My Brother's Roommate

t w e n t y t w o

Chapter 22 : Early Morning Antics

I can never get a good nights sleep when I'm in a new bed. It usually takes me a day to get accustomed to it, and considering I haven't been home since August..it's safe to say I didn't sleep well last night.

Several times in the night I woke up feeling uncomfortable. I would shift and still feel the same. It got to the point where I didn't even know if I was awake or asleep.

I finally got at least 2 hours in a row, because when I last checked the window, it was dark, and now some light is peaking through the blinds.

I sit up and rub my hands down my face, waking myself up. My eyes feel heavy from my lack of sleep. Part of what kept me up were my thoughts traveling faster than a jet.

All because of him, Jay. I like you. I smile at the memory from last night.

I exhale a large breath and look out to my window. A nice morning fog covers the ground, making it seem my backyard is an enchanted forest.

Since I know how Jay feels..."I need to tell him how I feel too." I whisper to the window. But how?

Lizzy told me to wait and see what he does, so maybe I'll do that. There're no rules saying I need to declare my feelings just because he did first.

What if he was caught up in the moment? Or what if he said it, and now the thoughts will vanish?

But what if he meant them? I smile once more but quickly slap my cheeks. "Get yourself together, you aren't a little schoolgirl. You, are a woman."

I nod to myself and get out of bed. I wasn't really sure what time it was, but it had to be pretty early considering I couldn't hear the whole family awake.

I pad into the hallway bathroom and close the door. The bathroom upstairs was always shared between me and my brother growing up, so when I was told I had to share a bathroom with a boy once more, I wasn't fazed.

Taking in my morning appearance, I look about how I did during the day, not counting the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. I turn on the faucet and rinse my face with some cold water, to wake myself up.

From all the tossing and turning I did, I was surprised to see my hair neat and not tangled. I brush my teeth and finish my business before I go back to my room.

I change into a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt that fit slightly big on me. I didn't want to swim in my clothes, but I didn't like them fitting as well.

I grab my phone and make my way downstairs. One thing I missed about being at home was my back porch. On quiet mornings, I would make myself a cup of coffee and sit outside listening to the world wake up.

The stairs squeak quietly under my feet, which I was thankful for. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I hear some noise coming from the kitchen.

I shuffle over and peak in through the doorway. My mother stands behind the island, mug in her hand while her other hand was holding her weight as she leans back against the counter. I catch her mid-laugh and I shift my gaze to who made her laugh.

It was Jay, who was seated at one of the bar stools, also with a mug in front of him. He had both arms up on the counter, folded over each other. I'm not sure when he woke up, but his hair was still slightly messy from his sleep. D*mn it looked good.

I step through the doorway, taking the attention of both my mother and Jay. My mother's face melts at the sight of me. "Aw, my Aubrey. How I missed you." She quickly crosses the kitchen and pulls me into her bone crushing hug.