Wished

Chapter 18 - Let's Go Get Away

Edited by punkashellcat

Sleep is that thing that I always look forward to all day only to procrastinate actually sleeping when the time comes. Staying up watching Arrow or Once Upon a Time and finally closing my laptop at one o'clock in the morning. Every day I tell myself that I'll go to sleep earlier but that never happens and every morning it is a struggle to pry my eyes open.

Shauna jumping on me on a Saturday morning because I wasn't responding to her poking; that's not how I had intended on spending my weekend. I'd rather spend it catching up on all that sleep I had stupidly missed out on.

"Come on Ellie," Shauna begged, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me from the bed. When I felt that this tug-of-war game was either going to dislocate my shoulder or succeed in getting me off my mattress, I grumbled a reply.

"Fine. Give me ten more minutes and you just pick out what I'm going to wear because it's too early for decisions and your awakeness," I mumbled into my pillow and snuggled deeper into my blanket. My room was boiling and my legs were uncovered but I could only sleep with the blanket up around my chin.

"Awakeness isn't a word," Shauna pointed out as she dropped my arm and ran over to my wardrobe to start leafing through my clothes. Her comment didn't even register and I couldn't be bothered to muster up a reply. I was already dozing off again.

"Ten minutes El! Time to get up!" Shauna shouted right beside my ear and I jumped a foot in the air. That was completely unnecessary.

"I hate you," I grumbled, my eyes still half closed and my voice scratchy and breaking when I spoke. Forcing myself out of bed, I threw on the clothes that Shauna had laid out for me and managed to wake myself up a bit more when I put on my makeup. Not able to manage a full face of makeup this early, I just dabbed on concealer and mascara because that was really all I could manage half asleep.

* * * * *

"Shauna what the heck did you choose?" I complained once more as we walked along the boardwalk that was bustling with people. Heatwave plus a beach equals way too many people around.

"Gosh El. How many times do I need to tell you? Stop worrying. You look hot. You wear shorts all the time anyway," Shauna replied, rolling her eyes and waving her hand dismissively in my direction. She was too busy checking out all the guys that were passing by to care. I didn't blame her though.

"Yeah Shauna but I don't wear scraps of transparent white fabric that don't cover my stomach and clearly show my bikini. I don't even wear bikinis. Except for that one time but not since then," I retorted but once again I was brushed off.

"Stop worrying. Gosh you're so - Hey! Is that Adam?" Shauna started to say but interrupted herself when she spotted my brother and Zach strolling in our direction. Grabbing my arm, she pulled me through the tight patch of crowd around us until we stopped at the two boys.

"Zach I thought you said the beach was going to be fun. It can't be fun if Ellie and Shauna are here," Adam complained to Zach, giving me a cheeky smirk that I replied to with a sarcastic smile.

"I just feel bad for all of the girls here. They probably came here expecting some shirtless beach hotties but instead they're stuck with you," I quipped and waited for Zach to insert a comment of his own about our bickering but none came. Instead he stayed quiet with cute little frown lines etched between his eyebrows.

My eyes darted from Adam over to Zach and back to Adam. Thankfully, my brother caught on to my question but he just shrugged in reply. He didn't know what was wrong with Zach either.

Placing my hand on Zach's shoulder, I managed to steer him away from Adam and Shauna. I knew Adam would never ask Zach what was wrong. Talking about feelings was too 'girly and teary for a manly man.' Direct quote. True story.