Collete.

The Faces Behind the Names

Act 6: Good morning, Sleepyhead.

The morning sun filtered through the blinds as he got out of bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He went through his usual routine—splashing cold water on his face, brushing his teeth, and heading into the kitchen. He grabbed a loaf of bread, turkey slices, lettuce, tomato, and a jar of mayo. He sliced the tomato, feeling the firm skin give way to the juicy flesh. Then he picked two slices of bread, spreading mayo evenly across one slice. Layering the turkey, he made sure each piece fit just right, followed by the crisp lettuce and tomato. After topping it with the second slice of bread, he cut the sandwich diagonally, revealing the neat layers inside. Placing it on a plate, he took a moment to appreciate his simple, satisfying breakfast—a quiet start to the day.He was about to take his first bite when there was a sudden, loud knock on the door. He sighed, putting the sandwich down and walking over to see who it was.

"SHADY, HAVE YOU GOTTEN READY, MEIN LIEBCHEN?!" came a muffled but unmistakable voice from outside.

Shady rubbed his temples, suddenly aware of who the mystery knocker was. He opened the door just a crack, peeking out to see Anneliese standing there, looking eager.

"Listen, Anneliese, I literally just woke up. It's—" Shady checked the time on his phone. "It's 5:24 in the morning. You're two hours too early."

"YES, BUT BABE, I MUST HAVE MY TIME WITH YOU BEFORE SCHOOL! WE BARELY HAVE ANY CLASSES TOGETHER, JA?" she called out, her voice slightly muffled through the door.

Shady sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. 

"Right, okay, babe, just wait a minute while I get changed. You can't just show up at my house like this. It is not fucking cool, Anneliese."

He heard her huffing outside but knew she'd wait. Shady closed the door and shook his head with a smirk, making his way back to his room to get dressed. So much for a quiet morning.

Lets pan this somewhere elsewhere, somewhere different. Somewhere quiet.

Lets check Ray's house.

Ray's house was anything but quiet. The alarm clock buzzed persistently on his nightstand, the microwave beeped in the kitchen, his computer fan hummed loudly, his brother wailed from the next room, and the TV blabbered in the background. Despite the chaos, Ray was dead to the world, fast asleep under a thick blanket. He had a reputation for showing up to school late, always blaming it on something ridiculous like his brother or a flat tire. The truth? He was just terrible at waking up early.

Suddenly, the door to his room swung open, and his sister stormed in. "IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP, I'LL POUR SEVEN BUCKETS OF WATER ON YOUR HEAD!" she threatened.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be up in a sec, trust," Ray mumbled, barely awake.

5:30 AM: Ray was out cold. 6:00 AM: Still snoring. 6:30 AM: Not a stir. 7:00 AM: Snug as a bug in a rug. 7:15 AM: School started in 15 minutes, and even if Ray got ready at lightning speed, there was no way he'd make it on time.

The fifth alarm of the morning went off, jolting Ray awake. He slapped it off and groggily checked the time. "Fuck me in the booty three times, I'm so cooked." he muttered, sitting up in a panic.

Ray sprang out of bed, throwing on the first clothes he could find. He fumbled with his shirt, nearly putting it on backward, then rushed to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth in record time, barely spitting out the toothpaste before dashing to the kitchen. He grabbed a slice of toast, not even bothering with butter, and shoved it into his mouth as he raced to the door. Every movement was frantic, a blur of rushed motions as he tried to beat the clock.Ray bolted to the car, where his brother was already waiting, and threw himself in.