Chapter 69: Chapter 69:

"Open it!" He tells me and I do.

"Oh my God! A golden retriever?" I blurt picking up the adorable little puppy from the box.

"How did you know I love dogs? Specifically, golden retrievers?"

Jake chuckles.

"Trina told me you love them so much"Jake tells me

" she told me the day you went missing from Troy's party and I had to take her home"

The puppy brushes its fur against my hand and it tickles.

"Well I love golden retrievers!"

"So did you buy it?" I ask him brushing the fur of the adorable little puppy.

"Yeah. At a pet store" he says

"Does it have a name?"

"No! You can name it whatever you want" Jake tells me playing with the puppy which had just leapt onto his thighs.

"I'm guessing its a male" I tell him

"Yes it is"

I tap my chin searching for a name.

"I'll name it tomorrow!"

"Fine with me"

"Okay so I have a question" Jake begins and I listen as he tries to cuddle the puppy.

"Do you like my gift?"

"Are you kidding me? I love it! This is the best gift I've ever received."

"More than Alec's gift?"

"Well Alec's own too is second to none but this is the greatest! Thank you so much! I'd kill to have a golden retriever so cute like this"

Jake chuckles.

The puppy gets down from the bed.

"Where is it going?" I ask Jake.

"Shhh....just watch" he tells me and I watch it make it's way to the back of a small cupboard. It comes back with a  rose in its mouth and I'm dumbstruck.

It climbs the bed and hands it to me.

"It is beautiful! Thank you" I say taking the rose from its mouth.

"Oh Jake this is wonderful"

He smiles.

"When is your birthday?" I ask him and he sniggers.

"3rd March. Already celebrated it"

"Oops sorry! But we can celebrate it another time"

"Yeah"

I continue to play with the puppy.

I glance at the time on my phone and I realise I have spent more than thirty minutes with Jake in this room.

"I'm sorry but my time is up! I need to go" I tell Jake and get up.

"So soon? Are you taking the puppy down there?"

"Okay can you look after him? I promise I'll be back to take care of him" I say and Jake nods as I hand the puppy to him.

"I'll be back my cute little pup!" I say sweetly.

"I'll be back Jake" I reply and kiss him lightly on the lips before exiting the room stepping into the crowded corridor. I walk through and look around to find Aaron. I spot Melissa, Jenna and Claire wearing similar costumes. It was like Kimberly's costume. Melissa's own was red, Jenna's own was yellow and Claire was wearing a blue one.

I see Kimberly make her way towards them. I spot Danny at the DJ area still controlling the music. There is no way he will know where Aaron is. I finally spot Troy talking to a few girls and I walk to him.

"Troy! Have you seen Aaron?" I ask as soon as I reach him.

He furrows his eyebrows as he looks at me.

"Who are you?" He asks and I smile. He doesn't recognize me.

"You are a really hot chick huh? Can I have your number?"

I slap my face in annoyance.

"I bet Kimberly wouldn't tolerate that!" I tell him.

"Come on! She wouldn't know. Just give it to me"

"Troy its me! Nikki!" I spit and his jaw nearly hits the floor when he finds out it's me

"Do you want Kimberly to find out what you have been doing behind her back? I thought you loved her!" I scold

"I do. I was just flirting you know! I'm just a 'flirt' " Troy defends and I sigh.

"Sorry about my behavior earlier" he apologizes and I grin.

"You better stop flirting with girls"

"I promise and please don't tell her"

"I can't promise you that"

"Have you seen Aaron?"

"He was at the kitchen a few minutes ago"

"Thanks! I'll  check that place"

"No prob" Troy replies and goes back to dancing wildly.

I enter the kitchen and I spot Aaron in his Captain America outfit with someone else in a Superman outfit! Oh yeah! Alec!

"Nikki! You are here! I'm so sorry about keeping you waiting! Its just that this dude—" I cut him off saying its okay.

He hands me my glass of punch and I take it gratefully.

"Nikki! Is that you?" Alec asks gobsmacked.

"Who else Russell?"

"Oh my God! You are totally different. No lemme say the hotter gets hottest" Alec blurts and I chuckle with Aaron.

"Seriously! I couldn't recognize her! So what are you?"

"Vampire! And you are Superman right?"

"Yeah"

"Have you seen Jake around? He is in a batman outfit"

"Oh he dressed up like Batman?"Aaron asks.

"Yeah I talked to him a few minutes ago. He is in that room" I tell Alec pointing to the room.

"I'll be back" Alec says leaving Aaron and I.

I give Aaron a small smile. I suddenly regret coming here. I should have just stayed up there with the puppy and Jake.

"So what do we do?" I ask Aaron

"I have a plan" he replies with a smirk.

"Which is?"

"Follow me" he says grabbing my hand and dragging me upstairs.

🎃🐕🎃🎇

The stairs go on forever until we come across a hole. We climb out and we are on top of the building looking at the whole city.

"Wow! How did you find this place Aaron?"

"Troy , Danny and I used to come here most of the time to watch the city"

I follow him and sit close to him when he sits down.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Aaron asks me as he watches the city below us.

"Yes it is"

"Fireworks would be starting soon and then we will shout Happy Halloween as soon as it starts. Deal?" Aaron asks searching my eyes with his green ones.

"Deal!"

We have been doing this since we were little. We always shouted happy Halloween to the world when it struck twelve exactly.

"Okay we have 6 seconds to 1st November! The fireworks begin in five....four ....three ....two....one..." Aaron counts down and the fireworks shoot in the air and sparks.

I giggle.

"Happy Halloween!" Aaron and I yell at the exact same time and laugh. I watch as the fireworks lit the sky above us. Am sure those down there partying would be watching too. I wish I was watching it with Jake though. I sigh.

"What's wrong? You don't look happy! Its first November" Aaron tells me. I don't know what to say.

"Nothing Aaron! I am happy"

I gaze at the fireworks lighting up the skies with sparks. I bring my phone out and take a picture of the fireworks. I finally took two more silly pictures with Aaron and then we turned around holding hands as we walked back to the party downstairs.

Someone was on stage performing in  a Wonder woman outfit. The crowd was roaring Tigress and we knew she was in.

"Miss you know who is in" I tell Aaron and he chuckles.

"I can see that! Come on! We need to go to the meeting area"

Aaron and I walk together to the meeting area. Everyone was there.

"I guess you guys realised Tigress is in" Danny says with a chuckle

Aaron and I nod and we all wait for her to make her appearance. We began playing games and asking ourselves questions until the door opens.

°~•~•~°

"Hello family! How are you doing?" Tigress says at the doorway looking at us

We do not answer and she sighs walking into the room.

"I know I was mean the last time and I'm sorry!"

The room is silent.

"Its just that you guys aren't working hard enough" Tigress continues looking at our dead serious expressions.

"We were working hard Tigress but you didn't acknowledge our efforts" Danny spits first.

"And....you want us to be like you but its not that simple" Aaron adds

"We are sick and tired of it" Kimberly follows

"We want our normal lives back!" Troy adds up.

"Don't you like the popularity? The stunts? The gang?" Tigress drawls out.

"We like everything but we want it to be more positive. We don't want any more trouble with our school authorities" Danny speaks up.

"And that cannot be because you are about to be overthrown" Tigress practically yells at us.

"Who cares if we are overthrown? Its better to have a good name than to have a bad name! I'm tired and I quit Tigress" Aaron states firmly and walks out of the room. Tigress calls him but he doesn't return.

"I quit too" Danny says and gets up

"Me three" Kimberly says

"Four" Troy says getting up.

Tigress is dumbstruck as they all leave. She looks at me and I have a smirk on

"You see? They are fed up! They left!" I spit in her face.

"I quit Tigress! Don't come near me again" I threaten her and walk away.

"You will all regret this!" She hollers after me and I hear her crash a vase inside.

"Did you quit?" Aaron asks as soon as I get  into the party hall.

I nod.

"But she said we are all gonna regret this" I tell him. The others sigh

"Its for the best Nikki! Tigress cannot do anything" Danny convinces me.

"Yeah" Troy adds up.

"We are still a gang right?" Kimberly questions

"Yes we are! But we are a good gang now" Danny says with a smile.

"I like this new gang" Troy says with a beam.

"Let's go party!" Kimberly roars and they all cheer and I laugh. We looked like a bunch of hyper kids.

I excused myself and claimed I had to go to the restroom but it was all a lie. I was missing my adorable puppy and Jake too. So I was pleased when Aaron told me to go but disappointed when he told me to be back in ten minutes. I am done with Tigress now! Its over!

I sneaked into the crowd and finally came upon the room. I open it and enter. Alec and Jake were busy playing with my puppy.

"Nikki! Jake told me this is your puppy"

"Yes it is" I reply

"Its so cute!" Alec says tickling it a bit until it barks.

"How is she?" I ask knowing he was late because of Madison.

"Who?"

"Madison" I ask and he instantly stops playing with the puppy. I couldn't ask him in front of Aaron because he doesn't know about it but Jake is abreast with it.

"Oh...she is better now. It was just a minor problem"

"So nothing happened to my niece?"

Jake asks and I smile. He wants to be an uncle already. I can't believe Thomas and Lucas are also going to be uncles!  Jessica will be the his daughter's aunt.

"No! She is fine! And she is growing really fast" Alec says with a chuckle.

"Awwwm" I coo

"Madison is a strong girl! She can go through this!" Jake convinces.

"Yes I know" Alec replies.

I just stare at both of them.

"I will be leaving! I need to go home and take care of Madison! See you later brother! Bye Nikki" Alec says and walks out of the room with a wink.

I turn to look at Jake.

"Did you see the fireworks?" He asks me.

"Yes I did"

"With Aaron right?"

I nod miserably and he sighs.

"I really wanted to watch it with you" he admits

"Me too"

"Come here" he says and I scoot closer. He puts his hand around my neck.

"Its not over" he says.

"What do you mean?"

"I took a video of it! We can watch it together!"

I chuckle as he plays the video and we watch the fireworks together with my little puppy. I still don't have a name for it! Maybe Trina will help me come up with a name. Jake kisses my temple and I hug him. It felt so good being with him. If only I could tell Aaron.

Sunday,1st November🌹💙💎

I feel a cold substance on my lips and I open my eyes to see my little puppy. It's nose was on my lip.

I sit up and carry it.

"Hello my little pup! Are you hungry?"

It barks in response.

"Okay! I'll just get you some dog food yeah?"

I lay it back on the bed and run to the kitchen. Jake gave me some dog food yesterday to feed my little baby. I remember everything that happened after Jake and I watched the video of the fireworks on his phone. I feel my heart pump faster. Its all like a dream. It was my best Halloween ever. I grab the dog food and make my way back to my room. My parents are not awake yet and so as Trina who went crazy when she saw the dog for the first time.

I pour the food in a bowl for my little pup.

"Eat up " I tell my little puppy and it digs into the bowl whiles I touched it. Yesternight was a bittersweet night. The memories flood in.

"Are you sure you want this?" Jake asks me. We are both breathless.

"Yeah" I reply softly and he kisses me again. It felt so good

He plants kisses down my neck and my jawline and I feel like I'm about to collapse. I feel so weak.

He takes off his batman mask so that I can see his face.

"You are so beautiful" he whispers in the crook of my neck and kisses the area. His cologne fills my nostrils and soothes my senses.

He continues to kiss my neck until the unexpected happened

I still feel bad and it hurts me so much when I remember how it happened.

"Nikki? What the fuck?" A voice yells and Jake and I stop our small make out session.

We look up to see Aaron in his Captain America outfit. Disappointment , Hatred, Betrayal, Sadness and Jealousy filled in his green irises.

I gulp as tears threaten to fall as I remember the bittersweet memory.

Jake is stiff and so as me who was on the bed.

"You Jerk!" Aaron yells at Jake and picks him up from the bed and slams his body onto the wall punching his stomach.

"Aaron stop!" I yell and go to them.

Jake punches Aaron in the face and he lands on the floor.

Tears roll down my cheeks as I continue to think about it.

Aaron gets up and punches Jake back. I stop Aaron before he could do anything else. He was breathing heavily and so as Jake.

"Let go of me Nikki" Aaron yells at me.

"Aaron I'm sorry! I can explain"

Aaron looks into my eyes.

"Just tell him the truth Nikki!" Jake spits behind me.