Everyone is looking at me funny. I try to ignore them as I take a bite of my food.
"Guys, I'm hungry. Just here eating. I'm fine." I sigh out, but they continue to watch me, treating me like a delicate child. I roll my eyes and take a bite.
Sloppy joes. My ultimate favorite. No idea why but the flavor, the texture, just brings pure joy to my tastebuds.
"Who made these again?" I question and they all stay quiet.
Evan clears his throat before he raises his hand.
"They're good. Bad part on you, I will be bugging you to make these for me every chance I get." I take another bite and I catch Sawyer smirk as his dazzling eyes watch me eat. He's sitting in a chair, laid back and relaxed, his arms crossed. He seems almost calm.
"Can you guys explain what happened?" I ask, again. They've all explained it at least twenty times but I don't remember any of it.
"You were acting wild." Evan chimes in.
"You were screaming nonsense." Jospeh says and I look at all of them, my face tinging red.
"I don't remember doing that." I tell them and they chuckle as if they don't believe me.
"You were mad howling at Sawyer. He was panicking." Jospeh laughs, and Sawyer rolls his eyes.
"I was not panicking." He bites back, playfully.
"Then you just stopped breathing." Jospeh says quietly, and everyone looks down at me sadly.
"Sawyer was down here trying to revive you but nothing worked. You were dead." Evan creases his eyebrows not believing in any word coming out of his mouth can be true, and I nod, confused as well.
I look to Sawyer whose relaxed nature seems to be broken. His hands ball into fists and he's biting his jaw.
"Okay, that's enough." Sawyer says and he kicks everyone out.
"I don't remember anything, you have to believe me." I plead to Sawyer, he turns to me confused as he closes the door.
"What?" He questions.
"What did I say to you?" I question, trying to get something out of him.
"It doesn't matter. And I believe you." He gives me a soft smile. I feel slightly relieved but he will always remember everything I said. Especially if I was saying crazy things or even embarrassing things.
"Can you get me another sloppy joe?" I question, my eyes hopeful as I hand him back my empty plate.
"I saved your life and I'm reduced down to your maid?" He questions and I smile.
"Like the person who saved my life or like the person who makes the best sloppy joes?" I question, weighing my options out on my hands. "I think I'll go with the guy who made these sloppy joes." I raise my left hand higher than my right. "Sorry Sawyer, looks like Evan wins." I fake pout and he rolls his eyes.
He takes the plate from my hand and he walks out. I sigh out and look around the room. The only thing I remember is the excruciating pain. It felt like my body was melting from the inside. The weird thing is, I remember when I was dead. I remember what Sawyer was saying, except my body was coursing with rage that I didn't care. I was dead, how was I still hearing everything?
Sawyer walks back in and I immediately hide my worry with a smile. He gives me a suspicious look and I roll my eyes.
"Took you long enough. I'm hungry." I stretch out my hands to get to the plate quicker but he lifts it over his head.
"Only if you're honest about what you're feeling and how you're feeling." He almost scolds, as he makes me promise him. I narrow my eyes,
"Fine. Right now I'm feeling angry because I'm hungry and you're refusing to give me food." I tell him. His face is blank when he hands me back the plate of food and I instantly smile.
When it's silent for a few more minutes and I can't take the silence I open my mouth to say something but Sawyer answers my question before I even have time to make a sound.
"Later today. You can shower. You can leave, and you can sleep on your own bed." He tells me, all while typing away on his laptop.
"Finally." I whisper and lie back into bed. My stomach full, my heart full, and my brain cleared from that viral infection.
"So was that virus infecting my brain?" I question.
"Yes and no." He says, not really elaborating.
"Am I cured?" I ask a different question.
"Yes and no." He repeats and I sigh out, giving up.
"You know Sawyer, I'm pretty sure people would like you more if you just had a decent conversation." I point out and he looks at me, almost amused.
"You have some sloppy joe stains on your face, right here." He says as he points to his chin, as he looks at my chin.
"You're really good at changing subjects too. Don't think I haven't noticed." I wipe the remaining sloppy joe from my face.
When later today comes, Sawyer disconnects me from the machines.
"Free at last." I whisper. I get up and start walking out, but Sawyer pulls me back. He stares at me for a second,
"Are you sure you're okay?" He looks at me warily. His grip on my wrist is tight and I feel my pulse quicken.
"I think so." I look down, inspecting myself and smile up at Sawyer.
"I know when you're lying." He warns. He lets me go and I gulp. I roll my eyes as I walk back upstairs. I quickly shower and change into comfortable sweats and a sweater.
When I walk back downstairs everyone is in the living room. There are a few people I don't know and I debate going back upstairs.
Jospeh comes around the corner, a half eaten banana in his hand. He spots me and smiles,
"Going to bed?" He questions and I look back at everyone who is sitting on the couch. I can see them but I'm hidden away where none of them can see me. There are two girls I've never seen before and a guy I've never seen before. I catch Avery hugging them. Evan is typing away on his computer, completely zoned in. And Sawyer is laughing at something his cousin is saying, those two girls on both sides of him.
"Those are Sawyers old friends." Jospeh says, his lip curves up in disgust.
I thought people weren't supposed to know we are here?
"Oh." I whisper.
"Hey, do you want to go for a walk?" Jospeh asks, taking the last bite of his banana.
It would be a nice distraction, I need some summer night air.
"Okay. Let me put shoes on." I tell him and run upstairs. Jospeh is waiting for me at the bottom of the steps.
"Don't be alarmed, but I'm going to hold your hand." Jospeh whispers to me as we pass through the living room. I give him a confused look as he intertwines his hand in mine. He winks at me.
I hesitantly follow after him, my face morphine in confusion.
"Where you guys going?" I hear Avery ask and Jospeh stops in his tracks. I see him smile before he turns to look at everyone. She's sitting beside Evan, they're on one couch and everyone is on the other couch. I catch a glimpse of Sawyers curls snapping to see why the attention is on us.
I accidentally make eye contact with him, and it's hard to read his expression. His eyes travel down to Josephs hands intertwined in mine, he gives a quick glance before giving his attention back to the black haired girl.
"We're going out on our own adventure." He says, weirdly directing it to Sawyer.
"Oh, have fun." Avery smiles and we head outside.
"Careful." Evan says, not bothering to look up at us.
We walk a few steps before I give Jospeh a look.
He wiggles his eyebrows and I narrow my eyes.
"Oh come on. Did you see the look on Sawyers face?" Jospeh says laughing.
"Which one?" I question, and Jospeh laughs.
"The rage. Did you see the rage in his eyes? You have had to seen that." Jospeh says. He lets go of my hands to gesture the story and I laugh.
"All I saw was the usual non caring Sawyer." I shrug. We stay quiet as I ponder over all of this and I turn to Joseph with realization.
"Were you trying to make him jealous? I don't any brother rivalry." I shake my head.
"I knew you needed a second to catch on." He smiles, mischievously.
My stomach sinks. I don't know how I feel about this.
"I see doubt." His voice softens. "It will be fun. Besides he's my brother I like pissing him off. No harm, no foul. Just stirring things up a little." He softly nudges my shoulder and I stare at the ground, thinking.
"Why?" I question.
He shrugs, "Boredom, mostly. And I want to see how he'll react."
We stop two blocks from the house and make our way back. It was a twenty minute walk, short and sweet. I was hesitant to see where Joseph was going with all this but eventually I complied.
We are a few houses away from Sawyers house and I can already see the mop of curls from the distance. As we get closer, I see Sawyer nonchalantly leaning against a pillar of his home, right before going up the steps to the main door. His arms are crossed as he watches us walk toward him.
"This is going to be fun." Jospeh whispers to me and I laugh.
"Have you been out here since we left?" Joseph gives an amused questioning look.
"No, just needed fresh air." He glares at Jospeh, suspiciously.
"Right." Jospeh smiles and slaps his brother on the back. He leaves me alone with Sawyer and I inwardly panic. Something shifted between us earlier today, and now I just feel awkward and weird around Sawyer.
"Have a nice walk?" He questions as I stand there like an idiot.
"Mhm." I say, if I speak now I know my voice will crack.
Sawyer puts his hands into his pockets and I hear Jospeh call out for my name.
I visibly sigh in relief and Sawyer eyes me, his jaw tightens.
"That's my cue." I whisper and move around him, back inside.
Once inside everyone seems to have moved to the kitchen. They're all sitting around the large dining room table playing some sort of card game.
Joseph pats the spot beside him and I take a seat.
"I have a book." He says and my eyes widen. "I think you'd like it." He says and he pulls out the book from behind him. He must have rushed to get it while I was awkwardly standing with Sawyer.
I look at the cover, there isn't one. It's covered in brown paper.
"What's it about?" I question.
"Read it. I covered the title and everything on purpose so you won't judge it. Then tell me what you think." He says with a smile.
I hear Sawyer snort as he walks back into the house. He sits on the couch across from us and he leans his head back, closing his eyes.
I look at Jospeh who is already smiling. I raise an eyebrow,
"I have more books in my room." Jospeh says and from my peripheral vision I see Sawyers head snap to me.
"There's a whole damn library upstairs..." Sawyer deadpans. "If she wants to read she can read books from there." Sawyers curt and he walks out.
When he's gone Jospeh turns to me and starts laughing.
"What was that all about?" I question. Jospeh continues to laugh,
"Who knows." He shrugs and I watch Sawyer sit next to the same girl as earlier. Avery catches me staring at them and gives me a sad smile. My face heats up and I force a smile.
"He's pissed." Jospeh announces and for the first time I don't believe Jospeh's words. Sawyer doesn't look or seemed pissed, no instead he looks interested in the girl with the black hair.
"Who are they again?" I question.
Jospeh sighs and turns to the group, "Come on, I'll introduce you." Jospeh says and pulls me off the couch. We walk the short distance to the dining room.
"Well if it isn't the stripper." Jethro says and I hold back the urge to roll my eyes.
"Stripper?" Sawyer questions as he glares at me with a questioning look.
No one bothers to answer Sawyer and I'm not about to tell that embarrassing story.
"Are you going to join in on the game?" Avery asks, patting the empty seat beside her.
"I don't think I should." I shake my head no.
I make eye contact with back haired girl and now that I can see her clearly it looks like she has no flaws. She laughs at something Sawyer says and her smile is perfect.
She catches me staring and eyes me up and down. I all of a sudden feel self conscious about the sweats I'm wearing. I don't look presentable at all. She's in a cute dress and her hair is all curled.
"What's your name?" She asks, her tone a little clipped. I'm taken back by her slight rudeness.
"Umm, Opal." I tell her and she takes a sip of her drink, not paying attention.
"Right, sorry. Everyone this is Opal. My umm," Jospeh stutters and I watch his face as he gives me a look and my eyes widen. I think I know what he's going to say.
"This is Opal, my girlfriend." He wraps his arm around my waist and he pulls me down to sit beside him.
"And we're playing." He pulls me down to sit beside him. My heart is racing. Evan states at the both of us before he gives a look to Sawyer.
The tension rises between us four as everyone else is oblivious.
"I didn't see that coming." Avery whispers to me and I wince at the thought.
"Let's play." Sawyer interrupts, his tone clipped as well.
Playing uno shouldn't be that hard.
———————————————————————
Hey family!
Hope everyone is okay with all the craziness that is going on 😰
How is it where you are?
Stay safe, wash your hands, and be cautious ❤️
Love you guys and I hope you guys enjoy! I will be writing more since I'm stuck at home for the next few weeks, the only upside to all of this 😆
Don't forget to comment and vote :p