tongue tied - jake kiszka

16.

I had started my period.

I wanted to blame my attitude last night on that fact alone. It made sense.

Light flooded in through my open blinds and I reached up from my fetal position in my bed to try and close them. It was too far. I groaned as my arm slapped back down beside me on the bed.

Dawn and I had gone back home at around three in the morning, much to her dismay. She had wanted to stay with Jake, but he'd shook his head, promising to text in the morning.

She didn't like that.

The whole drive home she badmouthed him, wondering why he was playing so hard to get. I was surprised she hadn't given up on him yet, but when Dawn wanted something- she got it.

Even after our late night out, I had somehow still woken up early, my fun little surprise waiting for me. My sheets were like the fucking red sea. I hated this time of the month.

My dirty sheets were thrown in a ball in the corner of my room as I laid on top of my comforter knowing I needed to go down to the laundry room soon.

"Charlie, are you awake?" Dawn's voice floated through the wall, yanking me from my pity party. "Yes." I yelled back and waited for the knock on my door. Not even a moment later I heard a quick knock and my door opened.

Dawn stood in my doorway, her phone in her hand extended out for me to see. "Jake texted." She said as she came over to my side. "I know I said all those things about him last night- Char, you look awful."

She leaned down to look at me closer, her eyebrows furrowed close together. "Thank you." I muttered, shoving her lightly to move away from my face. "Did you start you period? Shit, that means I'm starting soon too."

Our periods had synced up only a couple months after living together. Perks of being women. We got to be miserable together.

"Can you close my blinds?" I asked, attempting to reach up for them again before letting my arm drop. Dawn rolled her eyes, but closed them for me anyways. "Anyways," She began again, "They want to see us again."

"Who?"

"Jake and them." She huffed, obviously displeased by the fact that I wasn't paying attention. "Was our presence last night not enough?" I asked, pulling myself up to sit.

   "Please?" She pleaded with me.

   "What do they want to do?"

   She grinned, pleased with what she thought was my interest. "They want to go back to the lake."

   "Dawn, I am literally bleeding out of my-"

   She cut me off quickly, "You don't have to swim. Please, please, please?" I stayed silent, knowing I wouldn't win. There was no winning with Dawn.

   "Jake is going to come over to pick us up."

   "You already said yes?" I groaned, pulling my knees up to my chest to burrow my head between them. "You can hang out with Posy again." Dawn offered, trying to convince me. "She didn't seem to hate me as much last night. I could tell. Just try to talk me up a little more, please?"

   There it was. The only reason she wasn't upset about them inviting us. It meant that I could get her in an in with Posy, which in her mind meant that Jake would like her more if Posy liked her more.

   I was exhausted. But I liked Posy. She was great and the lake was pretty and even though I was literally dying, I supposed I could make an appearance. "Okay."