'tis the damn season

Five: ivy

"My house of stone, your ivy grows"

I wake to the sound of the front door shutting and a car engine starting so close it sounds like it's just outside my bedroom window. Johnathan must be leaving for work. I roll over opening my eyes slightly to look over at the clock on my bedside table; 8:45am. He worked at nine. I rub my eyes with the backs of my knuckles, trying to wake myself up. I had promised Dustin and Robin I'd be back at Scoops to help them this morning, and didn't want to let them down by sleeping in. We needed all our brains working together in order to crack whatever secret code this was.

It was actually sort of interesting trying to translate this weird secret code. I'm still convinced it's just a prank by a couple of kids, but it's been fun never the less.

Robin was easy to work with, and was incredibly smart. She was making the whole translating process a lot smoother. The more time I spent with her, the more I realized just how similar, and yet different we were. Our personalities were complete opposites. Robin spoke every word that popped into her mind, while I tended to overthink everything. On the other hand, we had all the same ideas. We could come to the same conclusion, but we took different routes to get there.

I lay in bed for a few more minutes, staring at the ceiling trying to coax myself into getting out of bed; But it didn't take long, before I noticed the smell of fresh pancakes coming from the kitchen, and realized I was hungry. I tossed my feet over the side of the bed, and put on my fluffy blue robe, before heading out into the hallway towards the kitchen.

Will was sitting at the table eating his pancakes, while Joyce was standing at the stove pouring batter into the frying pan.

"Good morning honey, did you sleep okay?" Joyce asks, smiling at me as I walked in the room.

I nod returning her smile. Normally I slept in pretty late. It wasn't very often that I was up before Joyce had to leave for work. Most of the time I woke up and no one was home.

"Do you want some pancakes?" She asks, holding a plate of them out to me.

"Yeah, thank you," I say, taking the plate from her.

It wasn't awkward being around Joyce. But I did sort of feel... out of place there. I mean, Johnathan, Will and I were related but I technically wasn't hers. Sometimes I felt almost I was intruding or something. I knew Joyce didn't see it that way, but my mind couldn't help but think up the worst.

I take a seat across from Will who looks up at me when I reach for the maple syrup next to him.

"You're up early," he smiles.

I shrug. "I've got some things I need to do today," I answer, pouring the maple syrup on top of my pancakes, practically soaking them.

He doesn't waste any time, and interrogates me before I can even take a bite.

"Why were you at Scoops yesterday?" He blurts, like the question has been itching at him for ages.

I lift my eyes to his, pausing my movements. "How did you know I was there?" I counter, not answering his initial question.

"I saw you. I was at the mall with Lucas and Mike yesterday and saw you standing behind the counter with Steve talking to Max and El," he explains.

I heard Joyce stop moving around the kitchen when he says this.

"Have you been hanging out with Steve?" She asks, joining in the conversation.

I turn in my chair to face her, and again I avoid answering. "How do you know Steve?"