Chapter 3: Sleepover
For the next three weeks, Althea was focused on preparing for her school event, a festival to celebrate the anniversary of her school. Days passed by faster as she kept busying herself with her school activities and working at home. Not just once did she get a stern and rebuking glare from her mother, but fortunately nothing got out of hand yet.
"Thea, have you checked the documents for the school night out permission?" Karin, the secretary of the student council as well as Althea's best friend asked.
"Ah, yes. You can give it to the school administration office today. Thank you for your hard work." Althea stood up and took some documents from the archive cupboard before handing it over to Karin.
"That's great." Karin smiled. At the same time, a familiar notification sound rang and Althea quickly turned to reach her phone.
Noticing the eagerness in Althea's eyes, Karin raised her eyebrows.
"Thea, is there anything good happening?" Karin smiled as she teasingly poked Althea's side.
"Wha-What, Haha-stop!-- there's nothing!" Althea's laughter rang as she tried to catch her friend's michievous hand which tickled her.
"Lies. When did you ever open a message that fast, hm? Saying that it's nothing ain't gonna fool me." Karin stopped her tickling and went to pinch Althea's slightly chubby cheeks.
"Oww, oww, I get it, I get it, okay? Let go and I'll tell you." Althea held her friend's hands before rubbing her cheeks.
"It's just that Ray is saying some silly things again."
"Ray? What? Who? Why do I never heard of him?" Karin looked suspiciously at her friend.
"Ahh... did I never tell you his name? He is the guy I got to know through my study group." Althea reminded.
"I see. That smart but robot-like guy you told me before? The one who only replied as necessary." Karin touched her chin, remembering Althea's story a long while ago.
"Yeah, it's him. Also, he's not robot-like, just straightforward." Althea argued.
"Yea, yea, he's still a robot to me." Karin shrugged. "But why do you look so happy just by getting his message? It's like you received a message from your crush." She continued.
"Crush? Geez, what are you talking about? if anything, he is like the perfect older brother for me." Althea scrunched her nose at the notion of a crush.
Karin stared and her and faked a cough, "cough... umm, so... does it count as incest... or older brother thing is your fetish?"
"What the-- Karin, you---" Althea was lost at words. How can the people around her be so shameless?
Not having a comeback to such 'vulgar talk', she pinched her friend's cheeks and their small bickering continued.
***
It was a day before her school anniversary event. Althea had finished the housework she needed to do and after a long discussion and the support from her father, she managed to get permission to sleepover at school.
"Hey brother, I'm going to sleepover at school today. The event is tomorrow and I can't help but feel excited about it!" Althea had been calling Ray as 'brother' from time to time, especially when she's in a good mood. It was pretty much a one-sided decision that Ray helplessly accepted due to her stubbornness.
"Take care and best of luck for the event." Ray replied.
Althea was full of energy, being able to stay with her friends and colleagues to prepare a big event was such a new experience for her. It didn't even differ much but she felt so free for the first time, unlike the cage she called home.
'It's not a cage.' Althea shook away her negative thoughts and decided to forget about her mother for now. She had been doing her best in preparing for the event and she wanted to enjoy the process thoroughly.
"Hey guys, how is the preparation going?" Althea sat on one of the front row seats near the stage. The stage for tomorrow's event is being prepared and the members of the student council were sitting in front of it, talking leisurely as they work.
"Thea, so nice to have you here tonight! it's almost done." Karin clung on her arms and the other student council members talked to her one after another.
"Finally got the permission from the witch?" Lucas said as he ruffled Althea's head.
"Cut it out, she's not a witch. Just a bit... " Althea hesitated as she tidied up her hair.
"Just a bit what?" Lucas teased. Althea pouted her lips and refused to respond.
Lucas is one of the people who know about her problems at home. Althea told him as she needed to inform him when she really needed to go home sooner. And while Lucas is untrustworthy for love matters, he is quite trustable for such problems, thus Althea told him frankly.
"Haha, it's okay as long as you're fine." Lucas tried to reach for her cheeks before she slapped his hand away while glaring.
"Chill out, Thea. Also, it's a rare chance. Why not take a video for memories?" Lucas suggested. Althea thought about it for a while and decided that it was a brilliant idea.
"Hey, I'm in front of the stage for tomorrow's school anniversary now. Today I'm gonna sleepover at school with the members of the student council. Say hi guys!" Althea said as she recorded herself before turning it to the other members.
"Hii~ I'm the handsome one!" Lucas shouted as he saw his face reflected in the screen and went closer to Althea.
Satisfied with the video, Althea saved it and a thought crossed her mind.
'Maybe I should send it to Ray. I feel happy after all.'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Nyx_Blackmore
Nyx_Blackmore Good day everyone!
Hopefully you're all safe and healthy ^^
Please vote for the story if you like it. Thanks a lot!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone