Leap of Faith

Day Thirty-Four

*~*~* Cate *~*~*

“Wake up. Wake up. Wake up! You’ve got to be my bitch today, so… GET UP!”

TJ turns over in my guest room’s bed and blearily looks up at me, groans and slumps back into sleep. I lean over him, getting my lips as close to his neck as possible before trailing my way up to his ear. TJ groans at the sensation and starts mumbling in his sleep, the smile that forms on his lips telling me that he’s having a nice dream. Perfect. Now it’s time to wake him up.

“FIRE!” I shout into his ear, making him bolt upright in the bed. He looks around the room to try and get his bearing, but when his eyes set on me, he sighs and wipes his hand over his face. “Great, you’re awake. Finally.”

“You shouted ‘fire’ in my ear, Cate,” he says groggily. “I didn’t have much of a choice but to wake up. I thought you said that you weren’t a morning person, so what gives?”

TJ refused to go home last night, on the accounts that he would probably end up killing Elliott. I suggested he go stay with his mom, but the temptation to kill Genevieve would prove too much, TJ said. Even my offer to drive him over to Greyson’s place was flatly turned down. Apparently, Georgie practically lived at Greyson’s house, and feeling homicidal, TJ could easily add Georgie to his kill list.

By the end of the conversation, I was so frustrated I asked if there was anyone in town TJ didn’t want to kill. His answer had come quickly- me. I gave in after that and promised to ask my parents if TJ could stay, making sure that it was clear TJ would be sleeping in the guest room, which was located on the other side of the house to my room.

We stayed up goofing around with my parents and Libby until late, so by rights I really shouldn’t be this perky in the morning but seeing TJ in a grump made me feel better. That was until I remembered everything that had happened yesterday, and suddenly I wasn’t feeling all that bright.

“Are you coming with to school today?” I asked, watching TJ make his way to the en-suite bathroom. He went about his morning business before returning to the bedroom. He looked at the items I had in my hands and frowned. I held them out to him with a casual shrug. “There’s deodorant, shaving gel and a razor, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Oh, and socks. I didn’t think you’d be comfortable wearing a pair of Sawyer’s boxers, so I didn’t bring any with me.”

TJ laughed. “You know me so well,” he winked to me. He took my offering and returned to the bathroom. From the other side of the door, TJ said, “Do we have to go in today?”

“Yes,” I nod even though he can’t see me. “It’s gym class Tuesday. Are you seriously gonna let me go on my own? I might need a ride to the emergency room.”

“Don’t joke, Cate,” TJ says as his head pops around the half open bathroom door. “Actually, that sounded more like a threat. Are you planning on getting yourself injured?”

I snort. “Yeah, because I actually plan on getting knocked out with a dodgeball and blindsided by assholes,” I say sarcastically. From the raised eyebrow TJ sends me, I roll my eyes. “No, I don’t plan on getting injured. Plus, you have your forfeit to carry out.”