Watercolour

Twenty

Alana's P.O.V

Gradually, my senses awoke and I stretched the one arm that I could out from underneath the covers. I swung my legs out of bed and dragged my body over to the curtained window. I yanked the dark masses of cloth along the rail above the window and light thin strips of light from the streetlamps streamed into my room. I rubbed my eyes, wiping any sleep away, and squinted through the glass at the cherry blossom tree in the front garden.

Sunrise was still over an away and the early morning mist hadn't even thought about beginning to clear yet but there was no chance that I was getting back to sleep. The thought of sleep would only remind me of the pain and discomfort that had come with it for the last 14 nights.

I tumbled down the stairs towards the kitchen, tripping over the coffee table and knocking the fruit bowl onto the floor. It hit the ground with a bang and sent the apples and oranges everywhere, but luckily the bananas  could do nothing but stay put.

"Oh great," I sighed, bending down to pick the fruit up. "It's going to take me forever with only one arm."

A sudden voice from the top of the stairs made me jump slightly; I wasn't expecting anyone else to be up.

"You cool?" came the soothing voice of Jace.

"Yeah, just didn't look where I was going," I grunted. "It's this stupid shoulder immobiliser - I swear it's affecting my balance."

"Let me help," Jace offered as he came down the stairs and joined me putting the fruit back into the bowl.

"I was thinking of making pancakes," I stated. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, sure," Jace replied with the slightest shrug of his shoulders. So I reached into the cupboard and pulled out the flour and sugar before going over to the fridge and retrieving the milk and two eggs. I heated the gas stove and passed Jace the whisk so he could make up some batter.

"Oh yeah, Happy Christmas," I added, noticing the small vase of holly that was sat on the windowsill.

"Oh yeah?" he teased. "Had you forgotten it was Christmas Day?"

"Kind of, yeah..."

"I can't believe you," he chuckled.

"Well if you had remembered then why didn't you wish me a Merry Christmas?"

"Hush... make your pancakes," he replied, passing me the bowl of pancake mixture.

*

"Are you planning on going to Alex's in your pyjamas?" I asked, skipping down the stairs and finding Jace sat in the same position that he was before I went upstairs to shower and get ready.

"Guess what? No," he responded answering his own question before looking at the clock. "We still have two hours anyway."

"Yes, but I know how long you like your showers to be and then you'll spend another 20 minutes deciding what to wear and then however long doing your hair... I think you get my point."

"I don't spend that long. And besides, it's easy for you; you literally were like the same thing all the time."

"Hey, black jeans are the best... what is it with you guys?" I said as Jace jumped up from his chair.

"Talking of that," he said, heading towards the Christmas tree on the other side of the room. "I have a present for you."

"Ooh," I said, excitedly. Jace and I had decided not to exchange gifts at Alex's party and save them for today instead. "Your's is upstairs; one sec."