"HOT CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!" I shouted, in attempt to lighten the mood.

"Whatever you say captain!" said Jo with a salute.

I handed her a mug filled with warm milk, and a chunk of our Hershey's bar. I opened the drawer and handed her the mechanical stirrer (thank you Niall for buying it, for making your ice cream into pudding).

"C'mon!" I tell her, as I head to the dinning room with a mug filled with warm milk, the Hershey's bar and a spoon, in case there's an emergency.

After she sits down and starts stirring, I head into the kitchen pantry to get some bread slices, Nutella spread and a knife. I brought a plate with three pieces of bread (2 for her and 1 for me).

I start spreading the chocolate spread while attempting to make conversation. She sat silently, stirring. The only sounds were the whir of the stirrer and the clank of my knife on the inside of the jar.

"So...Were you having nightmares? When I was a small lad, I used to try to remember everything, to relive the nightmare. That way you know how it feels, and it doesn't get accumulated in your brain, and it makes you feel a weight lifted off your shoulders." I tell her.

She looks at me, one eyebrow raised (how does she do that?!?!).

"Really?" she said sarcastically.

I just nod my head up and down while I finished spreading the chocolate spread on her two slices.

I need to make her laugh..... I thought to myself. But how?!

And I got the idea. It was a small idea, but an idea none the less.

I picked up one bread in each hand on my palms, dramatically, as if they were explosives.

She looked at me curiously. And I slapped my hands together with so much force, that some Nutella fell on my cheek. I looked over to see Jo smiling shaking her head, like I was a five year old who just played in the mud, after taking a bath.

That's when she started to laugh. Not giggle, like most girls. Not snort, like some girls. Not snicker, like gossip girls (not the show, real girls who live on gossip). Just laugh. And that's what I loved about her. How she didn't hold back with me. And I felt so privileged at that moment. Because I'm the only one who earned the honor of being her best friend.

I realized that I was staring. And smiling. Boy, I must've looked like a stalker! I thought looking away. After we stopped laughing (not that easy with her making faces at me), I wiped the splatter of Nutella off her nose. I looked at it like it was a new chemical. I licked it like I was a chef, and said,"C'est super! Tu manges! (it's super. Eat it!)"

She looked at me, shaking her head with a crooked smile.

"Weirdo!"she muttered, before taking a bite. Her eyes popped out of their sockets.

"Dis id amading!! I wuv id!!!" she said with her mouth full.

She devoured it like it was her job. I just sat chuckling at how fast she could eat. When she was done, she leaned back and slouched in her chair, rubbing her tummy like an old man.

"I loved it. Muis Bien!! Chef louis!" she said with Cheshire-cat smile.

She had some Nutella on the edge of her mouth. I wiped it with my thumb, like a mum. I licked my thumb. "Sweet. Chocolaty. A new recipe for homemade Nutella!" I shouted. She rolled her eyes and punched my arm lightly.

I was dreading to ask this question, but I had too. It would lift a weight off her shoulders. I think. Either that, or she would push me away.

"What was your nightmare?" I asked softly, encouraging her to continue. Her face drained, all the color gone.

And around us, the temperature seemed to have physically decreased by ten or twenty degrees, Celsius.

---------------------------------------------

Arabelle's POV

I could feel the tears starting to prick at my eyes. I sighed, unstably.

I can't really hide anything from him anyway.... I thought to myself

"Yes. You can't hide anything from me, your BFFAEAEAE!!!" he said.

"Okay... Did you read my mind or did I say that out loud?" I asked.

"The latter. Meaning the second choice." he said

"Thanks, professor obvious. And what does BFFAEAEAE mean?" I ask.

"Huh! It means Best friends forever and ever and ever and ever! Now, stop avoiding the question" he says.

Dang it! Thought he would forget...

I look at the cute little smirk he's giving me, and sigh

"Fine. It's more of a flash back, since it already happened but it kinda changed..."

Louis's POV

She starts. "It was the week Rachel died. I was so sad. I stayed in my room almost 24/7. I was in ball form for 23 hours a day, even in my sleep. My mother didn't even care about me. She was forced into drugs, and the guy forced her to take an overdose. It much had killed her" she says with a lone tear drop. I wipe it as she continues, looking at her feet, which are curled under her in the chair. "About 3 days before I left for New York, Leo came over. He told me that he wanted to make me fell better, that he was sorry for hurting, physically and emotionally. He said that mom gave me permission to go with him to his lake house. See, Leo is rich. His dad was a retired lawyer, who worked with the biggest names in Hollywood. His mom is a doctor and scientist famous for both. His parents allowed us to go up there for the weekend. When we got there, I actually thought he really meant what he said. That he was sorry.

"But I was stupid. He only said that to get me to come with him, alone. He pushed me into the deep end of the lake, where the leeches lived. I tried to swim away, but one caught on my leg. It bit hard, really hard. It sucked on my blood for a while, and let go as I got out of the water. After being severely wounded, I didn't want to go swimming again. I asked Leo why he did it. He said that it was because I ignored him for the past week and stuff. He kicked me in the stomach and went to unpack. It hurt so bad." She paused.

Wow. I can't believe that someone would do that to her. To anyone, to be honest. She brought her knees up, hugging them to her chest. She put her forehead on her left knee and sniffled. I gently wrapped my arms around her. It's amazing how much pain she could endure and how she could hide it. And she never even thought about suicide. That's real strength. Restraint.

She leaned into my chest. She let her right cheek, which was soaking with saltwater tears. She took a breath so she could continue.

"After that, he said he had to go get something from some shop. He wouldn't tell me anything. He left. I limped to the house to find a first aid kit. I searched up on how to fix leech bites. After I found all the stuff, I went to take a bath. After that I dressed my wound. He came back about 3 hours later. I was making dinner, I think. I think I was frying something. He came in and just got mad. For no reason. He came and pushed me. I fell on my bad leg. He got me cornered. He started biting my neck. It hurt a lot. I started bleeding in some places.

"Soon, the oil which I was using to fry stuff, popped. The food got over cooked. He got mad and threw oil. I wasn't standing there. But my hand got burned. That's not even the worst part! After that he locked me in the basement. That was fine with me. I was glad that he was gone. I found a sink down there. It was ancient. But the water was burning cold. I held my hand under it. That really hurt. For 2 minutes. Then it felt soothing. Then the basement door opened. He walked in shaking some kind of cage.

"He dropped the cage and ran upstairs. It was the biggest tarantula ever.." she said. I didn't want her to say anymore. I was scared that she might break. I decided to make her laugh. They say its the best medicine.

"Bigger than Amber's bum?!" I say in mock surprise. I could feel her smile slightly. I held her close, afraid that she will drift back to the past, and she won't be able to come.

"Yeah. She has nothing on it...." she said.

"Jo? You don't have to say anything. You don't have to tell me if it brings pain. I can guess good enough to know what that creature did to you. You don't have to act like it doesn't hurt you. You can let your walls down with me." I said.

I felt her arms loosen around her knees. Instead they went around my middle. I hugged her a little tighter. She was shaking with fear. "I know Lou. But sometimes, I'm scared. I'm scared because I never had anyone to love. I mean, like a sibling. Not like that!" she started to get nervous. I had to chuckle. It was cute, hearing her blabber meaningless words.

"It's okay. But it was kinda funny, hearing you blabber like an idiot!" I said jokingly.

I felt her punch me very lightly in the stomach.

"But I really never had anyone who I cared about since dad or Rachel. So I'm kinda scared that if I open up, then I might push you away. And I couldn't bear that." she said sniffling.

"I'm here to stay. I need someone who can actually come up with sarcastic comebacks. And to help me cheer people up with corny jokes! I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon. And I won't let you escape. I will defeat you with my sass first!" I say softly in her ear.

"Okay. But you will not defeat my sass. Never, not even in your dreams. Try, if you want. But it'll take you forever. Maybe even then you will not win!" she says, looking up at me, with her cheek still pressed against my shirt.

"That's my point...." I said softly. She blushed faintly. I won't let anything hurt her. Our, now cold, chocolate milk and Hershey's bar lay untouched. It was 3 am.

"We should really go back to sleep. It's late. And we have to go to school in a few hours. C'mon!"I said. I grabbed the two mugs. I put it in the fridge. We can drink it tomorrow. I take the chocolate bar and put it in too. She offed the light in the dining room and came up to me with wide eyes. "What?" I asked. I was about to look behind me when I felt a pair of cold hands covered my eyes. "Guess who?" said the curly one.

"Holy smacking shit!" I say. "Wrong" he said and removed his hands. He had a Cheshire Cat grin, like he found me and Jo kissing. He was only in his shorts.

"Whatcha doin?" he said with a huge smirk. I gave him an evil eye and he started laughing.

"What do you think?" Jo said.

"Ok, fine! No need to be so angry. I saw you guys hugging and then you guys went to put stuff up. That's all!" he said trying not to smirk.

"Hazz, if you say anything to anyone, I will make sure you get pantsed in front of thousands of teenage girls." I say threateningly.

"You could do that?!" Jo said shocked. I forgot. She doesn't know the secret. I looked at Harry. We had a silent conversation like this

Should we tell her?

Yeah, she deserves to know. And I don't think she'd tell anyone, she's too sweet.

Okay. You get the lads and girls. I'll get her ready. For confrontation. 1, 2, 3, GO!

Harry ran off. He ran at top speed. That boy has fit legs. Omg! Larry Stylinson moment!! I thought to myself.

"Where did Harry run off too?" Jo asked.

"Uh, there's something we all need to tell you...."

Arabelle's POV
He doesn't know the full nightmare. Instead of a spider face, I saw Taylor swift, blood-red eyes. That scared me more.

"Here, sit down." Louis said, breaking my thoughts. Harry brought 3 sleepy guys and 3 angry girls.

"Okay.... Guys you are seriously freaking me out!" I said.

They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Okay. But just don't scream!" Louis said. He was the only one talking.

"Well, I'll go first I guess." He said.

Then, slowly, he pealed off his face. No, I really mean it. He pealed it off.

I was about to say cool when Harry clamped a hand on my mouth.

"You can't scream!" He said.

"I was going to say cool" I say as he removed his hand. They all took turns pealing faces. They all looked so familiar. "Do I know you guys?!" I asked. It was there turn to look shocked. "You—you don't know us?!" Jake (Niall) said happily.

"Wait. You're that band that Rachel liked. I'm sorry, but I don't really know your names, but she had a poster of you guys. And she always showed me pictures of you with the girls. Wow. It was one of her dreams to see you guys in concert. Or even on the street. And now I'm living her dream for her....." I looked up at them with awe. Their faces became more clearer.

"Well that clears it up. What happened is that management, said we needed to study, have a backup plan. So, they gave us disguises, so we could lead a normal school life. Some other friends of ours are doing the same thing. The plan is, that after winter break, the public will find out the scheme. Until then, no one finds out anything!" said Lou.

"So.....now that you trust me with your secret, can you tell me your names?" I ask.

"Harold Edward Styles"

"Eleanor Calder"

"Niall James Horran"

"Zayn Jawwad Malik" (sorry if I get names spelling wrong)

"Liam James Payne"

"Perrie with an I and E, Edwards"

"Danielle Peazer"

"AND I AM LOUIS WILLIAM TOMLINSON!!!!!! THE SASS MASTA FROM DONCASTA!!!!!!!"

"Nice to meet you all. Again. But, can I go to sleep now!?" I whine. My brain was slowly falling a sleep.

"Fine. But don't fall asleep before you get upstairs." said louis, while poking my face.

"Just because you're a pop star, doesn't mean that I won't bite your finger off. Now stop poking me! " I shouted.

"Feisty!! Okay I'll stop!" he said with his arms raised up.

I got up and followed the girls who were heading up the stairs to go to sleep.

"Where are you guys going?" asked Zayn

"Those three, are getting beauty rest. I am going to sleep." I say groggily.

"We will be up in 5 minutes." said Liam.

"Fine. Just don't stay up all night gossiping" I tell them.

And I run up the stairs and fling myself into bed. I never felt so good. I was falling asleep when I feel the duvet move down. Then I felt two warm arms pick me up and slide me in.

Louis's POV

I picked her up to put her under the duvet. I couldn't help but feel her ribs. So evident. And she was feather light. She was starved by her phsyco maniacal step dad. Starved of love as well as food.

I'm gonna change that, I thought. I turned off the light and slowly retreated into the soft covers of the bed. It was calling out to me. I turned to my left to see Jo. Her hair was all over her face. I gently removed the loose strands of hair to tuck it behind her ear.

She looked so calm, like she didn't have her nightmare. But she was a good coverer. She could cover her real emotions like wearing a mask.

"Louis?" I heard her whisper, hoarsely.

"You're awake. But that doesn't matter. What's wrong Joey?" I say half surprised.

"I—I'm scared that the flashbacks might come back!" Jo said, her voice cracking more than once.

"It gonna be fine, I'm not gonna let them come back." I say holding her hand.

I scoot over to her, and pull her to me. I wrap my arms around her, trying to make her feel safe. She hesitated for a second, before settling her head into the crook of my neck. Her arms were pressed against my chest. I let one of my arms drape across her waist. Her shirt went up a millimeter. I could feel her skin slightly. It was warm and smooth, like an angels. I didn't know if she was knew that or not. If so she didn't let on.

I didn't want to make this situation awkward, so I didn't do anything.

"Good night, sweet dreams Jo..." I said softly before kissing her cheek. She mumbled something unintelligible. I even felt her face getting hot, on my neck.

I chuckled softly before I fell into the most comfortable sleep ever.

Notes

Hey hey! I just saw the ratings! YAY GUYS WE GOT A 10! I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE VOTED, SO THX TO EVERYONE WHO DID. AND IF YOU DIDN'T SUBSCRIBE OR RATE OR COMMENT, NOWS YOU'RE CHANCE!!!

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-yoyo