I think I know you

Icy Water and Pancakes - I think I know you chapter 1

"Ashy?"

"mhjshahfdhsui...."

"ASHY!"

"dmhfdjsefepoihf" I pulled the covers over myself and dived into them, muffling the voice.

"Ash!"

"dsohaoshd- AUGH!"

I was definitely out of my covers now and wide awake. Being wide awake was an understatement. I was painfully aware of the blinding sunlight that was streaming in through the large full length windows from the side of my bed and the freezing water that my bed was now drenched in. I couldn't have been more awake if I tried.

"Mommy said to do whatever it took to wake you up..."

A small voice quivered next to me.

As annoyed as I was by my rude awakening, I just couldn't resist those sweet green eyes staring at me ever so nervously.

"Are you..a-an-angry with m-me?"

"Of course n-"

I stopped myself just in time and decided I could have some fun with this situation.

"Of course I am, but I won't be if you would... Oh nevermind you wouldn't" 

I turned away from my little brother Shaun, who was sitting on the floor with his chestnut brown upturned in odd little places like an abandoned bird's nest, just in time to hide the smile that was slowly spreading across my lips.

"I would! I would I would I would! What do you want me to do?"

"Hmm.... I don't know..."

I spoke slowly, drawing out my every word while turning around so I would be in the perfect position to...

"Let me tickle you!"

I launched myself on him tickling him around the waist, under his arms, around his stomach, laughing as he squealed in response. Soon, the two of us were lying on the soft patterned rug that lay spread around my bed, breathless. Leaving Shaun to catch his breath I crossed the room to reach for the blinds that were strung with various clear crystal beads and pulled them close, causing any light that hit the windows to be shattered by the multi-faceted beads and spread across the room in an ethereal manner. I paused for a moment  to admire the effect and walked back to my bed, pulling Shaun up with me.

"C'mon kiddo. I forgive you but you're going to have to help me clear up my bed now! When I lift up the mattress you  pull the sheets away, got it?"

Shaun simply nodded, his head of floppy hair highlighted by the streaming light bristling.

"1..2...3!"

Augh. I had forgotten how heavy my bed was. After a couple more rounds we got the sheets off the bed and sheets piled up to our faces we heaved our load out of my room and down the stairs to greet my mom. Half-way down the spiraling stairs we were met by her single eyebrow which was raised in a quizzical fashion. I simply shook my head at Shaun and gave her a pointed you-have-no-idea look. 

After dumping our armload of laundry into the basket, we followed our noses to the breakfast table and happily started digging into the pile of pancakes that lay on the table waiting for us, accompanied by maple syrup and strawberry jam.

"Thanks Dad!"

I called over my shoulder at my father who was still standing over the stove whipping up a fresh batch of pancakes. In most families, the moms do the cooking. But in my family, I would eat what my dad cooked over what my mom cooked any day. Not that she cooked much actually. 

"Haha no problem but you should hurry up, you're going to be late for school soon, it's already 7.00am, you officially have half an hour to get ready!"

"Shoot!" 

Stuffing a pancake coated with both maple syrup, jam, oh and I almost forgot, butter, into my mouth, I dashed up the stairs again and burst into my closet, pulling out a pair of dark skinny jeans, a white long sleeve and a loose knitted poncho. All three in hand, I turned around and dumped them onto my freshly stripped bed. Still attempting to chew the sticky mess in my mouth I grabbed a brush and, noticing how much of a mess my fringe was, I gave up on simply trying to comb it down and began braiding it into a band around the top of my head. My brother and I looked nothing alike from afar. While he had a shock of chesnut hair and those pure green eyes, I had instead inherited my mother's strawberry blonde hair and grey eyes. By the time I was satisfied with the braid I was also finished with my breakfast and I began brushing my teeth while sourcing out my books and a bag. Yep, multi-tasking was a skill I'd perfected, having been a late riser all my life.

After throwing on my clothes, adding a belt, collecting my books and applying a dash of lip gloss I practically flew down the stairs, only to crash into my mom as she was walking back and forth clearing up the breakfast plates.

"Oh! I'm so sorry mom! Do you need me to help clear up?"

Being the amazing mother she was, instead of making me clear everything up she simply shook her head and smiled.

"It's fine, dear, go on to school before you're late. Hailey's already waiting for you outside!"

As I threw on my coat, grabbed my shoes and gave her one last hug I somehow knew that she was thinking what she was going to do with me. Shouting my goodbyes over my shoulder I dashed out of the door and grabbed my bicycle only to crash into someone for the second time this day. This time, it was Hailey that I'd bumped into.

With slightly mussed up red hair and emerald almond shaped eyes, Hailey was the spitting image of what I'd always imagined a pixie would look like.

"Hey clumsy oaf, let's go or we're really going to be late. It's the first day of the new school year! Even if you want a reputation for being late I certainly don't. Now shoo!"

With a shove, Hailey had me on my bike and off to start our first day at school.