"You're such a joy to be around."-
"Well, you're a pain in the arse."
Jordyn had no idea that befriending the lovely idiot who broke her locker would turn her life upside down. But here she was, amidst bionics, secrets and life-threatening dangers...
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"Joe, it's been a week. You can't keep mourning like this. Your dad's tripped over you three times already."
Jordyn's head poked out from under a heap of blankets and pillows. One blanket was snugly wrapped round her shoulders, while another slowly slid off her head, revealing a mess of curls. They complemented wonderfully with the blanket fort she was lying in, which was on the verge of collapsing at any minute.
A quiet sniffle left her as she sat up straight and ruffled through the pile of tissues surrounding her. "It's entirely his fault. He should have known I was here after tripping over me once. I'm a well-known obstacle."
Leo's gaze softened at her hoarse voice and slurred words. Luckily, Adam returned at this precise moment, handing Jordyn a glass of water. She struggled to free her hand from the blankets but managed to wiggle one out to accept it.
Adam and Leo exchanged glances as Jordyn absentmindedly sipped on the water, staring ahead. She didn't look good; her skin was pale, her hair greasy and the dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. But most prominently, Jordyn's laptop resided untouched on the dining table, along with her phone which pinged occasionally but went unanswered every time.
No boy can recall Jordyn ever voluntarily being without her laptop for more than one hour. Even if she didn't use it, she needed to have it with her. Adam knew it provided her the comfort she much needed.
Jordyn extended her arm for Adam to take back after barely drinking half a glass. Meanwhile, Leo went over to her phone and checked her notifications in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. "You've got messages from your mom, Big D, Douglas, Scott and... wait, my grandma?" He turned back to the girl, confusion written on his face.
She shrugged. "We exchange recipes."
"Err, since when?"
"Christmas."
"I thought you didn't like each other."
Jordyn rolled her eyes, sick of having to talk to someone when all she wanted to do was sleep and wallow in self-pity. "Obviously we're good. Now get off my back. I'll answer as soon as I discover a will to live."
She let herself fall back and disappeared in the array of cushions. But Adam wouldn't be Adam if he let his best friend live on like this. He plopped down next to her and dug her out. Jordyn groaned as he scooped her up in his arms and swung her from side to side in his lap, cooing at her while at it.
All she could produce was a weak smack to his cheek. "I'm not a baby," she grumbled.
Adam didn't stop, squinting at her and causing a sigh. She flailed her arms around and escaped his clutches. Standing up, the blankets slipped off her shoulders and exposed her to the terrors of the real world – talking through her problems and emotions.
