ELLE

Lazy days and school drama

I couldn't sleep.

We're still in Spencer's room, Noah had fallen asleep an hour ago beside me. I think he was trying his hardest to stay awake until I fell asleep first but it was late.

The sound of Good luck Charlie is drowning out his small snores. As Spencer had promised, the bedroom door had been left ajar and I could tell that my brothers were still awake because the passage light was on and I could hear their voices.

I look at the digital clock at Spencer's bedside, it reads 02:00 AM. That's incredibly late for me.

"Hi baby" I hear Alex whisper at the doorway.
I smile softly, spying Mr Bear in his hands.

"I fixed him for you, he's all better" he adds, handing the rabbit over to me gently.

"Thank you. When are you all going to bed?" I whisper back, careful not to wake up Noah beside me.

"Soon sweetheart, we're just sorting everything out now, Levi is going to come join you guys in here in a bit" he informs me softly. I think Alex wants as many of us as possible together. I'm assuming him, Spencer and Louis don't plan on going to sleep any time soon.

I stroke my fingers over Mr Bears new scar. The sewing work hadn't been done neatly, I take it my eldest brother had little sewing skills and was rushing to get my comfort teddy back to me. Whilst I wish today hadn't happened, Mr Bears new scar symbolises Alex's pure love for me and I care for it so deeply.

"You and Noah can miss school tomorrow, it's been a tough day" Alex reassures me and begins to stroke my hair. He does that to get me to go to sleep easier and it works so well.

"Did you catch them?" I ask sleepily, eyes fluttering.

Alex sighs, and I know he desperately wishes he could say yes.

"Not yet baby. But we will."

ELLE

Surprisingly my sleep was not haunted with nightmares. I somehow think that has a lot to do with being in between two of my brothers that must have fought off the bad dreams for me.

Levi is already awake, my head somehow found its way to his chest and he's gently smoothing down my hair that's still damp from my shower last night.

"Hey, you okay?" he says once he notices I'm awake.

I nod, noticing the time on the clock reads 08:00 AM.

I'll definitely be napping later.

I shimmy over Levi to get out of the bed.

"Hey Elle, I just wanted to let you know that I'm autistic. I'm not good with comforting people especially so I'm sorry that I wasn't good at it last night" Levi tells me, clearly finding it difficult to put the words together.

I nod with a small smile. I would've never been able to tell that he struggles with comforting me, I thought he did a decent job.

I lean over to where he's sitting up in the bed to cuddle him and he reaches around me too.

"You did a good job Levi, thank you" I say quietly, even though I doubt we'd wake Noah up.

Downstairs is currently chaos. There are people everywhere, I can't find any of my brothers.

People don't seem to notice me as I scurry through the crowd of chattering men in suits and into the kitchen.