Carrying The Banner With You

Chapter 16- Wisconsin People Have Weird Accents

I jerk awake to the sound of the fire alarm and yelling coming from the kitchen. I momentarily forget where I am, but the memory of last night hits me and I feel giddy all over again.

The yelling in the kitchen intensifies. I quickly put on my glasses and head to the kitchen. I take in the scene unfolding before me. Jeff is frantically fanning at the fire alarm with a kitchen towel, trying to make it stop ringing. DeMarius and Ben are opening up windows because the smell of whatever was burning is intoxicating. Josh is cursing up a storm and running his hand under the faucet. Chaz, Jordan, and Jack who look like they just rolled out of bed are shouting over the raucous, trying to figure out what is going on. Sky comes out of his room, takes one look at the chaos, and mutters, "Hell no," and returns to his room.

Looking at everything that is occurring, I am not sure if I should try to figure out what happened or film this, but Dan and Zachary already have that covered. Both of them are standing off to the side with their phones out, chuckling. Finally, the fire alarm stops blaring.

"What the hell just happened?" I ask, taking a seat at the island.

"Josh tried to make eggs is what happened," DeMarius says saltily.

"You did this?" I ask Josh.

"Not on purpose!" he yells, still running his hand under the tap.

"He was making eggs and then lit a kitchen towel on fire," Jeff says.

"Then because of that fire, the smoke alarm went off. While Josh was putting out that fire the eggs burned," DeMarius adds to the story.

"Jesus, Josh. Do you not know how to use a stove?" Jordan asks.

Before Josh can answer I ask, "Wait this whole time we have been staying here have you not used the stove?" He glares at me.

"We are never letting you near the stove or the oven again," Chaz says.

"We might have to supervise him if he uses the microwave too," Ben adds, making everyone but Josh snicker. I make eye contact with Ben, and he winks at me and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, I will make some eggs so who all wants some?" I ask. Apparently everyone wanted eggs- or they just didn't want to cook for themselves- so I took out a huge frying pan and got to work making a lot of scrambled eggs.

"What was that?" Josh whispers to me as I wash the pan after finishing the eggs.

"What was what?" Josh gives me an are you kidding me right now look.

"That little moment when you were all making fun of me- which is very rude- and you guys looked at each other and Ben winked at you. You guys both had this expression. Plus, you guys spent last night together, again."

"No shit, Sherlock. Those are some great detective skills you got there."

"Funny," he deadpans. I finish up with the dishes and go to my room to get changed for rehearsals.

"Morning Steph," I say. She is still in bed, which is weird because she is always up by now. She groans and rolls over to face me.

"I am not going to rehearsals today," she croaks. "And I might go to the doctor today just to make sure this isn't contagious."

"Good because you do not sound good or look good." She says nothing, she just rolls over and goes back to sleep.

...

We finally got a break from rehearsals. The air conditioning broke and because of Steph's absence I am in this heavy skirt for rehearsals. All of this combined means that I am disgustingly sweaty, but I don't feel bad because we all are sweaty. I finish the last of my water and sit next to Ben, who's rolling out his legs.