Chapter Four: Laurel's birthday party

The following week

Monday

At Greenwood academy on the fourth floor

Nikki and Amber are standing beside a classroom window talking about Laurel's birthday party.

"Do I have to go to her birthday party?" Nikki asked.

"Yes your mother said it's important. You know the position she holds, we don't want to get on her side. And besides she invited you. You can't say no to her invitation".

"I'm not worried about Laurel at all. What I'm worried about is how I'm going to get a date when my fiancé is going with my younger sister. If my mother finds out Alison is dead meat", Nikki said with a worried look on her face.

"Awnn you care about your baby sister", Amber smiled.

"No I care about what my mother is going to do to me when she finds out I knew about it".

"Oh yeah I totally forgot about your mom".

"I need a date to the party. Someone neither Laurel nor my mother knows about", Nikki said as Alan walks towards them.

"That means you have to go with a human".

"What do you think my mother would do to me if she finds out I went with a human?"

"Aren't you a human too?" Alan asked

"Hey how dare you eavesdrop and then interrupt our conversation?" Amber asked furiously.

"I didn't need to eavesdrop. You two are talking so loud and besides the halls are empty so your voices are echoing. I could hear you all the way from the second floor".

"What are you doing here?" Nikki asked.

"This is my classroom. What ae you doing here?" Alan asked.

"That's none of your business", Nikki replied.

"I heard you're going to Laurel's birthday party", he said as both girls stare at him.

"You know Laurel?" Nikki asked.

"Yes", he replied.

"How do you know laurel?" Amber asked.

"We have history".

"What history does Laurel have with someone like you?" Amber asked with a hint of insult.

"I didn't come here to get interrogated by you two".

"Then why are you here?" Nikki asked already knowing he wanted something from her.

"I overheard your conversation and it seems you have a problem so I want to help".

"We don't need your help", Amber snapped.

"Let's hear him out first".

"Nikki", Amber called wondering what Nikki was thinking considering taking help from a human.

"How can you be of help?" Nikki asked.

"I'll be your date to Laurel's party and I'll help you deal with Laurel".

"What's in it for you?" she asked knowing he wouldn't do something like this only for her benefit only.

"Let's just say it's my birthday present for her", he replied with a smile.

"Fine you'll go with me but if you embarrass me or screw things up, I'll kill you", Nikki threatened.

"Sure", he smiled.

"You'll pick me up..."

"No we're both going with our different rides. I'm not going to stress my driver just for your convenience", he said as he walks pass them.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll see you on Saturday. My name is Alan Mendes by the way", he waved as he walks away.

"That boy is different from the others", Amber smiled.

"I hope this doesn't blow in my face", Nikki said with a heavy sigh.

Saturday morning

At the Sawyer mansion,

In Amber's room

Alison is seated on a stool in front of a circular mirror. Amber stands behind her brushing and styling her hair. The door opens and Nikki walks in wearing a bath robe.

"Hey Amber come pick something for me to wear", she said as she sits on the bed.

"Stop acting like a baby and go pick your own cloth Nikki. If you keep wasting time you'll be late", Amber said as Nikki folds her hands and turns her head away.

"Ummm if you don't mind Nikki I'll like to know who's going to be your date to Laurel's party", Alison said looking down and playing with her fingers.

"I'll also like if you mind your business. Remember that we are only related by demon blood and our responsibilities. I want nothing to do with you so cut it out with the caring younger sister act okay, Nikki smiled and gets up from the bed. I'll be expecting you in my room Amber and don't be late", she added as she reaches for the door knob, opens the door and walks out.

"Why does she hate me?" Alison asked as tears drop from her eyes.

"She doesn't hate you Alison. She just doesn't want you to end up like her, Amber smiled as she wipes away the tears flowing down her cheeks. Charles won't be happy if he finds out you were crying".

"Thanks Amber for always being there for me", she sniffed with a warm smile.

"You're welcome".

At V&J event centre

This is the venue where Laurel's birthday party was taking place.

At the parking lot

A black SUV jeep is seen beside a red Nissan car. The black SUV belongs to Alan. Inside the SUV, Alan is sitting at the back sea with his phone in his hand. He had been in there for an hour now waiting for Nikki to show up. He had sent his driver several times to go check if she was around but he always came back with a negative report. He was getting tired of waiting for her. He decided to go look for her himself. He reaches for the door handle and opens the door.

"Wait for me here. I'll call you if I need anything", he said as he comes down from the car and closes the car door. He then heads inside.

Inside the hall

Nikki, Amber and Alison walk into the hall and they are amazed by the decorations.

"I'll have to leave now. Charles is waiting for me", Alison smiled as she walks away.

"What about you Nikki? Has your date shown up?" amber asked Nikki whose eyes were looking all around for Alan.

"I haven't seen him yet. I can't believe he isn't here yet".

"I'd love to help you look for him but Dave is waiting for me", Amber said indirectly asking Nikki for permission to leave.

"I'll be fine on my own", Nikki smiled.

"You're the best Nikki", Amber said as she walks away.

"How am I supposed to find him in this crowd without anyone noticing me?" she thought as a girl walk towards her.

"Hi Nikki", the girl waved. She had long blond hair and blue bell eyes. She was also tall and was the same age as Nikki.

"Laurel?"

"Why are you so surprised to see me?"

"What are you doing here?" Nikki asked only to realise seconds later how stupid the question she asked was. It was her birthday party so of course she'll be here.

"I'm a little bit curious Nikki. Does your mother knows that your fiancé is your sister's date to my party?"

"I'm honoured that you care about a nobody like me", Nikki smiled.

Alan walks into the hall and immediately sights Nikki talking to Laurel. He immediately rushes towards them knowing that Laurel was obviously planning on doing something stupid.

"So Nikki where's your date? The other heirs would be disappointed if you didn't bring one".

Nikki stares at Laurel who was putting on a smug look. Laurel wasn't going to back down until she had achieved what she wanted. If news got out that her fiancé came with her younger sister and that she attended the party without a date, she would be in huge trouble. It was a taboo to attend a prince or princess birthday without a date. That taboo was created because of the crowned prince. On his last birthday all the demon princesses were all over him so he made that rule. Anyone who breaks it would be stripped off their title and sent to Kergulblitz. That was exactly what Laurel wanted. That was the real reason she was invited to this party.

Nikki looks heavenward as she hopes for a miracle. She needed a way to escape this trap Laurel had set for her. She needed something to shut Laurel up and she needed it fast.

Suddenly she feels someone's arms around her and a presence behind her back.

"I know you're excited to see your friends but I don't want you neglecting me because of that. I'd feel jealous if you do", a vice whispered into her ear.

The voice causes Nikki's body to tingle. The voice sounded so familiar- yes she has heard this voice before but where. She turns back only to see the one person she never expected- Alan Mendes.

"Try not to look too shocked or you'll ruin my plan", he whispered with a smile on his face.

"Alan?" Laurel called.

"Oh hi Laurel. I see you've met Nikki already".

"Alan you really came", she said with her eyes lit up.

"Nikki wanted to come so I decided to accompany her", he smiled.

"Nikki? She asked as her eyes turn gloom. She was so excited that she didn't realise that he was hugging Nikki from behind. She began to wonder what relationship he had with Nikki. Say Alan what relationship do you have with Nikki?" she asked

"Well what would be the best answer to that question? Saying she's my girlfriend doesn't really define what we have so I guess the next best thing would be, he paused for a moment and smiles at Laurel. We're lovers right Nikki".

Laurel loses her balance and staggers backward but then she regains her composure.

Nikki who had been lost in thoughts ever since Alan showed up snapped out from her thoughts as her face turns red. She knew he was acting and this was just all a lie but a part of her couldn't help but get carried away in all this. It was like she wanted this lie to become a reality. Some part of her wanted this lie to last forever but…..

"Yes that's right", she smiled. She finally came back to reality. She was really hoping for too much. There's no way she could have ended up with a human.

"Is this your way of saying you've moved on?" Laurel asked with her whole body trembling. The realisation that he had moved on scared her to death. He had moved on and not with someone better but with someone she was better than.

"I'm really sorry Laurel but I couldn't stop myself from falling in love", he smiled.

"Don't give me that bullshit, she snapped. What's so good about her anyway? She's just low level princess whose mother is ashamed of her. She's a disgrace to her family!"

"I will not….."

Before she could complete her sentence Alan interrupts her.

"I had no idea about that. She always puts on a smile so sometimes it's really hard to know what she's going through. That's what got me attracted to her. She's always putting on a smile and being her real self no matter what", he said as Nikki's cheeks turn red.

"Alan?"

"You're also an amazing person Laurel but the heart wants what it wants".

"I'm not giving up on you", Laurel said.

"Well it would be too easy if you didn't".

"This isn't over Nikki. I'm going to take him away from you. He's mine don't ever forget that", Laurel said declaring war on Nikki and then she walks away after getting all flustered.

"Well isn't she something", he asked smiling at Nikki.

Nikki stares at him as she wonders just who this boy standing beside her was. One would mistake him for just an ordinary boring human but when you look deeper he was more than that. She had been taught that humans were good at lying but with what she had seen today this boy was supposed to be the god of lies. She had never seen anyone who could make people feel emotions with his lies. She knew his whole act was a lie and yet she couldn't help but believe every single word he said.

"You're staring", Alan snaps his fingers in front of her face.

"What was that for?" she asked

"You were spacing out".

"Your acting skill is impressive".

"I didn't think you'd be impressed".

"How did you get so good?"

"Have you ever seen a magician reveal his secret?"

"Seriously?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You sure took your time getting here princess".

"Princess?" she asked as her cheeks turn red.

"Yes I think you act and look like one".

"Really?"

"Yeah you act like an over pampered spoilt brat", he smiled.

"You're so annoying"'.

"Anyways where's your twin?"

"My twin?" she asked looking all confused. She didn't remember having a twin.

"I mean the girl that always follows you around in school".

"She's my best friend".

"Wow that's rare".

"What's so rare about that?"

"It's rare to find out that someone like you has a best friend".

"Excuse me?"

"Anyways I think Laurel did an amazing job with the party".

"Don't just change the conversation as you please".

"Would you like something to drink?"

"You're doing it again".

"I'll go get us something to drink", he walks away towards the drink table.

"He's so annoying but he's also useful. Gosh I can't wait for this day to end", she sighed heavily as she rubs her temple.