All Rubber Duckies Go To Heaven

Chapter Nine

The next morning it took me a moment to remember where I was. I’d fallen asleep leaning against the door so my neck was insanely strained and stiff. I was surprised it didn’t snap when I stretched.

My entire being jumped when someone knocked on the door. “Jan, you up? We’ve got, like, and hour.”

“Yeah,” I answered Aerin shakily as I calmed my heart rate. “Jeeze you scared the crap out of me.”

I heard him chuckle. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be out in a sec.”

“Okay.”

I quickly undressed from my pajamas and pulled on the jeans. They fit pretty dang good. I saw my reflection as I hooked the back of my bra. There was a big black bruise on my left shoulder and another on the right of my spine on my middle back. I’d already thought I had some there. The areas were tender as I moved.

After I tugged on the Maine shirt I noticed that wouldn’t work. The shirt was short sleeved. I pulled it back off and found my long sleeve from yesterday (it was a gray and hoodie-ish with thumb holes).  I put that on, then the shirt. I shuffled out of the room, my bare feet freezing.

Aerin was slumped against the wall by the bathroom tapping his fingers on his leg.

“Morning,” I greeted through a yawn. My arms splayed out behind me as I arched my back and stretched.

He smiled. “Morning. I’m waiting for my sister.” He shot a thumb to the bathroom.

“Ah.” I leaned back against the wall parallel to Aerin and ruffled the back of my hair. I welcomed the random feel of the roots turning and smiled. My short hair always looked sort of like a mullet in the morning. “Hey, do you have any socks I could use?”

He cocked and eyebrow. “That’s kind of an odd question. My sister may have some.” He pushed off the wall and headed down the other hall. I sighed and let my head fall back onto the wall as I slid down, letting one leg slide out straight while my right one tucked in towards my chest.

The bathroom door opened and my eyes flashed to the figure walking out. She stopped short, obviously stunned.

If I’d seen this girl outside of here I wouldn’t have guessed she was Aerin’s sister. She had long ice blond hair and brown eyes. Her skin was soft and smooth, pale. Her mouth opened slightly, revealing her pink and yellow braces. When she looked into my eyes she self-consciously smoothed out her pink Hollister shirt so the hem covered the hem of her boot cut jeans.

“Hi,” I greeted, breaking the ice.

“Hi,” she returned nervously. “So, uh, who are you?”

Of course. “January. I’m one of Aerin’s friends.” Except, the last part was more of a question.

Recognition swept her face. “Oh, yeah. He said something about you. Where did he go anyway?” She scanned the hall for her brother.

Before I could answer her I was hit in the side of my head with a wad of socks. I picked them up and eyed Aerin suspiciously. “Is this gonna be a regular thing?”

“What?” He maintained eye contact with me but wrapped an arm around his sister’s shoulder’s. she grimaced and elbowed him in the ribs before ducking away, her tongue sticking out tauntingly.

“Attacking my face with articles of clothing.” My voice cracked under laughter.

His sister disappeared down the stair (after briefly saying goodbye). Aerin rolled his eyes and sat back down with his back to the wall. “Like you can’t take it.”