When Barbie Takes Over

23- It Wasn't a Gangster

I rewrote this chapter like five times and I still didnt get it right....

But oh well, you'll get the gist. 

Chapter Twenty Three:

It Wasn't a Gangster:

I picked my lunch up from the counter and dropped it into my school bag. Then I grabbed the homework I had left out on the table that was due today and slid that in as well.

Everything I did was done robotically and without thought. I still felt half asleep and I didn’t know why. Normally when I felt like this, I just took a shower and then it was gone. But then for some reason, today sleep was reluctant to release me from its clutches.

“Pigtails,” Garrett said laying a hand on the small of my back.

I jumped away from him, facing him in the process and my school bag fell to the floor.

“Garrett!” I said. I put my hand to my chest and attempted to slow my breathing and my racing heart. “You scared me!” I chastised him.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while now,” he said with a frown. “You’re just really out of it.”

I sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

Garrett stepped forwards and enveloped me in his arms. He kissed my forehead before hugging me tighter.

“You that tired from last night?” he asked as I snuggled closer to him.

“No not even, just out of it,” I said. “That didn’t make any sense did it?”

“Nah, but that’s cool. I think I can handle you not making sense if it makes you all cuddly.”

I giggled lightly. “You actually just said cuddly,” I pointed out to him.

I felt Garrett shrug. “What can I say? You make me soft,” he told me.

“Morning kids,” Mom said coming into the kitchen. She immediately headed to the coffee maker to get herself a mug full.

“Hi Mom,” I said pulling away from Garrett, but he still kept his one arm loosely around my waist.

“Hey Penny,” Garrett said.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked. Normally Dad was the first one downstairs in the mornings.

“He had an early meeting and he’s already left,” she said. She turned to face us with her mug nestled between her hands.

“Mommy!” Alice cried. She came running into the kitchen and slid to a stop in front of our mother, miraculously not falling over like I would have.

“Yes, honey?” Mom said calmly.

“I can’t find Ken!” Alice exclaimed. She looked around frantically like the plastic doll would just pop out from one of the cupboards.

“I’ll help you look for him, but if we don’t find him right how that’s okay, you don’t need him for school,” Mom reasoned.

“How long has he been missing?” I asked. I was sure Alice had him yesterday at dinner, or maybe that was another one…they all looked the same to me.

“Since yesterday. We had to pretend that Alex was Ken because we couldn’t find him,” Alice told me. Alex was Ken’s friend, he was also Maddy’s favourite along with her Sam doll.

“I’ll calm Alice down, don’t you two need to go to school?” Mom asked pointedly.

“Come on, Pigtails,” Garrett said leading me to the door.