Sophisticated Sharks and I'm Soaked and Covered in Glitter

Chapter Five: E-Harmony Fails & I Didn't Think I'd be Calling 911 so Soon

Four AM and I finally crash. For thirty minutes. Why thirty minutes? Because I heard a noise and woke up. So now I'm sitting petrified covered in my shock blanket. So I get off of the couch and army crawl my way to Chandler's room.

"I'm gonna sap your body heat," I say as I flop onto him.

"Holy frick, Elaina! Your feet are ice!" His feet jolt out of surprise.

"Your fault for being an idiot and not putting on a blanket." I sigh. "Now move over, I'm cold."

Chandler and I used to share beds all the time, and apparently I haven't outgrown that or maybe it's just because I've been a bit touch-starved since I was ten. Not leaving a farm for almost four years doesn't leave much room for friend and human physical contact. "With all that hair you'd think you'd be warm enough." Chandler teased.

To pay him back, I touched my foot to his leg. The jolt was satisfying and made me smile. I've missed our teasing of one another. We used to tease each other all the time, but the moment someone said something about either of us, someone was going to die. It's seems like yesterday I was pulled into the office for jumping on this kid Wyatt's back because he made fun of us. I think I might have as well punched him in the ribs.

I snuggle a bit closer and draw my knees to my chest. Warmth that's not from a cat feels good, and I wrap my arms around my torso. To calm me down from the remnants of fear from earlier, I hum 'Glory of Love'. Mom made all these CDs for the pickup and she would pick the randomest assortment of music ever. One second it's soothing Elvis Presley, the next it's 'Another one Bites the Dust' by Queen, followed by 'I Hate Myself for Loving You' by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Then it'd be an oldie straight out of the thirties. I never complain, though. The odd CDs are part of what make Mom Mom.

- MORNING -

I woke up on the floor somehow. But one thing was for certain—I wasn't cold anymore. I groaned and turned to look at my watch. Quarter to eleven, and I only wake up now? Certainly, Mom's home and needs me there to do whatever. "You up?" I asked groggily. No reply. I sighed. Chan was such a sleepyhead.

Rubbing my eyes, I wrapped myself in my shock blanket and went down to the kitchen. Gina was standing there enjoying coffee. "Good morning, Elaina Ann. Did you sleep well?" She greeted.

"G'morning, Mrs Riggs. I slept fine, how did you?" I replied, still tired.

"Oh, I was fine. I came up earlier, but you weren't on the couch in the bonus room."

"I got cold and went to sleep with Chan." I paused, staring at the cupboards. "Where's the cereal?" I asked. "Same place it's always been."

I shrugged and poured myself a bowl. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stay long. I need to go home to be with Mom." I said between bites. "That's understandable," Said Gina

After I eat some food, I trudge back up the stairs to shove on clean clothes. "Wake up, sleepyhead!" I yelled, mussing his hair. "I gotta go. See you on Monday," I said, mussing up his hair some more.

The walk home was boring. All I wanted to do now was go home, change into pyjamas since I don't care, plop onto the couch, and pop in the VHS of the Parent Trap we own. I just kind of want to drown out everything with movies. Yeah, I know I'm probably going to fall asleep halfway through, but it's better than actually laying down and staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep or to lose your sanity. But I can't do that since I have homework. Yeah, only literally one vocabulary term left for my History booklet, but that's still work.

Mom was home. "Hi honey, how was your sleepover?" She asked. I took no notice of whatever she was doing, just dumped my stuff on the floor and plunked myself into a chair at the table. "Cool. We slept with each other."