Mistletoe

December 17th

Wednesday December 17th

07.10am

"Val, wake up."

I groaned and deliberately turned my body so it was facing away from the annoying voice. Hopefully it'd take the hint and go away.

Unfortunately it didn't and the next time a nudge in my shoulder followed. "Valerie, get up. There's someone here to see you."

"No, I don't have work today, or school work. I just want to sleep," I wailed into the depths of my pillow. "I didn't fall asleep until…" my drowsy brain couldn't conjure up a time, "until late. Leave me alone, I'm tired."

An exasperated sigh followed, and with it went my duvet. "Get up."

In a daze I sat up, feeling momentarily confused as to who and where I was. I felt cold after being robbed so suddenly of my toasty cocoon. Rubbing my arms I scowled in the direction of the deformed blob that I assumed was the human at fault here, the lights were blinding me and I couldn't see straight.

"Visitor. Upstairs." My mother said before leaving, having resorted to short messages in the hopes it'd sink through my daze. It did, vaguely.

I pressed the button on my phone and narrowed my eyes to see what the time was, after several attempts the digits came into focus. I groaned, wishing something heavy would fall on me. It was only a little after seven, why on earth would I have someone over this early? If it was Emma wanting to see if I could take a shift at Pleym I would be very obliged to strangle her.

Slipping my feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers I wrapped my arms around myself and trudged up the stairs.

"This better be good," I mumbled to myself, fully prepared to unleash an entire monologue on the culprit if this visit was without proper grounds. "What?" I grumbled when I entered the kitchen, glaring at my mother so that she'd convey who was here and why. So far I couldn't see a human out of place.

She waved a hand towards the hall, trying not to smile. "He's by the door."

"He?" I inquired. "Who's this he? And what's he doing wanting to talk to me at bloody seven in the morning?"

My mother choked on a laugh, causing me to glare harder. "Don't be rude."

I wanted to say that she hadn't seen rude yet, but instead I scoffed and turned on my heal. 

With my arms still wrapped around myself — it was a failed attempt to still envision being wrapped in my warm duvet — I entered the hallway to see Parker stare back at me. I was surprised to say the least, but because of my abrupt awakening and the hour of the day, and the lack of caffeine in my bloodstream, I couldn't do much but glare at him either.

"Why are you here?"

Parker chuckled and put a hand behind my shoulders to make me walk towards the front door. "You'll see. Put your shoes on."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"I seriously don't want to."

"Okay, your choice," again he simply smiled. What was up with that cheery attitude?

Taking the lead Parker put a hand on the door's handle and then used his other hand to guide me forwards until I was standing right next to him.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

What kind of question was that? "If it gets me back to my bed, yes."