CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Later night. Decker's house. 8.30pm. Belle mother, Molly. crossing her arm on chest while her eyes on Emma. this girl totally ruined her plans. she doesn't want Belle going out while she invited someone important like Gibson at the house. half an hours he will come with his wife and now this.

"I'd said no. no Emma. tonight is special and Belle must stayed."

Emma rolled her eyes. "But Mrs. Decker. tonight we having study group the others are waiting. your daughter need to go. she ours stars., ours heroes. you know our teacher always compliment her because of her bloody einstein, genius compared than others student that include me. I'm dumb. "

"I'd said no."

"Please. if she's not come we doom. our exams is coming up, we need to prepare and study. and she had stayed at our friends house, we study there and we gonna stayed up all night. tomorrow her parents sending us to school. please- this is my future. I want to become a doctor, Mrs. Decker. please. Belle is our only hope to survive. please."

More and more lies Emma created. she both need to go right now before Gibson came. all she need is her trusts. she glance over her watch, the time show 8.45pm. so she only had few minute before Gibson show up.

"Please- " now. Emma use her weapon to get her trust. an sudden her eyes pooled in tears. one drops, two drops, three drops- "Please .."

Belle mother sighed out loud with grunted. she stares at the staircase then turn back to Emma.

"Alright. GO. before I change my mind but if, I find out you two done something wrong I kill you."

Emma smile widen. she wiped her tears with her sleeves. her voice floats up from downstairs.

"Belle, quit tampooning yourself and get down here!" Emma is waiting in the front hallway.

Belle's heavily made-up and dressed like usual. she grab her bags. switch the lamp off, close the door behind then she running downstairs. she saw her mother still standing watching her from head to shoes. Belle stood beside her mother closely.

"Lets go. I'll be fine. just study group."

She hear forcing humming from her mother. Emma suddenly hugs her, whispers at her ears.

"You don't need to worry about it, Mrs. Decker. she's under my wings. she safe with me."

"Bet ya. I warning you, kid." she said as her eyes on her daughter.

"Yeah. thank you, Mrs. Decker." quickly she grab Belle arm with goodbye. by time show exactly at 9. the girl running inside the wood. not wanted Gibson will found them on the street. the girl burst to laugh.

The girl stop laughing and now they walk. step the bushes, the grass, lots of tree around them. of course lots of tree, there's in the wood. Belle chuckle she asked Emma.

"She bought that?"

"I almost failed. but no I convince her. beside- who want to see a teacher in our house. dinner? that crazy. your mother is crazy."

"She want to apologies that's all."

Snort. Emma said. "He doesn't no about it. did Gibson mentioned anything about being arrested or being questioning by the cops? no he didn't say right. so everything is under control."

"What if wasn't him sending those gift to me and what if someone- you know." the girl stop their tracks.

Emma hugging herself because of cold night. the weather tonight are very cooler than yesterday, lucky she wear layered clothes under her jacket or else she died freezing. she bitting her lips.

"You still can't figure it out. who's the one. for me, that strangers is psycho. just forget about it okay. maybe they playing around like a jokes. and you take it seriously."

"You don't believe me aren't you?"

Emma rolled her eyes. she resume her walk. slowly. she left Belle behind her. but she stop, noticed Belle wasn't followed her. she turns facing Belle.

"I believe you everything, Belle. just you don't know who. come. someone are waiting for us."

Decker's front door. Gibson and his wife arrived. he push the button, wait for a second. Belle's mother open the door, she greet them with smile.

"Welcome neighbour." Molly eyes on his wife. "My my my. what an beautiful wife you have, Mr. Gibson you naughty."

He chuckling. "Am I good?"

"Good? you playboy. come in, come in. urgh. I can't believes you are married."

Molly shut the door behind. now. they walk together towards the dining room where her husband, Richards are waiting.

He'd too greetings the couple with open arm. Gibson eyes searched for someone he want to see tonight. "Good to see you again, Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Gibson."

"Please, call me Anna. Gibson told me about your family so much, how he adore your family, he feel touched like he's been part of this families for so long."

Molly chuckle. they now take their sit arrange by Molly herself. Gibson eyes still searching around the house. "I miss this house."

"Really?" said Molly. she leaned closer to the couple. "The next neighbour are not friendly person. I rather you stick with us forever." she whisper.

Gibson smile. "This house looks different and quiet."

"Ah, sorry to said that. Belle wasn't at home tonight. she have study group at her friends house. their exams are coming so they need to study hard."

After her word. Gibson face suddenly changed, not in the mood. under the table. both his hand clamped together, holding his breath as his mind on Belle. how dare she did this to him. he thought. today she invite him and now- she wasn't here with them tonight. what she trying to played for.

"Gibson?"

He snapped his thought. he look up with fake smile. "No wonder this house too quiet. yes. the exams. I forgot. of course my student study hard for the exams."

"Yes. the school said Belle the most bloody brilliant than others."

"Yes. she got many compliment from the teacher. she smarts. like her parents."

Molly smile blushes. "Help yourself."

Meanwhile. the carousel is a run-down tavern at the edge of town, the kind with nascar posters, wobbly chairs and strands of plastic pennants crisscrossing the ceiling. it's a busy night and the bar is teeming with locals. a bartender sells a case of beer to a customer and passes it over the bar.

The Carousel is definitely not a club. clubs are for attractive people in populous urban areas. clubs have DJs and champagne and separate bathrooms for guys and girls. all they have is a broken jukebox, a few domestic taps and the sticker toilet.

Belle and Emma enter the bar. every guy in the joint stares at the girl, who snaps her "MINOR" wristband distastefully.

"God, I can't wait until I'm old enough to get wasted. have you ever had peach schnapps?"

"I don't think so."

"Peach schnapps are excellent. they even taste good when they come out of your nose mid-puke." she turn to Belle. "Welcome, Belle. your worst nightmare begin in here."

Belle snorts. "My worst nightmare already begun at home. how I wonder what happen when he not seeing me around the house."

"So you care about Gibson?"

"Wasn't. I'm the one who invite him and the next thing he knew I wasn't there. gosh. I'm feel so relax." silent. "If I were there right now I don't think I could survive, this is all her fault. she shouldn't invite him."

Emma snorts. her eyes searching. "We doom if she found out what we doing here."

"We both. you and me. she got black belt when she young."

The girl laugh.

Emma pulls out a pack of camel wides and lights one awkwardly. Belle notices Abdul from India, a foreign exchange student, standing by himself away from the crowd.

"Hey, it's Abdul from India. the foreign exchange guy. he's all by himself."

"I can't believe we traded a cute hockey player for that."

"He seems okay. he's got that cool elephant statue in his locker."

"Duh. culture. religion."

A moment. Belle pointing at the stage. "Look, there's the band!"

A group of skinny indie rock boys are setting up their equipment on a pathetically tiny stage- it's more like a dais. the lead singer has intense, spooky eyes, nearly obscured by a shock of hair. the locals, mostly good ol' boys, eye the band suspiciously.

"They weird. I wish we had more guys like that all stylish and shit."

Belle nods dumbly. she stares at the band, awestruck. "They look so- so cool." she gazes at the stage, hearing only the whistling rush of artic air. in slow motion, the guitarist unsheathes his fender jaguar from its gig bag. he notices her staring and runs the tip of his tongue over his lips. Belle swallows hard.

"Hey, I think they need two groupies. come on! it'll be like almost famous! I'll be Penny Lane and you can be the other girl." she grabs Belle's hand and enthusiastically tries to drag her toward the stage.

Belle stop her. "Emma?"

"Don't be J.V., Belle. they're just boys. morsels. we have all the power, don't you know that? don't worry Jake will know. you think I don't know what you two doing." she plants her hands on Belle's chest. awkwardly. she push Emma hand away from her chest.

Emma wink at her. "These things are like smart bombs. point 'em in the right direction and shit gets real." Belle shrugs free of Emma's grasp and follows her reluctantly across the room. the lead singer of the band is already striding forward to meet them at the lip of the stage. his gait is as smooth as his shock of dyed-black hair.

"Hi. um, we just really wanted to meet you or something? I'm Emma and this is my friend, Belle."

The lead singer eyeing Belle with smile. "I'm Chris. and this is my band." he reaches down and pumps Emma's outstretched hand. "I don't see you two in here not tonight. new here?"

"Yes."

"You two teenager am I right?" he guess right.

Emma nods. "Yeah! Trouble Machine, right? I've heard you guys are super, super good at playing your instruments."

"Thank you. I hope we can live up to such.. high praise. thanks for coming." he scanned the girl. "Aren't your parents know you two in here middle of the night."

The girl blushes. he caught them. "Don't worry. when I was you age I did the same thing."

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, why did you want to play all the way out here in. you live in the city, right?" Belle said.

"Yeah. but I think it's so important to connect with our fans in rural areas. plus, the audiences in small towns really appreciate us."

Belle sudden got an ideas. "Hey, you and your band could come to our school for our next party. they will love you guys."

"School. where is that."

"Jackson st High school. not our prom school it's like a carnival or something our school attend, for fun."

Chris nods. "That's an great ideas. Belle right?" she nod. that's her name. "Tell you what. we exchange our number. I can call you and you can call me for the next things. and I prefer your principal approval. or else we don't have to come."

"Sure."

After they exchange the number. Chris notice something about the girl. the thing is- how they two get in here without adults watch. he glance over his watch. almost in midnight. these girl could be in danger out there if he let them be.

"After this where you two heading?" he asked.

"Home."

"Okay. I bet you two need a ride." he smile. "You two waited at the corner, after the perform we sending you back home. there's no way I could let the teenager like you two alone at the night."

The girl nod agree. Chris walk up the stage and start to sing their song. minute pass. as the girl watch the band performing, Emma elbowed Belle. without looking at her face.

"His kind a cute."

"Shut up. and he nice person too." the girl smirked.

Belle sigh out loud. tomorrow she will facing anger Gibson in english class. urgh.