fr!day
kn!ghts
57
☊ | track forty-four—nights like this
december 1st
"ARE WE GONNA BE SISTERS ONE DAY?" Diane wondered with a head tilt while she mindlessly played with Amira's braids, running her fingers through them. Amira smiled at her from the mirror as she tightened a glimmering diamond earring in her left ear lobe. "That can happen?" Lola asked beside her sister adding on accessories. Diane gave her some tips on how to style without overdoing it like she usually does and so far, Lola was doing a pretty decent job. "Mhm, if Carter and Mira get married, she would be our big sister-in-law," Diane explained. "What's that?"
"Someone who is our sister but isn't."
That ran an error in Lola's brain.
"You'll understand when you're my age."
"Okay!" She shrugged it off and went back to her own world.
"So will you?" Diane pressed and Amira nodded.
"One day for sure, I hope."
Lola and Diane smiled at each other.
"I hope so too. You already feel like a sister more than a nanny anyway. I also hope Carter isn't stupid enough to lose you because you're the best and he's...him," Amira laughed and smiled. "Thank you, I feel the same way about both of you girls," She looked over at Lola so she wouldn't feel left out. "Your brother is very stupid but I usually fall for stupid so he's right up my alley, unfortunately," The girls giggled.
"Can you guys not decide to get married while I'm gone? I want to be your main bridesmaid," Amira chuckled as she snapped in her other earring. "I wanna be the flower girl!" Lola exclaimed. "D, your brother and I have some ways to go before we get married. We have time."
"I know. Just don't end up like dad and..." She glanced at Lola and then Amira who shook her head not to finish that sentence. "I get what you mean and we love each other too much to let that happen. But you know, some things don't last forever. It's not like they didn't or don't love each other because they do."
"Love is...a weird thing, it's complicated, it can be beautiful and make you feel like you're on top of the world but it can also be a horrible feeling and that's the truth. I wouldn't sugarcoat it for you girls because you'll grow up and one day fall in love too. It's human nature," She sat the palette of makeup and brush down to turn in her chair.
"So I'm going to tell you this now, it's not easy and it never will be. You're going to gain your first crush or first boyfriend and feel as if the two of you are in love and are going to get married and live happily ever after, and though that may be true for some people. They go off and marry their childhood sweethearts, but most people aren't so lucky to have that. So what I want you girls to know, is don't grow up so fast. Don't rush it, okay?" Both girls silently nodded.
"I myself rushed it at a young age and I was hurt really bad for it because I didn't take the time to learn and grow and just be a kid. I thought that I knew what love was but I wasn't prepared for it at all. And you know what? I'm still not."
"You're not sure with Carter anymore?" Diane asked and Amira shook her head. "Oh, no I'm as sure as the sea about your brother don't worry. I love him so, so much and he knows it. But that doesn't mean I'm still not prepared. Truth is, no one really is. So I need you guys to listen to what I'm about to tell you and I want you to remember it like the lyrics to your favorite song, okay?" She grabbed their hands.
"I already told you not to grow up too fast, not to rush it, not to rush into what you'll one day think is love. So now what I'm telling you is don't ever let a guy or anyone control you. Don't let them control your life, what you do, where you go, change who you are. Don't ever let them trick you into thinking it's love because it's not, I promise it's not. You control your life and if you feel as if you're not being treated how you deserve, you walk away and never turn back."
"Do you guys hear me?"
Diane and Lola nodded rapidly as they were almost concerned with the look in Amira's eye. She didn't mean to scare them, she just needed them to understand one day.
"Good because it's not worth it. You'll be able to find your person one day girls, just don't rush it or let anyone control you into thinking that you have. Because that's not love."
"What is it then?" Lola wondered, mindlessly making
herself a mustache with a curled end of Amira's hair.
"Love is so many things, so many things that you'll one day understand and it feels nice but it can also hurt really bad." Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "I don't ever want to fall in love, Mira," Amira chuckled and rubbed her arm. "You say that now, Lola but you'll meet a boy who will make you feel like you're floating in the stars. But I agree with you, don't want to fall in love now. Be a good kid forever."
"Can you do that?"
"Mmh!" She saluted and Amira smiled, playfully squeezing her cheeks. "Good," She looked at Diane who smiled and hugged her. Lola felt left out and joined in, jumping on Diane's back. "I'm really glad we met you," Diane muttered.
"Same," Came a slow harsh whisper in the air.
"Theo," Amira called with an eye roll up at the ceiling.
"I can hear you being a little creeper."
"Drax lied to us," He sucked his teeth and came from behind the door outside the hall. The girls pulled from the hug and Amira waved her finger at him. "You need to learn privacy little dude. Please don't be one of those little boys."
"Victoria already told you about that weirdo," Diane jabbed him in the arm with her fist making him wince and baby himself against Amira who rolled her eyes. "That's gross you're my sister's, I was just being nosey. Also, you're pretty," He smiled goofily at Amira with a nervous laugh.
She smiled and poked his nose.
"You're cute and since you decided to be nosey..."
She cupped his face and squeezed his cheeks.
"Everything I said goes for you too. There are controlling women out there too so don't ever let them control you or your life either, you hear me?" He nodded in motion with her hand holding his face. "Good. Take nothing from no one who doesn't treat any of you right and with respect. Now," She fixed her hair, doing two half up half down ponytails. Smiling in the mirror, she examined the butterfly clips in her hair.
"I love it Lola, thank you both for helping me get ready. Now if you excuse me, I have a date with a knight," She winked at her own pun and led the kids out of her guest bedroom.
"One day you will realize you picked the wrong brother," Theo determined and crossed his arms, holding his head up high. Amira pouted at him and reached down to wrap him in a hug from behind. "Awe don't fret, you're still my number one little man. How could I ever forget how welcoming you were to me on my first day," He continued to pout despite wanting to break and smile. "I know, how about I ditch him and we binge-watch some movies?" He paused and turned.
"Wait really?" She smirked and booped his nose.
"Not a chance but I got you to smile. Go get ready for bed," She messed his hair up and walked away. Theo frustratedly stomped his foot. "Nine-year-olds don't have bedtimes!"
"Well, it's a good thing you aren't nine yet."
Amira walked into Carter's room to find it empty which confused her. She decided to check Cato's and knocked before entering, finding him listening to music on his bed while drawing random doodles in a notebook. He looked up at her before continuing to draw musical notes with faces. "You look fancy," Amira climbed to her knees onto his bed and leaned her elbows on his shoulders, watching him doodle. "If that's your way of saying I look nice, then thanks," Cato chuckled. "Trying to weigh down what's appropriate to call you now that darling is out of the equation," She looked at him with a small frown. "Really? But I like darling."
"Better yet, I like Caro."
"Carter wouldn't like that."
"Carter can kindly kiss my ass. Nothing has to change."
"I don't know, maybe it's me then. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with it anymore. You're in a relationship and it's called respect," She sighed softly and took his pen, drawing a doodle with heart eyes and curving hearts coming from its mouth like breath in the wind. "I get it and I like that. Just promise not to give my nickname up," Cato laughed and nodded. "It's already tucked and locked away in a vault."
"I'm honored," She sat the pen down and Cato continued filling in her drawing. "Speaking of your brother, where is he? I didn't get this dressed up to be stood up," Right on cue, her phone buzzed from inside her bra and she pulled away from Cato to grab it. "No motherfucking way he did not," Cato quirked a brow and turned his shoulder to look at her.
"As if these earrings weren't enough, he continues to try and make me a rich white man's whore," She turned her phone to show Cato the picture Carter just sent. He shook his head and chuckled making Amira's mouth drop. "Why aren't you surprised?" He shrugged. "Because it's Carter. You should know by now the lengths he'll go to, to make you happy."
She stuttered still staring down at the picture.
"I don't need this shit to be happy!" She climbed out of bed and slipped her heels back on, lifting her thigh-slit dress a little to speed walk out and downstairs. She saw the front door already open and joyous chatter from the kids which made her glare. She stepped outside and paused, going breathless at how beautiful it looked up close. "Mira look it's a pony!" Lola jumped in excitement, hugging the white horse that was not even twice her size. She was an ant compared to the two fairytale-looking horses. Amira blinked at the fairy light-lit carriage filled with all types of flower petals.
"Carter Dylan motherfucking Knight," She gritted.
"Yes mi amor?" She watched him hop from the carriage, petals of flowers flying out and sticking to his suit as he walked up to her. Her breathing picked up in sync with her heart. She wasn't angry, just completely breathless.
Just as he was in her proximity, she held out a finger against the middle of his chest that prevented him from moving any further. "What the hell is this?" He smiled and leaned in for a kiss but she shook her head and sat her finger on his lips. "Mm-Mm, not until you answer my question."
"I found your question odd considering I thought you would love this," He gestured to the carriage and she looked back at it, still breathless with how beautiful it was. A coachman was teaching the kids how to be gentle with the horses and telling them facts about the rare species with Victoria by their side. "How can I not love it? It's beautiful," She looked back at him. "I just gotta know...why though?" Carter was genuinely confused by the question. "Because I love you."
"But—"
"There's no other explanation. Baby look," He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer with a smile. "I don't need a reason for why I do nice things for you. I just do them because I want to, because I love you and I love making you happy. Those are always my intentions," He kissed her knuckles then her lips. "It's my newfound favorite hobby, making my future wife happy whenever I can. Whether that be from a simple kiss," He spoke softly and pecked her lips again. "Or a big grand gesture like this one."
Amira fell into a daze as he swayed her gently, kissing down her neck while humming a soft tune. "I...hate you," She sniffled and Carter chuckled, pulling away to see her crying. "You'll ruin your pretty makeup," He wiped her face.
"I don't care."
"Why are you crying?"
"Because I love you so fucking much that it hurts," Her arms locked around his neck. He noticed Cato walking out of the house, examining his grand gesture. He looked at him and nodded. Carter smirked and they fist bumped before he walked Amira over to the horses.
"They're so pretty," She brushed a hand up one of their noses earning an approving neigh. "You're so pretty, yes you are. Are they always together when riding around?" She asked the coachman, gently stroking both horses around the eyes.
"They're a couple actually and they don't like to be apart as much, so yes, they're always together," Amira turned her head to squint an eye a Carter who just innocently smiled.
"They were the only ones available."
"Uhuh, I just bet they were."
☊
"JUST TRY IT," Carter turned his face up at the sautéed shrimp hanging in his face at the tips of Amira's fingers. "You might like it," She sang and he puffed his cheeks up and gagged making her roll her eyes. "And you thought I was dramatic for the whole entire pineapple pizza thing," She scoffed with a head shake and ate the buttery shrimp whole, tossing her head back and closing her eyes as she chewed. The butter and seasonings dissolved in her mouth making her go for another one from the to-go box in her lap.
"How can you—I can't even stand the smell."
"Oh you big baby, just ignore the smell. A lot of
foods have a weird smell but it tastes like heaven."
"Name one."
"Lunch meat."
"I think I'm gonna be sick," He leaned over the moving carriage. "What do now you don't like lunch meat?"
"No, you woke up my senses to the smell which I was successful at getting rid of whenever I made a sandwich," Amira rolled her eyes and shook her head, sucking the seasoned butter from a shrimp before eating it.
"Are we taking turns with the pants in this relationship because right now it seems like I'm the one wearing them." Carter shook his head, eyeballing the shrimp like it grew sentient. "I'll gladly let you own the pants if you want but nothing will make me eat that," She sucked a finger and smirked. "Oh really?" She sat the box in his lap making him nearly toss it onto the street. "Frank, would you be a dear and take a detour to the nearest seafood buffet, please?"
"You wouldn't!"
"I know a great one four blocks from here," He leaned back to say and Amira smiled. "That would be lovely, thank you."
She took her tray back and continued eating her leftovers while Carter squirmed in his seat. After a few minutes, he finally caved and took a shrimp from her hand she was getting ready to eat and popped it into his mouth. He chewed excessively while Amira grabbed the camcorder off of the stack of flowers and began recording. "Shrimp test, take one." She teased. "Fun...ny," He swallowed then cringed.
"So how do you feel going on this journey?"
"I tried it so Frank you don't need to take a detour!"
"I thought I was just to take orders from Mrs. Knight?"
"Mrs. Who now?" She raised a brow at Carter.
"Hm, you heard him right. Mrs. Knight, tell him to drop the detour." She smirked. "Make me. Oh! That's right, you can't because I have the ultimate weapon right here in my lap."
"But fine only because you granted me with this beautiful date which I loved oh so much. Frank, it's okay, we're not detouring anymore," The man up front nodded and Amira tilted her head at Carter. "Answer me this, why does he take orders just from me? Or take them in general like we're Harry and Meghan?" She crossed one of her arms while keeping the camera up, playfully zooming in and out.
"Because I wanted him to."
"Yuh-huh and the Mrs. Knight thing? Care to explain that?"
He shrugged, "That'll be your name soon so why not?"
"Hm," She ignored it and looked at him closely.
"Awe honey, you're red in the face," She cupped his chin, teasing him further. "Like round cute tomato, I could just kiss you and I will," She pulled him down and kissed him.
"It wasn't as bad was it?"
"You'll never make me like shrimp."
"My goal isn't to make you like it, it's to make you love it. One day it'll be your favorite food. I make a mean plate of shrimp, so you'll see," Carter didn't take her word for it. His mind was made up, shrimp was already dead to him but it was six feet under now. "Kiss me again to take the flavor away. And would you put that away?" He closed the camera.
"I'm in the mood to do more than that," She set the food aside and straddled his lap. "This is quite unlike you, Bellissima," He slid his hands under her dress to feel her warm thighs. He groaned in surprise when she rocked against him while working to leave a mark on his neck.
"This is very much unlike you. How about we slow down...fucking hell," She bounced on his crotch and moaned softly, sliding her fingers through his hair. She began whispering outrageous naughty things in his ear that even surprised him. One of those suggests getting inside the petals of flowers and riding him where no one could see.
"What's going on? Are you having some sensory overload?"
"I want a lot of things to overload." She smirked and Carter locked her hands behind her back for a moment but that just turned her on more. "Più stretto," She begged and Carter squeezed her wrists as a way of telling her to stop herself.
( "tighter," )
"Di nuovo," She encouraged, biting her lip
( "again," )
"Was it the food? Did the shrimp get you drunk? Usually, I'm the one suggesting shit like this, but you? You would scold me for it. Am I a bad influence on you? I wonder if Basil and Adele go through this," He wondered, referring to the two couple horses leading them around the city in the night.
"Mm..." Carter paused at her anguished moan and helped steady her back on the bench beside him. "What's wrong? Oh, that's wrong," He brushed her braids away and rubbed her back when she hovered over the carriage to vomit.
"Fuck it hurts throwing up!" The carriage came to a halt and Carter kneeled to feel her forehead when she was finished. "Maybe you were right about the shrimp," She slurred a bit. "I'm not drunk but it's definitely something," He took out some napkins in his jacket pocket from the restaurant and handed them to her. "Gross," She wiped her mouth with a scrunched face. "Seafood and carriage riding, not a great idea—I need bathroom," She rushed out before vomiting off to the side of the ride again. "Okay," Carter continued to rub her back in smoothing motions and turned to face front. "Frank, can you park for a moment?"
When parked on the side of the street, Carter carefully helped Amira out of the carriage and into a nearby convenience store. "Why does throwing up make you cold all of a sudden?" She shivered a little as they stepped into the bathroom. As she washed her mouth out, Carter wrapped her in his jacket. "You feeling a little better?" She moaned in agony, turning to lean her face into his chest. "I'll take that as a no, let's just go home," He kissed her head and walked her back out of the store.
"Maybe the carriage wasn't a good idea," He sighed.
"No honey, stop," They paused in the middle of the sidewalk. Amira stood on the tips of her toes to peck his lips. "Sorry, that probably wasn't a good idea, but don't say that. I loved everything about the carriage, our date just topped it off. Nothing you did made me feel this way. I was stupid for thinking I could eat while on a bumpy ride, it's okay."
"Are you sure nothing is wrong?"
She smiled in reassurance and hugged his torso. "Everything is perfect, honey. Thank you for this wonderful night. I love you," Carter sighed in relief and rocked her slightly. However, Amira became confused when he waddled them around, switching standing positions. "What was that for?"
She chuckled, "Hon—"
Usually, this feeling was only in movies but in Amira's mind, it felt like the typical tragic slow-motion scene. Maybe because it was a lot to process what just happened. It felt random in fact. Everybody around her began running and shouting in fear, trying to get to safety and for some reason, her brain wouldn't allow her to do the same yet figure out why all of this was suddenly happening when it was clearly obvious. Her mind wasn't functioning on her surroundings, only on Carter lying on the ground at her feet. Her eyes looked down and there it was, blood gushing from his abdomen.
The horses nearly ran from the piercing gunshot sound but they stayed put. Frank was by Carter's side before Amira because all she could do was stand there, stuck and unable to move. After all, then it would make it real. A bump from a stranger running by was what brought her back to reality. "C-C-Carter?" She fell to her knees beside him, her eyes bulged. Her body trembled at the blood hitting her knees.
"No, no!" She cried, hands unable to still as she hesitantly put pressure on his wound making him groan out in serious pain. "I'm sorry! Wha-What did you do?! It-It w-was for me wasn't it?!" Her head shook rapidly as he closed his eyes.
"No, no honey you can't sleep, please don't fall asleep! P-Please don't leave us! Please, please!" She sobbed, shaking him awake. "Mrs. Knight I know it's hard, but I need all of you and all of your strength right now to help me put him in the carriage," Frank yelled over the chaos, pulling Carter's arm over his shoulder. "Now you get the other, hurry!"
She did just that, quickly but carefully pulling him up which made him scream in pain, a sound she never heard him make. It scared her. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Laying him down on the floor of the carriage on top of the flowers made Amira cry even harder because she was thinking of the worst possible scenarios of how this night could end. She climbed in and on the petals and placed his head in her lap. "Take this and keep pressure on it," Frank instructed and took his jacket off to hand over.
"Hurry he's turning pale!" She cried, rocking him in her lap. "Honey please wake up, please?!" She shook his head which made him jolt back awake. "Can you just look at me? Please?" Slowly his head moved and they locked eyes. "Just keep looking at me, o-okay? Don't go to sleep, we're almost there!" Carter lifted his hand weakly and Amira sobbed at the finger he held out. The one with her name written on his ringer finger. She grabbed it and kissed it repeatedly.
"Next...Next time."
"Shut up don't say that! L-Let's make a deal, you live and we'll get married in this lifetime! We'll get married tomorrow, I don't care just please don't die! Keep your eyes open!" Even with a gunshot wound, he still managed to smile. "You...I love..." He rasped, closing his eyes for good.
"No, honey you gotta wake up! Frank hurry please!" Leaning her forehead against his, her tears slid down his face and she continued to put pressure on his wound. "Baby, please don't die, please? I'm sorry, it should've been me. It was supposed to be me, I know it. Why wouldn't you duck?" She checked his weak pulse. "I will fucking meet you at the gates in a heartbeat if you leave us, Carter I swear it," She gritted. "Til death do us part, I don't care if we haven't vowed it yet. You sealed it when you decided to be a big dummy and die for me," She glared at his limp body and sobbed, shaking her head. "Baby please, I don't want to lose you, not like this."
"You promised me we would die of old age," She touched his face and flinched at the fingerprinted blood stain she created. "You promised we would get married and have kids and watch our kids have kids, I'm not giving up on that so-so neither should you. We're not losing you so just h-hold on just a little bit longer for us, please? Please?" She added more pressure to his wound and choked on tears at how already drenched the jacket was. "We're almost there I promise."
When the carriage came to a stop, she was relieved. Frank quickly went inside to get a bunch of doctors and five of them came rushing out. "Careful please!" Amira climbed out of the carriage when they laid Carter on the gurney and rushed inside. "F-Frank thank you so much," She grabbed the older man's hands, forgetting about her bloody hands but he didn't care. "Just go, thank me another time," She nodded and rushed inside only to pause when he was nowhere.
"S-Surgery," She concluded, pacing the floor.
"They're...They're gonna fix him...they're gonna fix
him...they're gonna fix him, they're—"
Her phone rang and she quickly tried to wipe the blood off but most of it dried which made her even more nervous, thinking maybe they got there too late. "Blood is liquid so it-it dries faster because of the wind, that's all," She convinced herself and grabbed her phone from inside her dress, wincing when it was Cato. Surely the tale of twins being able to feel each other's pain was just a myth, she was sure of it. With a shaky and bloody thumb, she answered.
"Amira I'm sorry if this is just me ruining your date, but something—I don't what but it's a gut feeling and I've had this feeling all day and I don't know why—just...are you guys alright? I know it sounds stupid and it is stupid but I-"
"S-Someone sh-shot him," She said numbly, staring at a little blank space on the wall. Her voice and body were trembling, she hadn't been able to stop crying but even with all that visible emotion, she was numb. "Amira that's not funny." Though Cato had hoped it was just a sick joke, an idea made up by Carter surely, he was already rushing downstairs.
"I'm-I'm sorry, it was supposed to be me, not him."
"Amira I said that's not funny so please stop it."
She began to sob and slid onto the floor by the cushion chairs, covering her face with her shaking arm. "It happened so fast, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She heard Cato's breathing pick up and didn't want to picture what he must be feeling right now. She was already experiencing it but she knew it was worse for him. "Is your...location on?" He sniffled.
"Yes. Cato, I'm s—"
The line ended and she wished there was a wound to her chest to mask the undeniable and horrific pain in her heart.
might think this is sick but it's fun writing a death scene sorry 😭 this is actually the first one i've ever written and surely won't be the last 🏃🏾♀️
but dropping this on christmas is kinda crazy...so anyways merry chrysler, what y'all get? got that pre-pre order of gta 6 on lock in my mind 🤓
probably would've had the christmas chapter today
if i hadn't had writers block for the last one.