Pride-Niklaus's Point of View
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"Nora, you know that Freya is low-key obsessed with you, right?" I asked, flashing a grin that was equal parts mischievous and curious. The moment the words left my mouth, I could see Nora tense up slightly, her posture shifting as she processed the comment.
"Oh, I know," she said, her voice laced with a hint of indifference, but her cheeks still took on a subtle pinkish hue. "Obsessed with me and Dove," she added, making it clear that Freya's attention wasn't just one-sided. There was a shift in her gaze as she looked away from me, clearly not wanting to dwell on the subject too much, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her. "She's very obvious about it," Nora continued, a wry smile tugging at her lips as if she had already accepted that Freya's affection was both transparent and persistent.
I couldn't help but grin wider. "Well, that makes things interesting," I mused aloud, leaning in slightly to catch her eye. "But honestly, if you've been paired with her, I'm guessing it's not the worst thing in the world. At least she won't be a pain in the ass during assignments and group projects." The words left my mouth with a mock sincerity, but I knew there was more to this situation than just academic tasks. There was always more beneath the surface when it came to Freya.
My sister, who had been quietly watching the exchange unfold, raised an eyebrow and then elbowed Nora lightly with an amused smirk. "I give you a week," she said, her tone dripping with skepticism, but there was an almost affectionate amusement to it too. She obviously wasn't holding her breath for anything long-term. Her eyes sparkled with a teasing gleam as she leaned back, clearly enjoying the spectacle of Nora being the center of attention for once.
Kai, ever the instigator, added in his own two cents with an exaggerated purr, his voice dripping with playful mockery. "Three days," he said, the words practically a challenge as he made his way to Nora's left side. He hovered there for a second, adding to the dramatic build-up of the conversation.
"Three days?" Dom's laugh rang out, deep and knowing, as if he had already seen the future unfold. "Hah, I give her one day," he chimed in, not missing a beat. The way his lips curled into a mischievous grin made it clear he was fully invested in this little back-and-forth game, eager to see how things would play out between Nora and Freya.
I raised an eyebrow in response, my amusement evident in the way I leaned forward slightly. "That much?" I asked with mock disbelief, my grin widening. "I don't know, you're all underestimating this. They might even hook up today," I said with a wink, just to stir the pot even more.
Suddenly, every single person at the table turned to look at me, their eyes wide with surprise or perhaps disbelief, as if I had just made the boldest prediction of the day. The whole group froze for a moment, the chatter dying down, before I couldn't help but break the silence with an even bigger grin. "What? If you're thinking I'm too hot today, you can just take a picture," I teased, raising an eyebrow. "It'll last longer than if you keep gawking at me like that, you know."
The group's attention shifted, but my sister, not one to be easily deterred, reached for the crimson red earbud still dangling from my left ear, clearly curious about it. She tried to grab it, but I deftly swatted her hand away before she could get too close. "Where did you get that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "It's not yours."
"Nope. It's Scarlet's," I answered easily, my voice tinged with a sense of triumph as I settled deeper into my role as the one causing the mischief. "I stole it from her ear earlier. After giving me a long string of curses, and not being able to reach it to grab it back, she just ignored me and got lost in her own world. With her ADHD getting worse, I doubt she'll even remember it's with me," I said, shrugging nonchalantly. "And it's still connected to her phone," I added with a smirk, knowing that the connection to her device made it all the more interesting.
My sister stopped trying to grab the earbud at that point, her curiosity getting the better of her. "What if she hears it?" she asked, clearly intrigued by the idea that Scarlet might somehow overhear us. "She always has those things in her ears. What if she's hearing this right now?"
I leaned back, my smirk still in place as I replied coolly, "Naughty songs," before turning to leave the conversation and focus on the group again. The banter continued around me as we made our way to the cafeteria, where our usual table awaited us. It was a place we had claimed as our own, a sanctuary no one dared to sit at unless explicitly invited.
As we sat down, I couldn't help but steal glances at the earbud in my ear, still connected to Scarlet's phone. The song playing in my ear wasn't just background noise anymore; it had become a part of the moment, lingering between us all as we fell into our routine. It was strange, how the smallest details could sometimes shape the atmosphere of a conversation. The music continued to play softly, faint but ever-present, and despite the noise of my friends, I found myself half-listening to it, intrigued by Scarlet's taste in music and wondering what kind of world she was lost in when she chose songs like this.
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The day slowly drew to a close, and soon we were all back in my kitchen, preparing for dinner. The smell of freshly baked pepperoni pizzas filled the space, making my stomach rumble with anticipation. I had just slid the last pizza onto the oven and set the timer, knowing that the meal would be done in minutes. The kitchen was quiet for a moment, the usual hum of conversation in the background fading into the soft clatter of utensils as I moved around, gathering everything I needed for dinner.
I leaned against the island counter, my gaze drifting around the room for a moment, before I reached for the glass of Scarlet's blood-less cocktail I had made for myself earlier. It wasn't something I usually drank, but I figured I might as well try it. A small act of curiosity, one that could bring me closer to understanding what she liked—or perhaps, it was just the fact that it was hers that made it worth trying.
Clocks by Coldplay began playing through the red earbud I got from her earlier, and I found myself sinking into the soft melody, letting it wash over me. The song's melancholic tone seemed to mirror my thoughts, reflecting a strange sense of nostalgia and quiet introspection. As the music played on, I became more aware of the way the night was unfolding, the atmosphere thick with anticipation and subtle undercurrents of tension that we were all trying to ignore.
I knew my friends were in the living room, laughing and joking, but a part of me remained focused on the music, lost in the complexity of the moment.
As I stood by the kitchen island, glass in hand, I couldn't help but wonder about Scarlet. Her presence was always so enigmatic, so elusive. Even now, with her earbud still connected to her phone, I felt as if I were eavesdropping on something deeply personal. Something only she could understand. It was strange, how her taste in music could tell me more about her than any words ever could. It made me realize how little I truly knew about her, despite all the years we had spent together in this strange, chaotic world of ours.
With the timer buzzing in the background, I snapped out of my thoughts and took one last sip from my glass before moving to pull the pizzas from the oven. The smell of the freshly baked pies filled the air, and I carried the hot plates into the living room, where the group awaited the meal. Each of us had our own unique way of looking at the world, and as I set the pizzas down, I couldn't help but wonder what secrets and mysteries would reveal themselves tonight, hidden behind the jokes and laughter we shared.
Dinner would be served, but the night was far from over.