still a friend - j.k.

three

Ruth's POV

I was sitting on the couch feeling drowsy. I woke up at 7 and couldn't fall back asleep. Me and Danny were the only ones awake besides Mrs. Kiszka.

We were watching tv, specifically wife swap. Turns out we both loved it, so we had been watching it for the past hour. I didn't mind Danny at all. He was sweet, I never felt anxious around him.

The next to wake up was Jake and then Mr. Kiszka. I wasn't surprised Ronnie hadn't woke up, she always slept later. She was also a heavy sleeper.

Mrs. Kiszka started to cook our breakfast, she was making pancakes and bacon. Simple, but good.

Ronnie had finally woke up, leaving only Sam and Josh.

"Breakfast!" Mrs. Kiszka called. Everybody had either been in the kitchen waiting or made their way there.

"Would someone go wake up the boys?" Mrs. Kiszka asked. Jake and Danny were already in line. Ronnie looked at me tiredly signaling it was now my duty.

I shuffled down the hallway to the boys door. I quietly pushed it open to see Sammy standing in front of me. It took everything in me to not scream.

He made a weird grunt noise at me and shuffled past me. I was slightly confused, but continued towards Josh.

I took a quick second to look at the sleeping boy. He looked so pretty. He was just pretty, I didn't know how else to say it. He actually looked a little less annoying while he was sleeping. I also happened to notice he was shirtless, his collarbones poking through his resting body.

"Josh." I whispered as I put my hand on his bare skin. "Josh." I shook him slightly.

He stirred slightly. "Josh, breakfast is ready."

His eyes opened slowly to look at me. He smiled at me, his eyes adjusting to the light.

"Good morning, Ruth." His voice was raspy, almost cutting out as he hadn't spoke in 8 hours or so.

"Good morning, Joshua." I smiled. I removed my hand from his arm and backed away. "Breakfast is ready. Pancakes and bacon."

"That sounds good." He said sleepily.

"Well, hurry, I'm already sacrificing my food for you." I said. I was gonna get the bottom of the stack. I started to walk out when he spoke.

"Will you throw me that shirt, please?" He said quietly. He almost sounded sweet when he was tired. His voice was much calmer, his eyes scrunched, not adjusted yet.

I looked at the shirt at the edge of the post and tossed it at his face. He sat up and started to flip it around. I pulled myself away from the room feeling my cheeks flush.

Did he have any idea how he was? I mean he had to know he had some type of hold over me.

I walked into the kitchen to see Ronnie's knowing eyes following me. I winked at her hoping to signal a little good happened.

Josh came stumbling into the room a minute later. He was a true 'sleeping beauty.'

We found ourselves outside playing whatever version of volleyball this was. I was with Jake and Danny. Ronnie, Josh, and Sam were on a team.

It was close, the only reason their team had points was Josh constantly halfway spiking it. I was never good at volleyball, so it was just really messy.

It was rather fun though, I was sad we had to stop. We spent the hours doing anything we could.

The Kiszkas were very touristy people, if it was there to do, we did it.