A Slave to Love

Chapter 6: Sinbad and Robin Reunited

"Katie," I sang, creeping up on her still form under the covers. "Wake up."

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, rolling over.

"No," I said firmly, yanking the blankets clear right off of her.

She shivered, curling into a ball while I shook her.

"Katie!" I whined, "We have to get ready for school and breakfast!"

"Mmmm, breakfast."

"Nate's waiting for us at the table," I added, hoping that might be enough incentive. "He's going to be mad if we're late."

With a gasp she sat up and she leapt out of bed, checking the time quickly before she snatched clothes out of her drawers and hurried into the bathroom.

Obviously, Nate was her weak point. Good to know.

I waited for her just outside the door, tapping my flip-flopped foot impatiently. One thing I loved about this boarding school was that there were no uniforms; you could wear whatever you wanted...within reason of course.

About five minutes later Katie emerged from the bathroom, her short blonde hair was fixed all nice around her petite pixie like face and her big green eyes looked bright, mascara accentuating them. She hardly looked like she just rolled out of bed. That made one of us at least.

I brushed my hair. I think.

She took me by my wrist. "Come on! I'm starving!"

I laughed as she practically dragged me down the hallway. So much for that shy girl I had met yesterday; Katie was clearly starting to warm up to me after hanging out all of last night.

"You're the one who wouldn't get out of bed until I mentioned Nate," I teased.

She skidded to a stop, flushing deeply. "I got out of bed because of breakfast," she said weakly.

I slung an arm around her shoulders, which was easy being so much taller. "Honey, you can't lie to me. Anyone with eyes and a functioning brain could see you like him."

"Do you think anyone else knows?"

"I don't know. I'm observant, not psychic." 

"Don't tell anybody about it, please," Katie pleaded with me as we crossed the lawn to the cafeteria.

"I won't," I promised. I'd hate it if anyone did that to me and it was so not my place to meddle.

"Don't tell anybody what?" a voice asked as an arm fell around my shoulders.

Landon.

I shook his arm off. "None of your business," I said curtly, spotting Nate sitting at a table when we entered. I waved to him before getting in line to get breakfast with Katie and Landon standing behind me.

"Aww, don't be like that," he said.

"Really? What happened to 'don't touch me' and 'I can respect that?'"

He shrugged. "That was yesterday."

I didn't say anything else as I collected my breakfast and stomped off to go sit with Nate.

"Ooh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Nate teased.

"I was fine until he showed up." I pointed at Landon.

"He's going to ask you out really soon then," Nate said. As if pissing me off was some super smooth move designed to pick up chicks.

"And what about you?" I asked, keeping my eyes on Katie and Landon, making sure they were still in line so they wouldn't hear my conversation with Nate.