Just a Piece of the Action

Chapter 4

"The essence of true friendship is to make allowance to another's little lapses."
-David Storey-

He we are again!

*drums*

The present-day's chapter is about...

*drums*

Moving in!

*drums*

You can stop drumming now, I've finished the announcement...

*drums*

CHERYL!

*dru...* Oh, uh, sorry!

Pay attention Lazy Smurf!

If I'm Lazy smurf, then you'll be Smurfette!

Because of my angelic golden hair?

Oops, sorry, my fault. I meant Brainy Smurf.

Kissy kissy...

Back back!
So, where are we in our story, now that we settled that?

Our younger selfs are currently sleeping peacefully in your four-poster...

But they'll wake up soon,won't they? Mean like, I don't wanna sit here forever, waiting for them.

We decide when they'll wake up, remember...

Oh, right, so NOW!

When I openend my eyes slowly, a bit insecure about whether yesterday had been true or just a dream, I found Cheryl watching me, her grey eyes were sparkling in a single ray of sunlight shining through the heavy red curtains.
I smiled and wanted to keep this warm feeling in my stomach forever, the happiness that everything that had happened yesterday had been real life, the notion that I had probably found the very rare thing called true friendship and the knowledge that today would become at least as much fun as yesterday evening.
Cheryl grinned and held up her medallion. "Good morning sleepy head of hair sister", she chuckled, "Finally awake then you are?"

There was a time when you slept longer than I did?!

Can't believe it either but yes, seems like there was...

Blimey, how little sleep did I need??

Or how much did I need?

"What's the time?", I mumbled, ignoring her sarcasm. "Time to get up!", was her only answer and without a single word of warning she pulled open the curtains. The sudden light glared me and I closed my eyes quickly, squealing: "Rita! How do you dare?!" Cheryl cackled with laughter and pushed me off her bed. "Whoa!", I screamed when my body hit the cold floor, "What for heaven's sake...?" "Time to get up!", Cheryl laughed and jumped on top of me. "Rita you fat gobbet!", I gasped but gradually my eyes were getting used to the light and I went over to a counter attack.
"Jessica, no!", Cheryl squealed as I started to tickle her. "Oh yes", I laughed, "That's my bloody revenge!" "Mercy!", she squeaked, "Mercy!"
"Never!", I grinned and continued.
However, she freed herself after a while and with a dangerous glitter in her eyes she raised her hands. "Jessica", her voice a hoarse whisper, "Are you ticklish too?"
"No", I said, probably a bit too quick which caused her to grin threateningly and she drew closer.
I jumped up, just fast enough to escape her hands, and ran to the door, pulling it open and leaving the room. Cheryl was behind me, giggling as I was, hunting her prey, me, downstairs and towards an open door. I rushed into the room... And stopped utterly silent. Obviously I had found the living room, judging from the three big sofas standing along the walls. The odd thing was just that three people laid on those couches, sleeping. Cheryl came sliding to a halt beside me. She just took one glance before she quickly stuffed her hand into her mouth to hold back the laughter. The three people were my family, Mommy and Daddy on the bigger sofas and Lance on a small one in the middle, his bare feet hanging over the edge. I quickly pushed Cheryl out of the room, closed the door - and then we collapsed giggling.
"What's so funny, Miladies?", a deep voice interrupted us suddenly. I watched up alarmed, but it was just Mr. Cruddington and his one eyebrow was twitching with amusement. "We didn't know they were staying for the night...", Cheryl replied, at least trying to sound polite. "Well, after we more or less invited one of them", her dad answered, winking at me, "We thought they could just as well stay all. Plus!", he added, "And that is the main reason, it was still raining at one am and Doll just couldn't bear the thought of them sleeping in an all empty and cold flat, nor did she want them to get wet again, so..."
I nodded and felt how the excitement caught me, today we would move in! I would have a new room, maybe a big one, with the sun shining in in the morning... I hadn't seen the house from the inside yet and I was keen on exploring it!
"When is brekkie?", I heard Cheryl asking and my attention was at the conversation again. "Brekkie?", I asked, my stomach growling questioning too. Mr. Cruddington laughed, he had a deep, hearty laughter, and a loud one, suddenly the door to the living room opened and Mommy slipped out. "Morning darling", she yawned, "Morning Rita and hey, Ted!". I expected Daddy to appear behind her, as he was Ted but then Mr. Cruddington answered: "Hilda, how was your sleep? I hope the couch was comfortable?" "Excellent", Mommy said with a smile and... "Stop", I burst out, "You're called Ted too?" "Jessica!", Mommy hissed, her cheeks turning slightly pink but Mr. Cruddington just laughed. "That's right Jessica", he meant. "Eh?", Cheryl piped up, "Is there anyone else named Ted?" "My dad!", I shouted and we both burst into laugter. Mommy and Ted exchanged looks but then Mommy meant: "Yeah, such a coincidence!" and the two of them laughed a bit too.