Kelly and Mina stopped smirking.
Samantha stared at her wrist before looking at Lily.
This was the first time Lily had pushed them away.
Lily: What are you doing, Samantha? Grow up. We're not kids anymore.
Lily said it and walked away.
The sudden confidence in her voice was unusual.
Everyone watched her leave.
---
Back to Present
Samantha continued walking with Kelly and Mina.
Samantha: For the first time, we were humiliated in front of the class. And by who? The person we bully?
Kelly nodded.
Kelly: Yes. I don't know how she got that confidence, but I'm sure she'll come back to her senses once we start bullying her again.
Mina: I know, but like...
Samantha grabbed her shoulder.
Samantha: If you don't want to, then you can leave us. But don't blame us if something bad happens to you too.
Mina shook her head.
Mina: No. We've always been together. I won't leave.
Samantha smirked.
Samantha: Good. That's what I wanted to hear.
Kelly laughed.
Kelly: Lily is not ready for what's coming now.
Samantha: Correct. This will reach the next level of bullying soon.
Just wait, Lily. You'll be in big trouble from now on.
You should not have messed with us like that.
---
In the Snow
The graveyard was quiet and cold.
In front of Gary's grave, three individuals stood.
One had brown hair, another had blonde hair, and the last had red hair.
All three stood in front of the grave, paying their respects.
They were all wearing Ironfall Academy uniforms.
The blonde-haired boy spoke.
Ryan: First him... and now you.
The Nameless truly is cursed, isn't it?
To be continued...