BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
I groan, swinging an arm over to silence my irritating alarm. Lying back down, I rub the sleep from my eyes, stretching my arms out afterwards. For at least a minute, I forget, and it's just another weekday morning. I haven't even noticed the sleeping figure lying next to me until I sit up and touch warm flesh. Stifling a scream, I look down to see Sam fast asleep, and sigh in relief. I can tell by his bare arms that he's topless, and smile when I realise he had constructed a pillow barrier between us.
'aw, he's so sweet,' I think to myself, watching him breathe evenly in his sleep. It's true when they say everyone looks younger when they're asleep. Sam looks like just like the boy he was when I met him three years ago, all the securities and walls he puts up melting away with his dreams.
"it's weird to watch people sleep, you know," Sam suddenly remarks, not even opening is eyes. I jump, then blush at being caught.
"sorry, I.." I begin to explain myself, when it all comes flooding back. I gasp quietly, remembering. The party, shouting at Jake, the accident... I feel a hand on my arm as tears spring to my eyes, and then Sam's up next to me, pulling me to the comfort of his chest.
"shh, it's okay," Sam soothes, as I try to swallow the tears back. I let myself lie against his warmth for a while as I compose myself, then move away. Sam's face is etched with concern, and I squeeze his hand, before getting out of bed, Grabbing a random jumper and my black jeans on my way to the shower. The hot water runs alongside the tears that escape, as I recount the events from yesterday. There's a knock at the door, and I turn the shower off to ask who's there.
"er, me?" Sams voice replies, and I get out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me.
"I just uh, I need to shower and we have like 20 minutes.." Sam said, hesitantly. I open the door, and see he's leaning against the wall, running his hand through his hair awkwardly.
"go ahead," I say, smiling.
I quickly get dressed, and search for my hair dryer. Checking the time, I realise Sam was right; we did only have about 20 minutes to get ready and go to school. I switched the hair dryer on, after plugging it in, and set to drying my brown hair. Because of the loud hum of my hairdryer, I didn't hear my bedroom door open, or hear my mum walk into my room. It was only when I felt a hand over mine, taking the hairdryer from me, that I noticed.
I turned, and guilt crept into my stomach as I took in my mother's exhausted appearance. The hair dryer was still on and my hair was still damp, but I hugged her tight anyway. She didn't know yet, that I was the reason Jake and my sister were driving solace at night, when Jake wasn't completely sober, probably fuming at being shamed in front of the school. When she does find out, I dread to think what she'll do. Will she tell me to leave? Where would I go, if she did? It's too dangerous if I'm out on my own. after running away for so long, it'd be stupid of me to leave the first place we've managed to hide well enough in.
"honey, what's wrong?" my mum asks, looking concerned, as she finished drying my hair for me. I shake my head, and force a small smile on my face. I don't know what to say, so just sit down next to where she's settled herself on my bed.
"Kayla, I don't know how to tell you, but your sister and Jake were involved in a car accident yesterday. It's not confirmed, but the police say it looks like Jake was drunk. I've been at the hospital all..." I stop my mum midway her sentence, and tell her I know already. She nods to herself, before looking up at me again.
"there's something else, Kayla. I... I think Jake and your sister were.. Well I think," again, I interrupt her.
"they were together behind my back. Jake cheated on me. I know," I finish for her, and my mum hugs me to her side.
