The Kid Next Door

Chapter 8

***Link***

I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. Four in the morning. I had to get up in a few hours for work and Jeremy has to go to school. I sat up and moved against the backboard of my bed. The sink turned on in the kitchen and off again. I got up and went out to the kitchen to see Jeremy sipping on a glass of water.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" He asked. I shook my head and reached into the cupboard and grabbed a glass. I filled it up and sat on the counter.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked trying to start a conversation.
"Yeah, sure." He said and crawled onto the counter.

"Yeah. Me neither. How's your nose feeling? Need any pain killers or anything?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Montana." He said randomly.

"What?" I laughed.

"My parents. Last time I knew, they were in Montana." He looked up at me. "Jamie and Lily maverick with my little brother Jamie Jr., or JJ." He paused, "think that's why he was the favorite?" He said and looked up at me. I shrugged and he continued, "my sister, Bailey is in Michigan."

"Why doesn't she take you?" I ask and he shrugs.

"She doesn't want me. Nobody really does. I dont blame them. I don't even want me." He said and laughed. I hopped off my counter and dumped out the rest of my water.

"Want to watch tv?" I asked, "I have one in my room. You can lie in my bed." He shrugged, jumped down, and put his empty cup in the sink. We went to my room and he crawled into my bed and cuddled down under the blankets. I got on the other side and grabbed the tv remote and handed it to him. He looked at it for a second and pressed a button. He flipped through some channels until he stopped on Cartoon Network.

"What's this?" He asked watching the screen delightfully.

"Uhhh. I don't known the show. Check the guide." I suggested and he started down at the remote for a few seconds before pressing a button and the screen went blue with the guide showing 'Teen Titans' (legit my fave show on CN).

"Can we watch this?" He asked and looked hopefully at me. I nodded, yawned, and lie backwards onto my pillow with intentions of falling asleep.

***Jeremy***

The little green guy, Beast Boy I think, is my favorite. He can change into a bunch of different animals and he's adorable and funny.

I had been watching Cartoon Network for a few hours with shows like 'The Amazing World of Gumball' and 'Steven Universe'. I hadn't even realized how long it had been until Link's alarm clock went off at six. Link groaned and turned it off and said "Why are you still awake?" Very groggily.

"I don't know. I just didn't sleep." I laughed and he rolled out of the bed. "Do I have to go to school, Link?"

"Yes. School is important. You have to go. How's your nose feeling?" He asked as he opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a shirt.

"It hurts. A lot. I don't think I can go to school." I whined and he shot me a glare after taking off his shirt and replacing it with one that had a cool looking wolf on it.

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to take some more pain killers and go to school."

"But, Li-"

"No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You're going to school." He said sternly while putting on different pants.

"Link, please. The kid at school broke my nose and if he sees it all bandaged up, he'll make fun of me for it." I said and looked down at the blanket.

He was silent. "Please, Link." I pleaded some more. He signed in defeat and said "fine. You can't stay here though. You can come with me to work."

"Yes." I whispered quietly to myself and got up to get ready to go. I ran over to my apartment and put on a red shirt and my other pair of socks. I brushed my teeth and went back over to Link's apartment and we left.