The Muse Gang

Chapter twenty-three

We boarded a plane with six tickets. The muses however, hitched a free ride aboard. I mean who would pay for a flight when you could always sneak into the plane and not get seen? Huh?

During the short flight to Oxford, Angela was my seat partner. The most interesting girl I had ever met.

I mean I had a thing for Edna but Angela.... She was just good vibe itself. Telling me bout all her past boyfriends who Clara helped her deal with just cos they touched her with their shadows. I'm exaggerating. But that explained why her relationships never really lasted. She made guys scared of her. Well, her muse did. But I wasn't scared. On the contrary, I found her attractive. It was fun.

The cheeky muse strikes once again! He would go to the airplane buffet and steal muffins for Edna. That somehow, a little bit, gave me a tip of jealousy.

Then from wherever Marshall was making out with Clara, he would appear to me and comfort me, having sensed the feeling.

Once he patted my shoulder and said, "Relax. I swear to you Clinton is an amateur when it comes to making out with humans. If we are successful and return to Norwich, you know I can get you laid every single night."

He winked and I smirked knowingly at him because I knew he was excitedly right. I mean Marshall had flirty blood running through his veins as well.

When we arrived at Oxford a few minutes past noon, I gawked at the city I was born in. I mean no wonder the fallen loved it. It was even cuter than Edna.

Fred got us a mind-blowing home since we could not just arrive at the place at start kissing the villains' asses. The house was pure pleasure and luxury. Where did ghosts even get money. I don't still know how he did it till now but all I know is he paid for the house and made the agent hand us the keys. That didn't matter did it. It was our home now. So we go in and give it a try.

***

I landed hard on the couch with no plans to get up. I was very exhausted, noticing my eyes closed slowly until I heard a voice from behind me, "No Eddy. Shower first, then dinner. Before a rest."

I grumbled a bit, turning tiredly to him with a groan. I even put my googly eyes on, still it didn't work on him. He just walked away and scoffed.

Sighs... It was good wasn't it.

Not long after, I let water run down my body in the bathroom, came out after the bath and joined everyone in the dining.

A lot of interesting food was on the table, much to my excitement and curiosity. I had to compliment, "Wow! Who made these?"

And heavens knew it was the last name I would have expected, "Clinton," Edna proudly said.

With the potato chips halfway up my mouth, I pushed the plate of food in disgust away.

The cheeky one chuckled and placed his hands on the table, supporting his weight, "Oh... I smell jealousy."

"Oh no," I defended, "I just lost my appetite. You cook?"

Jessica declared from my left in a somewhat girly manner for the first time. Fred was doing a good job on her, "Try it! It's nice, really!"

I frowned at the plate, sticking my tongue out just to annoy the dude. My hands shook as I went for the fork. Using it, I grabbed some spaghetti and closed my eyes, forcing it into my mouth. At that, I frowned some more and looked at at where he stood, not wanting to make the amazing taste obvious to him.

He still guessed so anyways, "Better than your mom's?"

I shook my head and spoke with my mouth full, "In your dreams. Wake up."

He waved my statement away and turned round the table to where his host sat, "Edna love. Can I feed you."

She perked her head up happily and gave him a wide grin, "Yes please."

I raised a brow, frowning seriously at them. I mean we had a father figure in our midst for crying out loud.

Fred gulped down his wine, shaking his head in frustration, "You teenagers are crazy."

We snickered at that. I was surprised he even had some tolerance for all our balderdash.. Including making the naked guy appear when we searched for my replacement.

Speaking of that, how was he even doing with that? And again, we really needed to speed things up a bit so I could go back home.

"So where is this place the fallen stay?" I asked with a sigh.

The entire table dropped their cutlery down and gave Marshall their full attention. My muse seemed to have been lost in his thoughts before then.

Consequently, Chris replied for him, "It looked like an abandoned school when we went there. Buildings are crumbled and crazy. Looked like a battle field if you ask me." "And why would Amaya pick such a place?" I asked meaningfully.

Marshall shrugged and said with no clear emotion on his face, "Dunno. Maybe it's just her being negative again."

"In that case she's really a brave one," Kella declared much to Marshall's disdain.

He dropped down his wine and chuckled, "The brave one? I'd call it pride if you ask me."

Fred placed a hand over Marshall's, consequently clearing all sadistic thoughts he had brewing, "It's dangerous. No matter what we have to be careful."

All the hosts turned to Fred and gawked at what he had just said.

David just laughed, "Why would something like that be dangerous for us?"

Having a muse in us was supposed to make us invincible right?

Free sighed and stated, "No like I'm serious. Danger that can actually hurt muses in hosts."

There was a bit of silence as we all tried swallowing reality. Meaning there's a degree of attack that we are vulnerable to. That was new, "Okay why didn't you say this before?"

The mood became gloomy as the muses stared at us silently.

Marshall braced his elbows on the table and leaned forward to us, "Look. Some hosts have left us before because of this piece of information. It's not our fault. We are just ghosts, and we were considering the same thing before letting you guys know."

Edna came from beside me, sighing and speaking for all, "We are in this together. If we are to lose, we lose together. Same goes for winning. And you guys should never think that. Okay?"

They smiled and nodded, with Fred being the proudest of all of us, "Alright kids. We appreciate. Now everyone, straight to bed. Tomorrow's a big night, cos it's gonna define whether or not the muse society lives on or gets washed away." That made it sound even more serious than I thought. Marshall.. Clinton.... All of them. We were going to win. If not for anything, maybe for our youthful craziness to go on.

When we all rose from the table to retire, Clinton clicked his fingers, making everything on the table vanish, as good as new.

He then walked to Edna and handed her a muffin, kissing her head protectively.

Yunno the way those two behaved, one would think they were one. I think they would have been if they weren't so different.

Then I turned to my other side and watched Anthony walk up to Kella saying, "Hey... Can you Uhmm, stay with me tonight? I think I'll really need some company."

His muse smiled, bumping his shoulder, "Always ready to help sweetie."

Okay I was getting annoyingly jealous. Like what was all this about. It was as if they all had me in mind while acting all loving. You know one fact about life...?

You always see happy couples when you are single and happy singles when you mingle. I got that now.

And Marshall knew of course what was in my head.

In fact, he came to me and put his hand across my shoulder, smiling at his girlfriend wickedly, "Hey Clara! Any new packages for me?"

She got the message and walked up to us, taking Marshall's hand in hers, "A whole lot sweet heart."

I mean he was my muse, he was supposed to have my back.

I turned to him and snarled, "You are a monster."

He laughed, turning me to face him and gripping my arms, "Sorry sport. Would love to help. But I got no girl for you except from the gang."

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I opened my mouth to mention a name he so damn knew I was going to mention.

At that, he shut me up and replied, "And I'm not talking about Edna."

I sighed and kept quiet sadly, watching him continue, "Clinton won't let anyone near his host."

I got that clearly. But what was I even doing? It was an impulsive crush like this that landed me into my first dreadful relationship. And I don't think I was ready for another girl doing that to me. Gang or no gang!

And there he was again... Reading my mind. He seemed serious this time and said, "You were always ready to mingle Eddy. Except this time it's with a home trained chick."

What was he even tryna get to. Was HOME TRAINED written on their faces or what?

I looked around at my friends, analysing the female hosts carefully.

Edna... Out of bounds.

Jessica ... Damn. As hot as she was, she was cranky alright. And hot headed. She would certainly beat someone as peaceful as I am one day. So out of the question. David... Ohhh. Sorry that's a guy.

Angela.... I looked at her, trying to think of every possible reason she was going to be a bad choice. She had my madness. She was the definition of fun, and crazy. She was the cutest in the gang. And certainly a companion for everyone. Like duhh, I'm talking about the direct opposite of Marshall's own girlfriend who somehow he fell in love with.

At that thought of mine, Marshall spanked my head. I mean I almost laughed.

Facing him finally, I shrugged, "Angela's fine."

"My Angela," Clara asked.

I glared at her and raised a finger, "Okay you sound so gay right now."

Marshall kept quiet, obviously supporting her and giving me this pained stare, "Dunno mehnnn."

I frowned deeply and mused to him so Clara wouldn't hear, "You were the one offering a chick right? She's the best I can think of and now your badass girlfriend has a problem with it. How did you even fall in love with her?" He grinned and mused back, "Remember Eddy. You are my polar opposite."

Yeah cool. Doesn't mean that bitch behind him was sweet.

He shook his head slightly and smiled at me, "Right. I'll talk to Angela."