Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"WHERE ARE YOU?" the angry voicemail from her brother Kaelyn found herself listening to at six in the morning demanded. After a moment, the voice of her distraught brother sighed, "Kae, I'm not mad anymore, okay? I just want to know that you're safe and I want you home."
She paused the voicemail and turned off her phone before it could finish. Staring at the blank screen for a moment she caved and opened her messages, sending a brief "I'm safe," to her brother but not daring to elaborate.
"Come on, kids, even refugees have to go to school," May shouted through the apartment, knocking on the guest room's doorframe to wake up Kae (even though she was already awake), "You need a change of clothes, sweetheart?"
Kaelyn shook her head, "I can have my friend bring me some, thank you, though, Ms. Parker."
"I've told you to call me May, Ms. Parker makes me feel old," the woman shook her head, "S-M-H."
"May, did you just say S-M-H out loud?" a groggy Peter asked from down the hallway.
She scoffed, "I was trying something out! Trying to relate with my cool teens! It didn't work, sue me!"
Kaelyn giggled, already feeling better about the morning. There was something alien about waking up in the Parker apartment. It felt like home yet slightly off. The girl sighed, shooting off a text to Beth in a plea for some spare clothes so she didn't have to show up looking ragged in yesterday's outfit. God knows that would only fuel the flaming rumors that she was sleeping with every boy in the school. Thankfully, Beth already responded, happily obliging.
"Sorry about her," Peter came straggling into the doorway, his hair rustled from sleep and his voice cracking, "She can be a lot in the morning. You almost ready to go?"
The redhead nodded, running her fingers through her long hair as she looked around at her surroundings. After a moment, she turned back to Peter, "Thank you for letting me stay here. And for letting me rant to you about my shitty family life." She laughed, yet it lacked humor or glee in any form, "Sorry, I hate to be a burden, I won't bug you after today."
"You don't bug me," Peter deflected, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe using his shoulder. "You're not as bad as you think, Kae, I actually kind of like having you around."
"I kind of like having you around, too," the girl said with a real laugh, trying to hide her smile, "But don't tell anyone I said that or I'll cut you."
"Sure thing," Peter held up his hands in surrender. Just as he was about to leave, he turned and said one last thing, "Oh, and by the way, you might wanna brush your hair. Not even you can rock bedhead, Kae."
