3 Simple Steps

SIX: Goodbye, Dignity

"Sugar Cube, your mom's not home right?" Cas whispered into my ear as we crept up the stairs in my house. They groaned stubbornly under our weight.

"Uh. She shouldn't be. But my brother might be home so shut up," I hissed.

Cas gave me a lopsided grin and tiptoed to my bedroom. If my brother came out of his room and saw me bringing Cas home I would never hear the end of it. Or worse, he'd blackmail me. Thank God that my mom worked late, or else this wouldn't be happening.

Once we were in my room I plopped down on the bed and heaved a sigh of relief. Cas should be safe as long as he stayed in my room, and didn't whine...like he was starting to do.

"I feel dirty," he started. "I need a shower!" I clamped my hand over his mouth and the corner of his startlingly-blue eyes crinkled up from laughter.

"You took one this morning!" I hissed. Cas shrugged and flicked my hand away from his mouth. It was so perfect and full-and get yourself together, Alexis!

"I know, but I was touched by so many girls," he said dramatically, placing a hand on his forehead and swooning.

"Hey, cut that out. My brother is down the hall, okay?" I mumbled, shoving an oversized T-shirt and shorts in his face. "Also, I can't get you new boxers...my brother's home." An idea popped into my head. "Or maybe he's doing laundry and has some in the dryer. Stay."

Cas nodded and went to work on flinging clothes out of my drawers so he could get a towel.

***

Five minutes later Cas was in the shower singing horribly. Mumbling about how this was worse than babysitting a five-year-old, I got to work on my homework. The problems seemed to float around my head with my lack of concentration. This day's events kept flashing in my head:

*Cas appearing out of nowhere

*Confessing about the book to my friends

*Genesus telling me that Adriana was to blame

*Joel being mad at me

It had been such a bad day...and that was an understatement. Startling me out of my depressing thoughts, a loud knock echoed loudly throughout the lonely bedroom. Before I could reply, the door swung open and my mom stood by the entrance, her face a stormy expression.

"Alexis! You haven't done your chores!" She said, extremely pissed off. I stared at her guiltily; with all of the day's crazy events I had completely forgotten. Yet again, before I could answer, she interrupted. Her brown eyes had gone to the bathroom door and noticed the lights on. The sound of running water was heard through the door faintly.

"Who's in there?" She demanded.

Swallowing thickly, I racked my brain for an excuse. Luckily, the clothes Cas had strewn all over the floor and bed gave me an idea.

"I was going to hop in the shower just now. See?" I picked up a random T-shirt and my mom exhaled slowly. It was her calming-down process.

"Well I have to pay for the water you don't use. Hurry up and get in there."

She was't going to budge until she was sure I was in the bathroom. But Cas was in there! Picking up undergarments, a towel, and shorts, I walked to the bathroom door and put my hand on the handle. Maybe Cas had locked it and my mom was going to unlock the door thinking I had locked myself out. And that would be bad. Luckily, though, when I twisted the handle, the door swung open easily. Relief flooded through me. My mom continued to stand there, her hand on her hip.