Rewind (Completed)

Chapter 12: Not a Laughing Matter

Chapter 12:  Not a Laughing Matter

"You sure?" I ask Bells wearily. I want her permission first before I do it.

She grins and shrugs, "Go for it." They should've been up ages ago. Someone's got to get them up for our first day of community service.

I tiptoe to Max's room before opening up all the curtains, allowing the sun's ray to flood the room in brightness and heat, "Wakey wakey Maxy Dear, it's time for school!" I chime, filled with energy to face the day.

Max - feeling the complete opposite - rolls over and covers himself with his blanket, burying his face deep into his pillow, "Not now Mom," he grumbles out, still half asleep, "I'm sick. I don't want to go to school today." He lies. Is this how he always got out of school as a teen?

"That girl, Bell, you've told me so much will miss you if you don't go." I insist, pretending to be his mother.

"She's doesn't even know I exist. I don't stand a chance Mom." Max mumbles into his pillow, his eyes still closed. The chance I took was worth it, he thinks I'm his mother.

I glance Bell's way to see her awing in delight upon hearing her boyfriend's words.

"Besides," Max adds, "the jocks pick on me all the time. I'm tired of being stuffed into lockers. Laiken and Mason piss me off."

I never realized how hard Max had it in school up until now. He's never revealed such information to any of us. I had no idea that Mason did not only bully me but Max too.

I change course, now pretending to be his father, "Well put on your big boy pants Max and just face it!" I yell at him, only for him to wake up in fright. He jolts up quickly and ends up whacking his head on the headboard of his bed as a result.

"Dammit, Aqueela!" He whines as he rubs his head he'd just thumped, "Should've known." He exclaims in mild irritation. The boy loves his sleep.

"Don't complain," Benley speaks up, "at least you weren't woken up to 'you're getting married Ben Ben, it's your wedding day'." Benley mimics my voice as he adds in his own complaints. "I just about had a heart attack. Marriage, right now, does not look so appealing. My worst nightmare." Benley confesses, still ticked off with me.

I chuckle at the reminder. I made a stop at Benley's place first. He dropped AJ off at the airport early this morning and then went back to sleep. I took the liberty to give him a rude awakening.

"I barely get any sleep with my kids as is, thanks a lot." Max glowers at me, unimpressed.

"Stop whining Babe and put on a shirt." Bells flings a v-neck his way before turning to me with excitement laced in her blue eyes, "Do my brother next!" She begs, jumping up off the tiled floor in glee, "Please!" She begs, eager to see Troy's response.

Everyone has a different reaction, Max's was sitting up quickly in fright and Benley's was jumping straight up to his feet like some ninja, fists raised and all. I'm the one who almost had a heart attack. Benley was just about ready to knock me out cold. A fighting stance is something I expected from Grey or Lan, not innocent BoyBand. Gland would be so proud.

For all I know, Troy probably sleep walks. He might not even be in his bed. He always says he gets up early to train, but we all know that's a lie. He probably sleep walks to the fridge and calls it meditation or something.

"This should be good." Max rubs his hands together evilly as he follows me into Troy's room. He has no problem pulling pranks when he's not the victim. 

The first thing we notice upon entering is the drool seeping out from Troy's mouth. "Gross." Max pulls a face, not at all glad to see such a disgusting sight. Can't blame the guy. This has to be the first time I've seen Troy seemingly not looking like absolute perfection as he always claims. "Even has the eye mask on." Max points out, "The guy goes all out, even when sleeping."