—BROKEN PIECES, jonah marais.
00.03 — PRANKING CALEB
❝ I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. ❞
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The sound of boys running through the hallway filled my ears, making me groan into my pillow out of frustration. They're probably getting ready to leave to the studio, again.
I turned to my side and proceeded sleeping since it's almost eight a.m. and I only slept for about an hour and a half. Or that's what I had planned.
Why can't it just be that simple?
Because the next thing I heard was shouting, loud voices trying to interact with each other like they couldn't just find each other to normally talk to another.
The house isn't that big.
Shoving my face further into my pillow, I mentally wished the noises they were making would disappear. But it only got louder, footsteps storming up and down the stairs on a rapid pace. Someone then barched inside my room and I heard something landing on my desk, harshly. I decided to ignore it since I knew it was just one of them, bringing breakfast.
Eventually, I heard the door getting closed and soon the front door so I could sleep in silence again.
Or so I thought. I was awake for far too long, so there's no way I'll be able to fall asleep anymore.
"Oh how much I love living here." I mumbled and removed the covers from me. Pulling the curtains aside, I had to adjust myself to the amount of light shining straight into my eyes. My desk was still filled with the pencils and sketch book from last night, making it easy for me to start drawing again.
Hearing how my stomach begged for some food, I glanced over at the plate and took two bites of the apple, not even giving the bread the time of the day. And knowing the boys weren't home anymore, it gave me a free pas to head downstairs, holding the plate in my hands.
I still don't really know the whole house, but I also don't feel like I should. I hope to be out of here soon anyways, so why trying to get comfortable in the meanwhile?
It didn't take me long to find the garbage can in the kitchen, tossing my food in the trash before I made myself some tea and a glass of water. Once I reached my room again, I grabbed the bottles with medicines.
After that, I went back to drawing while listening to music.
[~ ☽︎✫︎☾︎ ~]
With a smile I let the pencil slip from underneath my touch, having the underlines before I finished it off with charcoal.
I really love the finally result. ⬇️
(A/N I found this online, so all credits go to the artist of this master piece. )
Closing my sketch book and turning to look at the time, the digits displayed one p.m. meaning I had the whole afternoon ahead of me, having no idea what to do.
This is gonna be so boring.
[~ ☽︎✫︎☾︎ ~]
Watching YouTube, taking my medicines, coming up with a few ideas for new sketches— and before I knew it, I heard the boys coming home again around four.
I think I counted two of them when they ran upstairs, shutting the door closed behind them with some force. The other three—I'm guessing— turned on the tv on a high volume, causing me to hear it all the way up in my room.
Rolling my eyes out of annoyance, I put my AirPods in and continued with my drawings.
Eventually though, I decided to stop and get some rest since I was still a bit tired of my first work 'day' yesterday. I pulled my hair in a messy bun and turned my music to a very low volume before closing my eyes and falling asleep.
[~ ☽︎✫︎☾︎ ~]
After all this time, the ceiling looked like the most interesting thing at the moment. It gave my thoughts the opportunity to rise up again, some of them making me anxiously play with the ring around my fingers.
Do you ever feel alone? Even tho the house is full of people? You're just feeling like there's nobody around you and nobody understands you?
I got that a lot.
I mean, I know I live here with five other boys—but still. I feel so alone. You can hear them laughing, yelling, singing.....they're having so much fun while I'm up here, in my room, drawing and having those bad thoughts surrounding me.
And that every single day.
After my little 'mood' was over, I took a shower, got changed into my uniform way too early— did my hair and just stared at my drawings, fixing a couple of them, being the perfectionist that I am.
The sound of my phone ringing made me jump slightly, a notification popping up.
*'Ash❤' wants to Face Time you*
I moved my sketch book aside, accepting the call almost immediately. "Hi." I waved.
"Hey little sis, how are yah?" Ashley smiled cheekily at the nickname, making me laugh. "How was your first day at work yesterday?"
"Good."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Only good?"
"Yeah, good." I nodded. "But I got home around half past six in the morning, so you could guess I was a little tired."
She looked at me with wide eyes, gears squeaking in her head. "You what? Skyler!"
I rolled my eyes playfully. "It's no big deal, Ash. My shift starts at eight p.m. and I finish at six a.m. Or, at least yesterday I did. But I can handle it, besides, I'm not alone." I tried to reassure.
She still gave me an odd look.
"Oh, and I met a girl—Kenzie—yesterday, and she's my new colleague and she's quite nice. There's also a boy named Caleb and Kenzie is gonna fully introduce me to him tonight since only his name through her and my boss. But anyways, Kenzie said he's nice, funny and kinda lazy— but she warned me about his pranks." I smiled a little.
The corner of Ashley's mouth curved up, an excited smile playing. "So you made a friend?"
"One, you're making me feel like a little kid." I laughed. "Two, yeah, we're friends."
Ashley's face only lit up more and more.
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Don't Ashley, 'cause I know what you're about to say." I warned.
"Fine." Ashley shrugged. "I won't say it."
"So how is it back there at home?"
"Good, I guess. I don't know honestly, I'm not a lot at home. I'm mostly going out with friends and stuff."
I nodded. At least one of us has a social life.
"You should go out too." My sister suggested, like she had read my mind. "Have some fun while you're in LA."
"I'll think about it." I shrugged with a small sigh. "You know there is a huge chance that it will trigger my anxiety attacks."
"I know but you can't stay inside your whole life."
"Who's says I want a whole life." I mumbled.
"What?" Ashley's eyebrows were furrowed. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you, the neighbors are holding a party and their music is hella loud."
"No." I faked a smile. "It's nothing."
She sent me a small nod. "Sorry Sky, but I gotta go. Tommy is gonna pick me up in half an hour."
I raised an eyebrow. "Tommy?"
"He's this boy I met at Starbucks. He asked me out on a date yesterday."
Rolling my eyes playfully, I smiled cheekily with a wave. "Well, have fun then."
"Thanks, bye Sky!" She waved back and ended the call.
I put my phone down and sighed, looking down at my hands with a small frown.
With her, everything goes so easy.
She has lots of friends, guys who have crushed on her, she's talented....and absolutely the sweetest girl you'll ever meet. She's an total extrovert. Nobody would believe us if we told them we're sisters.
We're so opposites.
I looked from my hands to the window instead, getting up to walked over and look at the view.
So pretty. It's the only plus side of living here.
When the door got openend, I didn't even bother to turn around, feeling the presence of the boys. I noticed they stayed a few seconds longer than usual before leaving. I didn't really care though, and just kept on looking at the sky before moving back to my desk to eat.
After three bites I threw the rest in the garbage can and just listened to some music while taking my medicines, waiting for the time to pass by.
I smiled a little as I slid in my Vans, grabbed my stuff and opened the window, actually forgetting for a moment that I had to climb down again. Nobody heard or saw me—I think—and I started to make my way to the coffee shop.
"Hey, Sky."
Walking inside, I saw the smiling blonde already standing behind the counter. "Hey Kenz."
She immediately came up to me for a hug, causing me to back away a little. "Oh, right, sorry." Kenzie sent me an apologizing smile.
"Don't worry about it. So where's Caleb?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"He's in the back. He told me he would look in the storage but everybody knows that that's his code for 'playing games on his phone'." She chuckled. "He'll come soon enough and then I'll officially introduce you to him." I nodded and smiled a little.
And Kenzie was right. After half an hour he came back and leaned against the wall while Kenzie helped a costumer.
Listening to the coffees machine, I watched the black liquid drop down into my cup and quietly enjoyed it when I was done. There were only a few people inside, talking, and I found it peaceful to watch them have fun interacting.
"Hi, I'm Caleb! You're Skyler, right?"
I squealed a little, dropping my coffee out of shock and spilling the hot liquid all over the counter. "Shit." I gasped before turning to the source, standing face to face with my brunette colleague.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Wait, I'll make you a new one."
"It's okay, you don't have to." I told him, shyly, quickly grabbing a cloth to clean up the mess I had made.
He looked up at me and shook his head lightly. "I want to." Caleb simply answered with a sweet smile, and in a few minutes he handed me a new one, just when I tossed the dirty cloth in the laundry basket.
"Thank you." I accepted the coffee, feeling the heat warm up my hands. "And yes, I'm Skyler." I informed, answering his previous question.
He smiled at me. "Kenzie told me a little about you. She said you're not really much of a talker."
I nodded and took a sip of my coffee.
"Well, Kenzie talks a lot, she never shuts up."
"Yeah, I got that yesterday." I laughed a little, taking another sip while noticing Kenzie smiling at us.
She approached us with a grin, holding a tray underneath her arm. "I see you two have met." She put tray on the counter while Caleb and I nodded. Kenzie clapped her hands together. "So, that was the last costumer."
I raised an eyebrow and glanced around the room, noticing how the other few people had already left.
It really was the last costumer.
"What are we gonna do now?" Kenzie crossed her arms with a sigh. "We still have to work for hours."
Caleb chuckled as he jumped on the counter. "Well, I don't know about you but I'm gonna enjoy it while it last and catch some sleep." He shrugged and spun around to jump off again, running to a big couch which was seated next to a table in the back of the shop.
Raising my eyebrow, I chuckled quietly. "He is lazy."
Kenzie laughed, nodding. "Told yah." She then turned to me and smiled. "Now, let's talk. I got a lot of stuff that happened to me today and I need to share it with someone." Excitement laced in her voice.
I smiled a little, mentally preparing myself for all the talking she was gonna do.
And without warning, she started to tell a story about her older brother. Something that happened in the mall— and a lot of other stuff I couldn't keep up with.
Boy does this girl talk.
[~ ☽︎✫︎☾︎~]
"You sure we should do this?" I asked hesitantly as we approached the still sleeping Caleb.
"Of course!" Kenzie whispered, slightly wincing when she heard the loud tone in her voice. She tilted her head, looking at me expectantly. "Phone?"
I held mine up and started recording while Kenzie was holding a cup of water in her hands.
She counted silently with her fingers 'til five before throwing the water on Caleb, causing him to wake up with a loud scream. We both laughed as he turned to us.
"What the— Kenzie!" He shouted and she made a run for it. He chased after her and I covered my mouth from laughing, still filming them.
"That's payback for last time!" Kenzie yelled as Caleb was close. "You shouldn't have pushed me to that group of hot guys! I wasn't ready yet!" She exclaimed.
Chairs fell to the ground as the two pushed past them in a haste. "Ready with what?" Caleb shouted after her.
"With not embarrassing myself! They now think I'm crazy!"
This continued on and on for a while, so I took the chance to sit down on a dry spot on the couch and just watched them being weird.
[~ ☽︎✫︎☾︎ ~]
The cold air blew in my face we exited the shop since the other employees started their shift, so we could leave.
"See you tonight again, Skyler." Both Caleb and Kenzie waved at me with a smile when the three of us stood outside.
I smiled back. "Bye." After sending them a wave, I started my way walk back home.
It was actually kinda fun tonight. I'm only afraid that Caleb is gonna take revenge since he found out I was the one that recorded everything a little too late.
Reaching through my pockets I found my AirPods and turned my music on, it being my soundtrack to the whole way back.
My window was open—like I left it—and I climbed my way back up again, struggling just a little in the end. I tossed my bag next to my bed and dropped down on it, moving myself under the covers after I had found the energy to get changed into my pj's and brushed my teeth.
But if every day at work was going to be like that, I'm sure LA is not gonna be that bad.
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[ last edited, January 10th, 2022. ]