FOREST

4 - the awakening

The sound of bare, quiet footsteps against the wooden floor woke him up, but before he got the chance to open his eyes she left the room. Melanie was on the other side of the bed, still sleeping. She was completely wrapped up in the blanket, her face catching the light coming through the white window behind her.

Kaden sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. Brown curls managed to escape the tight band that was holding them in place a few hours before.

After finishing everything in the bathroom and getting a pair of gray sweatpants on, he headed towards the kitchen. On his way there he saw Tamara sleeping, her head threatening to fall over the edge of the brown leather sofa.

The small kitchen was empty when he entered it, secretly making him wonder where she was.
When he was done with making coffee his eyes caught a movement and he walked back into the living room.

Zoie was standing in front of the biggest window in the apartment, the same one she was in front of the night before. He walked up behind her, careful enough for her not to hear him and turn around.

"Like the view?"

She sucked in a breath as he spoke only a few inches away from her neck.

"Yes," she cleared her throat, "I didn't really notice it last night." She whispered, slowly turning around.

"That's when it looks the best," he took a sip of his coffee, and looked at her as she slowly peeled her eyes off of his lips, turning back to the window.

"It's still beautiful, though," she crossed her arms, "That part is my favorite."

He followed her finger which landed right on top of a forest he used to live by as a kid.

"You've been there?" he asked surprised.

"Oh no, but it looks lovely. Do you see the way that the trees are closer to each other, and they have a slightly different color than the rest?" she circled her index finger around the region.

"It's hickory," he smiled softly as he took another sip of his coffee, "and the ones in that part were always a different shade of yellow. I think they're the oldest, maybe that's why."

She kept her eyes on the forest, "I take it you've lived here for a long time?"

"Ten years, then I moved."

"And now you're back?"

"And now I'm back," he repeated her words.

Her eyes glazed around the small town for a few more seconds. He never saw someone that interested in the scenery of the place he grew up in, mostly because it looked very repetitive to many people.
It was mostly trees and more trees, with a few houses and lakes breaking the monotony.

"There's more coffee in the kitchen if you want," he didn't want to tear her curious eyes away from the glass, but a part of him was scared that she would get bored if he didn't.

"I don't like coffee," she turned around.

"Seriously?" he lifted his eyebrow.

"Mhm."

"You confuse me," he took another sip.

"Okay."

A smile played on his lips as he lowered the black mug, "I think there's some orange juice left? Unless you hate that too?"

Her eyes followed the mug to his exposed chest, and as soon as she realized what she was doing she quickly pulled her eyes up.

"I'm fine with orange juice."

They went to the kitchen and he opened one of the white cabinets hanging from the beige wall.

"Here," he took one of the kids' juice boxes he had stashed in there.
She stood by the door frame, eyeing his actions, a chuckle escaping her lips as he passed her the small box with a straw attached to it.

"Do you have some weird fetish with kids' juice boxes?"

He closed the cabinet door, leaning against the kitchen counter made out of the same material.

"I didn't know I wasn't allowed to like something labeled for kids?"

"Aha," she smiled, popping the small box with the colorful straw.

"When did you wake up?" he asked, hopping up onto the kitchen counter.

"Not that long ago... Layla's awake too, she's just getting dressed."

"Wh-"

Footsteps stopped their conversation, as Layla entered the small space.

"My legs are so sore," she cried as she took a few steps inside, "Spencer and his dick are going to pay."

A tiny smile played on Zoie's lips as she sucked on the straw, the motion making it harder for Kaden to take his eyes off of her.

"Do you have more coffee?" Layla frowned.

Kaden pointed towards the coffee maker with a mug under it as Zoie walked out of the room.

"I hope one of you girls knows how to make breakfast," Spencer shouted as he walked into the kitchen.
He nodded at Kaden and grabbed Layla's ass, "Hey babe."
She turned around and they kissed just as Tamara appeared.

"I'd suggest you drop your sexist attitude," she called him out, taking a clean mug from the counter and standing next to Layla, as if she's been in there a million times.

"Okay, okay," Spencer lifted his arms up in defense.

Kaden jumped off the counter and went into his room, where Melanie was getting dressed.

"Is everyone already up?" she moved her hair away from her face, sloppily getting into the dress she was wearing the night before.

"Yes, I think they're about to make breakfast," Kaden took the shirt she slept in off the bed and threw it into his laundry bag, "That's if Tamara doesn't beat up Spencer."

"Awesome, I'm starving," she stated before she walked out of the door.

He took a simple black t-shirt out of his closet and threw it over his head, then headed into the bathroom.

"What are you doing here?"

Zoie was standing in front of the mirror, rubbing her eyes.

"Jesus, is this your bathroom?" she took a step back.

"Yes?"

He appeared even bigger in the small space, blocking the door.

"Uh, Spencer told me I could use it," her voice was tiny, "I'm sorry?"

He took a step towards her and she carefully studied his moves and what he was going to do next, but he just moved past her, to get another hair band from the cubboard.

"It's fine," he answered her and walked out, closing the door behind him.