The Note in a Bottle

If I Lay here. . .

The name's Katherine, but I go by Katie. I'm a fifteen-year-old girl as of September 20th, born and raised in Loganville, GA. To start with, you might as well know ahead of time that I am 1) extremely apologetic, 2) have hyperhidrosis, depression, anxiety, generic diabetes and social awkwardness, and 3) I am terrible with words. I stutter tremendously, and my heart races when I am forced to speak in front of a group larger than two. Anyways, shall the story begin?

RING-RING-RING-RING

Katie grumbled and turned over on her bed, hiding her face into her pillows. "Five more minutes," she told her alarm clock, which still rang obnoxiously. Receiving no silence, Katie reached a hand down between her mattress and the wall, and she unplugged the twenty dollar cord. She rolled over out of bed, landing swiftly on her feet. Exchanging eye contact with her reflection in the mirror, she saw that her long, dirty blond hair reached the center of her back in slight layers. Her bangs fell lazily into her hazel eyes, and it was obvious that she'd just woken up, for her expression was completely blank.

Katie grabbed a brush and ran it through her hair, then put her hair up in a bright orange, sloppy bun on the top of her head. She got dressed quickly in a t-shirt, dark hoodie, and jeans. Sliding Converse over her 8-size feet on the way out, Katie stepped one by one down the stairs into the kitchen. "Mom, I'm skipping first," she told her mother, who fixed her and her siblings' lunches.

"Why, what's up?" Mom had always been way too protective about Katie and her grades.

"Well let's see," Katie grabbed a soda and popped her pills into her mouth, "I'm a teenager with anxiety and major astraphobia, and there was a storm last night. I had a nightmare, Mom. I'm going over to Leo's." Note: Leo is Katie's boyfriend.

"Make sure you're at school by band, Doc will tell me if you don't make it." Mom went over the 'Be safe, love you, don't get in trouble' ordeal, then she let Katie go.

Katie walked out of the house, grabbed her book-bag out of the car, then started walking the mile to Leo's. She put earbuds in her ears and turned on 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol. She made it to Leo's within thirty minutes, turned off the alarm system, then she stepped into the house. "Babe, I'm home," she called.

"Leo is upstairs in his room. Good morning, Katie." His mom, Cindy, welcomed me into the house. Leo's younger brother, Ty, laid on the couch asleep, obviously having had a nightmare as well.

"Thanks, Mommy," Katie smiled gently, shut the door, then she started up the stairs to Leo's bedroom. She opened his bedroom door and peaked in. Seeing Leo asleep on his bed with the light on curled up to his panda stuffed animal, Katie turned off the light for him. She stepped into the room, following the rules to keep the door opened, and she stepped over to Leo's king-size bed. She sat down, slid off her hoodie, shoes, socks, and she cuddled under the covers, snuggling up close to Leo, and her arms wrapped around him. Katie looked into Leo's closed eyes, brown when opened, for a moment, then she ran a hand through his brown hair and closed her own eyes. She set her nose to his and let her other hand rest against his chest-blade.

Katie yawned lightly and hid her face lazily into Leo's neck, taking in his scent. "Goodnight, baby girl," she heard him breathe out quietly as his arms slid around her protectively. In reaction, Katie cuddled closer and whispered, "I love you." Leo returned the affection and pulled the covers over her shoulders, then he rubbed her back.

===

"It's time to wake up, Panda."

Katie shifted, then her eyes opened to find herself sitting in the car, at the high school. Leo picked her up and set her on her feet. "Good morning, Monkey," Katie mumbled sleepily and pulled her bag over her shoulders. She found it so adorable that he had put back on her shoes and hoodie for her, then carried her out to the car to be brought to high school.

"We're right in time for second block," he commented as he gave Katie a kiss and walked with her into the building. They signed in late and both went to class- Katie to band, Leo to gym. Right as Katie sat down with her trumpet and music, the late bell rang. Through the whole block, she was yawning from being woken up and brought to school so suddenly. And from that day being the third day with only two hours of sleep.

After school ended, Mom approved of Katie going over to Leo's, so that's what she did. Katie and Leo walked into the house and both collapsed on his bed. Katie giggled and said, "Stupid Mrs. Queen. We have to finish the packet for The Odyssey, remember?"

"Homework doesn't matter right now. Test tomorrow in Math, and I'm not worried about it. Panda time comes first. Netflix and chill, play pool, darts, play with the guinea pigs, Minecraft, or what first?"

She mumbled something in reply. He asked her to repeat it, so she lifted her head up from his shoulder and said a little more clearly, "Netflix and chill. Definitely."

Leo smiled at how adorable Katie was acting, then he picked her up and brought her into the living room, down the stairs. "Ty will be home soon, so we need to choose something that's okay for him to watch." The two agreed on Big Hero 6.

Katie laid in Leo's lap, her head in his shoulder on the couch as they watched TV for an hour, with a little popcorn and sweet tea time mixed in between. They relaxed from the long day, then turned off the TV. Leo suggested, "Come on, Katie. Let's go to Planet Fitness."

Katie agreed reluctantly, and the two climbed into the Charger.