close enough, lynn loud

8, come back to bed

When you wake up in the morning, Lynn wasn't in bed with you anymore. Usually she would be but this time she wasn't.

Why does this feel like a one night stand just left me? You rub your eyes and let out a yawn at the thought.

When you come downstairs, expecting your dad to be making breakfast, you find your sister instead. The aroma of pancakes and bacon fills your senses.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Kaeliah calls out from the stove.

Lynn was sitting on the kitchen island, looking like she's been awake since dawn.

She was usually up before you, she was a good sport like that. When you come up from behind her to say good morning, she looks deep in her thoughts. "Good morning, El! you're up earl—"

She jumps from her seat and it makes you jump too. "(Y/N)! Don't scare me like that!" she turns to you but quickly averts her gaze.

Weird. She wasn't one to break eye contact.

You're confused by her reaction. "Kaeliah said good morning though..."

She furrows her brows and clears her throat, "I know that. I'm— gonna go. I said I'd help Lana with her.. uh, homework." she ends quickly, looking confused by her own words. Her morning voice is raspy, even more raspy when she speaks slow like that.

You're surprised when she gets up from her seat and says bye to your sister and leaves.

"What's up with her?" you ask your sister.

She usually had breakfast before going home or at least said a proper goodbye. She didn't even say good morning back.

"I don't know." your sister replies in a sing-song tone, flipping a pancake.

"What about you? why are you up so early? and making breakfast at that." you try to sneak a piece of bacon on the plate she was using but she slaps your hand in return. "Ow!"

"Dad and mom went grocery shopping and I was hungry," she answers. She plates three pancakes with two pieces of bacon on top and serves it with syrup and butter in front of you.

You smile gratefully, "Looks good."

"I know." and you roll her eyes at her.

It's when you're stuffing your face with pancakes that she decided to asks, "Is Lynn into anyone?"

You've only had one bite and you already almost spit it out. You choke on your mouthful and run to the sink to fetch a glass of water. When you finally settle down after a coughing fit, you reply.

"What?"

"You heard me." She's sitting on the kitchen island now too, with her own plate of pancakes. "Is she?"

"I don't know..." you reply unsurely before adding, "Why do you ask?"

"She was asking earlier 'how do you tell if someone's jealous?' and I listed down a couple of reasons. Next thing I know, she looks like she's questioning her life decisions." Kaeliah explained, shoving a mouthful of buttery pancakes into her mouth.

You sit beside her to get back to your own plate, "So, what? you think she's afraid of making them jealous?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"She's not in a relationship and if she was, I would know. She's not into anyone either." You feel like you're trying to convince yourself instead of your sister.

"Hm, okay." Is all she says.

"What do you mean 'Hm, okay'?" Mocking her words with air quotes.

She finishes her mouthful and turns to you, "I get it. You don't have to justify yourself."