The Step-Brother

Chapter 27: Christmas Eve PART 1

"Wake up," Jade whispered gently in Zach's ear. She had taken a shower, but before she did she thought she already woken Zach's sleepy form. When she returned though, to her dismay, he was still laying face down on the pillow still. When he didn't move this time she gave him a light pinch on his shoulder, which caused him to stir.

"What?" Zach moaned in his pillow and flipped to his side.

Jade smiled and began to tousle his hair with her fingers. When she heard him give a slight growl out of approval she started to give his scalp a gentle massage.

"That feels really good," Zach said.

Jade smirked and grabbed a handful of Zach's hair and yanked him, so that he could look at her.

"Ow, now that hurts," Zach grumbled out of pain.

"You have to get up," Jade said while giving his hair another tug. When she saw him grimace a bit at the jester she couldn't help but show a slight smirk. A crease played on his face that started from the corner of his nose and curved its way to the corner of his eye. Zach always seemed to make that face when he was a bit peeved or when he was being frustrated, irritated…or disgusted. Jade's smirk turned to a wide toothed grin when she could place that silly crease with more than one of his emotions. It made her feel as if she were meant to know every one of his expression, no matter how horribly vivid or overly gentle they were.

"Are you always violent in the mornings?" Zach asked curiously.

"No, only towards you," Jade laughed and let go of his hair. She quickly stood up when his arms dared to incase her forever in an embrace. "You were suppose to have been up a while ago, lazy."

Zach sat up and stretched. "I knew I felt someone attack me this morning," he smiled while commenting on Jade's harsh shoving and pushing earlier. 

"That was a sign for you to wake your lazy ass up," Jade commented. She scoffed when he laid his head back on his pillow. "Come on Zach, Liv wanted us to wake up and get dressed. Apparently, they aren't up just yet so we have to wake them up. I don't want to be responsible for ruining Olivia's trip just yet." She walked over to her side of the bed and grabbed one of the white pillows. When Zach didn't even make a move with one hard swing, Jade hit him with the pillow. Not only didn't she do it once, but a couple of times.

"Ok, ok, ok. I'm up, I'm up, I'm up," Zach groaned and jumped out of bed.

Jade threw the pillow, which was in her hand, back to where it was on the bed. She smiled out of accomplishment.

"Good," Jade said. She watched Zach lazily grab a bag from under the TV and head to the bathroom. "I'm going to wake up the happy couple that's across the room now. When I get back you better be ready."

"Yes malady," Zach chuckled as he entered the bathroom. 

When the bathroom door shut, Jade looked down at the disheveled bed deciding to leave it as it was for the minute. With a stretch and a yawn she looked around to catch the sight of a book laying on top of Zach's things. She merrily walked over to it and noticed it had a purple color and it was laying on it's front side. Looking at the bathroom door she picked the book up to read the title, "Forbidden Love", but the title wasn't what caught her off guard it was who it was by. Zach Harris!

"Give me that," Zach said while jerking the book out of her hand swiftly. 

Jade spun around. "I thought you weren't done with your book yet. Not only that, but it's been published already?" she said reaching out to grab the book again.

"Yes, but it hits the stores in two weeks," he said and backed closer to the bathroom.

Jade smiled playfully. "Well why can't you let me read it."