"Allllllllllllllllll-exxxxxx"
"Alex?"
I could immediately tell which of the two was my brother. The loud, whining tone? That must be our younger sister. The soft, soothing voice coaxing me awake? Definitely my brother. Groaning, I try to burrow deeper into my warm bed. I murmur something about a lock. Not that it would help. My sister Charlie sleeps in the same room and my brother Bailey.
"Hurry up sleepy head. You're gonna make us both late."
Cold races across my skin. Instinctively my fingers grasp for the blankets.
"I don't care," I whine, eyes still closed.
Screw Bailey. Screw Charlie. Screw school. The sudden silence makes me more alert. Whenever Charlie is quiet I know something I don't like is about to happen. Anticipation filling me I listen, ears straining. When Bailey starts tickling me I giggle, opening my eyes. Charlie is on her bed, red in the face. Her laughter and mine echoes in the small space. Leaping out of bed I cry out. The tiles turn my feet into icicles.
"She's awake" my siblings giggle.
"COLD!!! Cold. Cold."
My eyes glance at the clock on the wall. 8 pm. Panicked I race around the room. Bailey laughs at me. "Shut up," I say, shoving textbooks, pens and sticky notes into my bag. I sling it over my shoulder. "You shoulda woken me early...earlier? Gosh darn it. Mornings were not made for me." I thump down the stairs, phone in one hand, shoes in the other. "Bailey!" My brain is sluggish. Focus. Grab toast in mouth. Slip into shoes. Grab house keys. Open door. Eat toast. Run to bus stop. Ignore Bailey chasing after me. When I finally slip into my usual bus seat, with Bailey beside me, I relax. Sighing, I slump in my seat. Just another day.
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