Loved & Loyal | 1

xxiv

I woke up the next morning to a cold bed and sun shining in my face. I turned to Abby's alarm clock and read the glowing numbers. 8:14.

I got out of bed, pulling on a pair of joggers that I kept in my drawer in her dresser before heading downstairs.

I smelt it before I saw it. Abby was trying to make breakfast but really, it looked like the kitchen turned into Chernobyl.

"Abs, honey, what're you doin'?" She jumped a bit at my voice, surprised by my presence.

"I was, umm, trying to make you breakfast?" She asked, posing it as a question. I raised my left eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem like it. It seems like the A-bomb blew up in your kitchen." I gave her a skeptical look and gestured to the mess of a kitchen. She just stared back at me, blinking with a shocked look on her face.

Pots and pans were everywhere and what looked to be a split smoothie was covering the island. It smelt faintly of burnt toast and the stovetop was smoking slightly.

"Let me fix it," I said, coming around to her and tugging her into the living room.

I sat her down on the couch before saying, "Sit. Stay. I'll be back."

I left her there and went back to the kitchen to clean it up. I examined the dishes and judged whether she used them or not - if not, they went back into their place, if so, they went into the dishwasher. I wiped the counter and island down and checked every appliance to make sure it was in it's correct condition.

When I was done, I went back into the living room and got Abby, bringing her back in to the kitchen and seating her at the island.

"Wow, that was fast," she said with a grin.

"Yup," I said, popping the p.

"What were you attempting to cook?"

"It started out as just toast but that didn't turn out well so I tried to make a smoothie and then that didn't work..." She trailed off, letting me guess what else she did. It wasn't that hard. I had just cleaned up her dishes.

"Well, how about some cereal instead?"

"Sounds good to me, Bear. I am never cooking again. I think I've caught your mother's 'condition'," she said with a  wry grin.

We laughed because Mom really couldn't cook even though she tried.

"So, mall today?" I asked.

"Yep," she said popping the p, "I need another swimsuit, some sunglasses, and a few shirts. How 'bout you?"

"Shorts, sunglasses, flip-flops, you know, the usual." I shrugged.

"OK, well when do you want to leave?"

"Do you want to eat lunch in the food court?"

"Before lunch it is," Abby confirmed, answering my question without a direct answer.

We finished our cereal and then parted ways, me going back to my place.

As I walked in the door, I was greeted by an eager Rex.

"Hey, boy! Want a treat?" I asked remembering I owed him one for supper last night. He barked at me and turned in a circle, his tail wagging.

"OK, OK, OK. Let's go get it!" I walked into the kitchen and opened the drawer for Rex's doggy treats. I grabbed him one of those bone treats that are good for bad breath and tossed it to him. He caught it in the air then retreated to his doggy bed to munch.

I walked up the stairs and to my room, preparing to shower and get ready for the day. I started to strip when my phone blared the alarm sound very loudly. I nearly jumped out of my skin, it scared me so much but managed to calm down, reaching for the phone and turning off the 9:00am alarm I had set last night.

I plugged my phone into the charger so it would be charged for the mall and finished taking my clothes off. I got in my shower in my ensuite and let the hot water run down my body. It felt like I hadn't had a shower in ages when in reality it had probably only been a day or two.

I shampooed and conditioned my short hair, then washed my body with my Dove for Men body wash. When I got out of the shower, the mirrors in my bathroom where covered in condensation and I couldn't see anything reflected in them. The air above me was steamy and hot as well so I quickly dried myself off with the navy blue towel then tied it around my waist and left before I started to feel claustrophobic.

I dressed in a pair of standard black boxers, jeans that had rips in the knees from messing around with my buddies, and put on a grey V-neck t-shirt that I liked because the sleeves strained on my biceps, showing them off. It was also tight around my chest and pecks but was looser around my abs, leaving just enough for the imagination. I grabbed a pair of socks and left my room, running the towel through my hair a few more times before tossing it in the laundry room on my way by. I sat on the steps, putting on my shoes, before grabbing my pair of grey vans and sliding them on as well.

I checked my phone - which I had placed in my back pocket when I left my room - for the time, and found it to be almost 10:00am. We should be leaving for the mall in about half an hour so I decided to head over to Abs.

I walked across the lawns until I reached her porch, not bothering to knock before I walked in.

"Abby? We have to leave in, like, half an hour."

I heard her yell from upstairs, "Just give me a few more minutes," which usually meant that she was going to take close to half an hour.

I didn't feel like waiting downstairs and risking running in to one of her parents because I wasn't sure where they were so I went up the stairs and turned down the hall to Abby's room, opening the door and walking through.

She was standing in her bathroom with the door open, leaning closely to the mirror over the sink putting on eyeliner. I plopped on her bed and laid back.

"Are you almost ready?" I whined.

I raised my head to look at her, to find her staring at me with that look that said, "Does it look like I'm done?" I just shook my head and groaned, laying back down.