Swept Away

Chapter 17

unedited

I heard her before I saw her, "Kennedy Blair Garger!"

What was it like eight on a Saturday morning?

"Kenz, I am gonna strangle you!" she shrilled, her voice hitting an octave too high for my fragile, sleep deprieved ears. I groaned as Charlotte poked and prodded at me.

Eyes still sealed shut with drosiness I managed to catch her wrist before her cold hands could decended on me again. Despite the traces of sleep the heightened senses were still lingering in my lithe movements.

"No, Charlotte," I all but growled peeking an eyes open to glance at the clock, "I am gonna kill you. It's freaking-- eight forty on a Saturday morning."

Being halfway done with highschool my overall percentage of doneness was pretty much through the roof. This being said, one could gather that there were few things I actually did care about. One of the top things on the list was sleep, or fattening food full of MSG. And since Charlotte hadn't come with an offereing of junk food, you could see how this was a problem. I took my sleep seriously.

"Kennedy. You didn't tell me your brother was back," she whisper shouted and just like that her mini freak out made sense. Ever since we were in fourth grade and my brother gave her a bandaid and a half eatten bag of cookies when she fell from her bike, Charlotte's had the hugest known crush on my brother ever. I think that's part of the reason she stuck so close to me during middle school. "He's such an absolute god," she would swoon and giggle.

"So?"

"So?! So, I walked into your house with my ratty sweats and my hair looking like this." she gestured wildly to the length of her body. "And if that wasn't enough of a shock to the system, he's down there getting chummy with your boy toy Zion."

I nearly chocked at this. Shooting out of my bed, I grabbed the abandoned pair of pants on my floor and a long sleeved shirt, "Crap, are you kidding?"

She scoffed, "As if that's something to kid about." She paused, "Hey, where were you yesterday-- what's on your wrist?"

Thinking on my feet I supplied an excuse, "Oh that? Just some new henna I got."

"It's cute."

I almost laughed, "Thanks."

Bounding down the stairs I almost had a panic attack as I watched Zion, and Kevin standing around the kitchen sipping on hot beverages.

"Goodmorning sunshine," Zion, the one facing the door was the first to notice me.

I scowled at him and briefly I thought about how terrible I must look at the moment. Feeling Charlotte's pain I put my hands on my hips and rather imaturely stuck my tongue out at him.

Why did he get to look like a model first thing in the morning? Where his hair was a cute bedhead kinda charmingly dishevelled thing, mine was a complete nest; that I can be sure of.

"When I told you to come over today I didn't mean this early. What is wrong with you?" I groaned.

Kevin clucked his tongue at me, "Don't worry she's a little bit of a b word in the morning before she gets her coffee. Ignore her."

Zion all understanding and solemn nods so wisely said, "Understandable. I never pegged her for a morning person."

"I'm right here you dimwits."

Raising his eyebrows Kevin cut a glance at me and then flicked his gaze back to Zion looking rather smug, "See?"

I didn't like this. Two of the most annoying people on the planet in the same room? That was a horrendous combination, and honestly was a recipe for my incarceration.