Tweetie

38

The boy stepped back, brushing his fluffy brown hair out slightly before moving towards the front door, a smirk on his lips as he walked out of the house.

Hazel assumed, or she hoped, that he was referring to a dog named Mister and that by not leaving anything out to chew, he didn't mean their dad.

The group stood, all glancing between each other for only a moment until they eventually continued through the simple house, moving towards a door that led downstairs. Hazel followed after, her eyes wandering constantly in an attempt to take everything in. Photos on the walls of a dog, a tall broad man, Oscar and his brother Matthew as younger kids playing out in an open field. There was also a photo of Oscar sitting at a piano, bringing a tilt to Hazels head out of curiosity.

Soon enough, she had followed the group down carpeted stairs into a room filled with beanbags, a tv, an old couch and a piano which only made Hazel more curious. How the hell did they get a piano down there?

"Ooh, beanbags," Hazel cooed, completely prepared to jump onto the pile. However, Joel beat her to it.

He abandoned his belongings and leapt onto the pile, falling and burying his face away from sight as the others scattered around, Leo and Fox sat on the couch comfortably, their legs crossed as they sunk and let long sighs escape them. Oscar dropped himself onto the carpeted floor, sprawling out as he stared up at the ceiling and Ryan walked past him, dropped onto Joel and laid on top of him in an attempt to annoy the younger boy who released a short 'oof'.

"Oscar, didn't you say there were pancakes?" Leo asked, patting the space between him and Fox, indicating for Hazel to sit down with them which she gladly did.

"...I don't want to move."

"I won't force you to do Maths on Monday."

"Okay."

It didn't take very much persuasion and as Hazel passed the purple-haired boy, he pushed himself up to his feet, stretching his arms over his head before dragging himself away. Meanwhile, Hazel dropped herself down, instantly sinking between the pair.

They remained silent for a while, simply taking a moment to finally relax after a particularly long week that had brought Hazel more stress and self-loathing than any other. She had faced the same thing every day, the same dreaded thoughts questioning herself and her worth, wondering whether she was even heading in the right direction. It was agony.

"You should nap," Fox said, turning to glance at Hazel who stared down at her lap in thought. She turned, looking up at him to show that she was listening. "You've been tired all week," he continued, "at least you're not busy right now. You should spend your time well."

"If I spent my time well, I'd be busy right now." She said but continued to sink further, her hands rubbing her eyes in the hope that they would wash the tiredness away.

"Busy sleeping."

"You got me there," she laughed drowsily, her eyelids growing heavier the comfier she got. "But I want pancakes."

"They're not going anywhere."

"I don't know," she hummed, fighting a losing battle against sleep. "...Maybe Ryan will eat them..."

"Why would I want your...pan.. ca..."

She wasn't awake long enough to hear Ryan's retaliation, fortunately. And as she drifted to sleep, Oscar returned, piles of plates in one hand and in his other, a plate filled with pancakes his brother had made after Oscar's request.

Ryan laid silently, his mind heavy and the sky outside darkening already only ten minutes after they got to Oscar's house.