Sleepwalker

Burning Toast

"Crap, crap crap CRAP!" I woke groggily to hear my brother's yelling over the intense beeping of the fire alarm that was burning my ears. Groaning and swearing under my breath, I heaved myself out of my enormous double bed and threw open my bedroom door to be immediately smacked in the face with a cloud of grey smoke and the choking stench of burning toast.

"CODY I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" I screamed between coughs as I wacked the fire alarm on the ceiling with the handle of a broom from the cupboard. Silence finally ensued and I heard my parent's muffled "thank yous" from downstairs.

"SORRY SIS!" my older brother yelled back from the kitchen, even though he was doubled over with laughter and snorting like a pig having a seizure. I rolled my eyes and sauntered back to my room, throwing myself back down on my bed and rubbing my eyes tiredly: suddenly the night out with Max the night before didn't seem like a good idea.

Max had been my best friend since pre-school and we had spent many nights together in the past on wild parties and weekends but since he landed his dream job at the local Slough Police Station as a Police Officer at just nineteen, those nights seemed to have dwindled and stopped. But if last night was anything to go by, holy mother of cheese can he still hold his drink.

Summer sunlight was now streaming through my curtains and I immediately put away the idea that I was going back to sleep; I was well and truly awake. I checked my phone and laughed when I read a text from Max:

'Good morning sleeping beauty! Sore head by any chance?'

I rolled my eyes and typed a response.

'Shut up ass lamp, you can't be any better! I bet the 5:30am start was fun this morning huh?'

I didn't bother to wait around for a reply and so quickly got showered and dressed out of my night shirt and into a pair of ripped denim shorts and one of my favourite peach collared shirts- one of the few that didn't make me look like a vampire. I threw on a few bracelets and my watch and quickly French plaited my blonde hair before running downstairs. The kitchen of our cute little three bedroom house in Slough (I know) was my dad's pride and joy, all smooth immaculate aubergine and white colour schemed worktops and cupboards that opened when you tapped them. It usually looked great when my older brother wasn't trying to burn it down.

"Wow Jess, you're up early!" my mum remarked from her spot at the table where she was doing her Sudoku, glasses perched on the end of her nose. Everyone always commented that we looked scarily alike and although we both have the same honey blonde hair and pastel blue eyes, I've never really seen it myself. My mum looks like a freaking supermodel after all and I look like a borderline kawaii potato.

"I just came here to have a good time and I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now! Anyway, someone woke me up...again." I muttered, shooting glares at Cody, who was perched on the kitchen counter with a lop sided grin on his tanned face.

"Look Jess, I made toast!" he boasted proudly, showing me his plate of crispy black bread that looked like a minor road traffic accident. You would never have thought that my brother was twenty and still not able to cook toast, but he comes with an occupational health warning around food and pointy things.