Reconnection

o n e

I opened my eyes unwillingly because of the bright light surrounding me; I jumped out of my bed quickly when I saw a dark figure in the corner of my bedroom. Who is that? More importantly, how do they have a shadow when it's really bright in here? I am brought out of my thoughts when the dark figure began to move towards me, I moved backwards until my back hit the wall of my bedroom. The dark figure reached out for me, it's about to touch me when--- I sit up from my bed quickly. It was a nightmare, the same nightmare that I have been having since I was seven. It's nothing though, just a terrible dream that creeps the crap out of me.

I pushed off my overly warm bed covers from my overheated body- it was cold last night but right at that moment it was boiling hot- and took a step out of my queen sized bed. I walked over to the other side of my bedroom to my ensuite. Once I am inside, I closed the door behind me and grabbed a hair tie from the bathroom bench; I tie my dark brown-blond hair into a messy bun as I stared at my sleepy appearance. Left-over mascara from the day before is evident under my eyes where bags are forming because of my lack of sleep. I turned the tap on quickly with a sigh; I ran my fingers underneath the cold water, thankful for the cool feeling that ran down my spine from the temperature. I reached up and began to wipe away the mascara from my eyes, it slowly, gradually begins to disappear from my face but the bags are still there. Just as I'm finishing there is a knock on the door.

"Lexi?" I turned towards the door to my bathroom.

"Come in," I said turning the tap off before the other bathroom door opened. My cousin Steph walked in slowly, eyeing me carefully. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity before she smiled warmly.

"No sleep?" She asked consciously, I made my way over to the sink again. I looked at Steph through the mirror sending her a smile before nodding.

"Is it that obvious?" I questioned as I grabbed my toothbrush from the cup that sat on the bench next to the sink. I squeezed some toothpaste onto the brush and turned on the tap once again to wet the toothpaste. Steph still watched me with concern etched onto her face. I couldn't help but feel like there was something that she wanted to say. Like there was something that she had to tell me but she kept her mouth shut like every other morning when I felt her burning desire to spill whatever is going through her head. Steph smiled at me saying something along the lines of 'Get ready. Last day of school today' before walking out of the bathroom and walking back down the stairs of the living room where I could now hear the sounds of crashing and gun shots. My brother must be playing that stupid Xbox game again. After I brushed my teeth, I walked back into my bedroom where the memories of my nightmare came back to me. I shook my head mockingly. I really need a therapist or something... I begin to get ready for my last day of school before the summer starts. After I get dressed, I apply my makeup and walk down the stairs- trying to dodge a bullet from a nerf gun on the way down but I'm not fast enough and it hits me in the head.

"You know it's not a normal day until I get shot in the head," I said smartly, Peeta came out from hiding behind the dining table with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Maybe I should upgrade to a rifle then," Peeta replied, he crossed his arms before leaning onto the wall behind him. I smile sarcastically at him before grabbing an apple from the fruit basket on the dining table and quickly pegged it at him. Unfortunately he has better reflexes than me resulting in the apple splattering against the wall behind him.

"What was that?" Steph asked from the kitchen. We both exchanged nervous looks; it was as if we were reading each other's minds because I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Nothing, Steph!" Peeta and I answered simultaneously looking away from each other.

"You need to clean this up," I told him, Peeta frowned at me before letting out a humorous laugh.