Just Kidding | ✔️

Chapter 45: Winter Break

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So, I've managed to make it past finals and so did the rest of the school. All thanks to my trusty survival guide, which consists of:

1. Three cups of coffee per day
2. The comfiest clothing you can find in your closet
3. Plenty of sleep
4. A lot of patience

"We did it!" Chloe and Riley jump around, I'd join but just watching them is making my head spin so I sit out on the mini dance party and wait until they've finished until I speak.

"Great, what do we do now though?"

"Uh," Riley pins her hair back with a small blue barrette. "We could go to Chloe's house, you have a hot tub right?"

"Oh, shit. I do!" She cheers.

"Alright, so your place?" I point at Chloe and with an enthusiastic nod, we all scurry to Riley's car and drive over to Chloe's place.

It's quiet when we're inside. Then out pops her mother from behind the wall, scaring the shit out of us. "Ah! Not again." Chloe cries.

"Oh, honey it's a little scare. Calm yourself." Pulling her daughter into her arms, she smiles over at Riley and I. "How are you two?"

"Not so good anymore." Riley quirks her brow at Chloe's mother, platinum blonde hair and a perfectly symmetrical face.

"The first two times were funny Ms.Maine but then it just went downhill from there." I admit, tugging on the strings of my backpack.

"Whatever." She waves is off, turning back to her daughter, she says. "I'm going out with some friends. I won't be back too late." Grabbing her purse, she begins walking out in a grey knee length skirt and black blouse.

"Bye!" We wave her off.

"Goodbye girls, nice seeing you again." Ms.Maine exits altogether and behind her the door shuts. Leaving the three of us alone with the natural sunlight casting in through the small dusty windows.

Since Chloe's dad left them two years ago, she and her mom had to move into a smaller home due to financial struggles. It measures the entire downstairs of Lora and James' house and only has one story but I've always adored the quaint style and homey feel to this place.

"Anyone want food?" Chloe asks, pointing to the rustic kitchen. Dishes pile up in the sink and a box of Chips Ahoy cookies are left half eaten on the counter top. Her mom never has been a perfectionist.

"I'll take these cookies." Riley picks up the blue packaging and carries it with her on our short trip to Chloe's bedroom. Inside is more tidy and smells less like furniture polish; more like the Hawaiian breeze AirWick juice.

Throwing my backpack down I fall back onto the bed, enjoying the feel of the bed sheets beneath me. The girls begin talking of plans for New Year's Eve but it's all mostly a blur in the haze that has overcome my thoughts. Instead I watch the slow rhythm of her fan moving in continuous circles.

Then there's a painful throbbing at my hip and, looking over I find Chloe's hand retracting from the gap between my leggings and t-shirt. "Ow! What was that for." I whine.

She and Chloe are staring at my hip rather stunned. "There's a gnarly looking bruise there." Riley goes to touch it but I roll away, right onto the floor. Landing on my arm which oddly enough hurts like a motherfucker.