Cooper.

One.

"Laura. Laura."

"Unngggg." I groan, burrowing deeper into the downy green comforter. I yank the blanket up over my head. "Ten minutes, mom."

"Addie and Gwen are here."

"Tell them to leave."

Something hot and damp lands gently on my blanketed head, and I carefully snake my arm out from my downy green fortress in order to grab the bag on top of me. My mother's light footsteps fade away as she laughs her gentle laugh.

"Tell us to leave, huh?"

I unbury myself and sit straight up in bed, and Gwen yanks the bag out of my hands in a swift, ninja-like motion. "What the hell, dude?" I whine, my voice cracking with sleep.

Her muddy brown eyes are heavily lined  with black kohl liner, smudged in a way that makes her look tired and wan. "Can we stay?"

"Do I really have a choice?" I sigh in response, rolling my eyes, holding out my hands and curling my fingers, like a toddler begging for a beloved toy.

"Nope." She laughs, tossing the bag back on the bed before collapsing into one of the bright beanbag chairs in the corner. "That's an Egg McMuffin, by the way."

"Ngf." I grunt, having already started eating my breakfast.

Addie's nose curls. "Are you seriously going to eat in your bed?"

"Mhmm."

She shudders, her dyed silver hair, piled into a messy bun on top of her head, quivering. "That's so gross. Its greasy. Why do you want that anywhere near where you sleep?"

I shrug, polishing off the last of my breakfast sandwich and wiping my fingers on my blanket. "Mom's washing bedding today anyways."

Addie just stares at me, doe-eyed. "You're revolting."

I swing my legs over the side of my bed and stand up. "Why are we all friends again?" I yawn, stretching until my back pops. Much better.

"To defy societal norms and," Gwen cheers in a singsong voice, "to piss off your parents, although your mom likes me, Laura."

"My mom likes everyone."

"Very true." Gwen starts to pace back and forth, alternating between wagging her finger and tapping her chin. "Now, today is a Sunday, meaning that tomorrow is Monday, which implies that we have school, which I, of course, am never ready for-"

"You'd be more ready for it if you'd stay out of In-House and away from the office-" Addie adds, a smile in her voice.

Gwen continues to babble as I open my closet and paw around for a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.  "Ah, but that's no fun...anywho, I'm all for going on an adventure. Maybe head to the Boardwalk, or the skatepark-"

"Gwen, no one goes to the Boardwalk on a Sunday." I groan as I yank my Guns'N'Roses shirt over my tangled mess of black hair. I turn around, pulling my light wash shorts up. "It's going to be a ghost town today."

Gwen, with her long legged stride, takes three steps over to me and squeezes my face in her hands. "That's the point." She coos as I swat her hands away before heading to my vanity.

Gwen is still talking.

"We can get some good photography in, Addie can work on her portfolio, you could cheer the hell up-"

"I am perfectly cheerf-ah, shit." I accidentally made my left wing too long. As I fixed it, I countered Gwen's argument. "Addie could work on her portfolio, I'll probably lose something, you'll get arrested-"

"Actually," Addie croons in her soft, melodic voice, "you two are going to argue until Christmas, so none of us are going to the boardwalk, and as a result, no one is getting arrested, or losing something, and my portfolio isn't needed for submission until March, Gwen."

I stick my tongue out, and Gwen catches my expression in the mirror. She flips me off.

"We could go to the library or something. I've got to check a few things out." I suggest, much to the dismay of both of my mismatched companions.

"The library?" Addie croaks in disbelief, dropping her shoulders for emphasis. "We graduate in nine months, and, I can't believe I'm saying it, but we need-"

"A little debauchery never hurt anyone." Gwen cuts Addie off, examining her chipping grey nails.

"The Boardwalk is not debauchery. It's just boring." I say, slowly cutting my eyes from one friend to the other.  A smirk works its way onto my face, and Addie and Gwen's faces match. "Now debauchery, debauchery I can do."

Addie's eyes light up before darting to the dingy grey duffle bag that sits on my top shelf. "I'm glad to know that you're still on board with that, Laura."