Big Girl Boots

Eighteen

I was sprawled out on the couch, TV buzzing with some show Kellan had on but wasn't really paying attention to. My phone dangled off the edge of the couch in my left hand, still warm from being on for the last hour as I browsed Facebook aimlessly. The snow was finally beginning to let up but Mama Callie, Uncle Mark, and Coda had gone to bed when it was still coming down in flurries.

"Kellan?"

"Hmm?" He didn't bother to glance up from the device in his hand. I knew he was browsing Craigslist, even though he didn't have the money for another rig. I shook my head. Boys.

"I'm bored."

"Congratulations," he replied sarcastically, scrolling a little further down the page.

Groaning, I plopped my head back. The overstuffed pillow behind me emitted a small puff of dust. "Aren't you bored?"

He shrugged, eyes still trained on his phone. We had both lamps in the room on along with the TV but most of the light on my cousin's face was the soft blue of the phone screen. "Not really. It's actually kind of nice to have some down time."

Pouting, I wiggled down in the couch a little further. Being the easy going person that he was, Kellan didn't always agree with me. This was one of those times. Even though we weren't even a week into winter break, I was already hopelessly tired of the snow and lack of movement. "Do you think Coda's bored?"

He shrugged again and clicked on something. "Hell if I know. Why don't you go bug her instead of me?"

I debated for a moment, swinging my phone between two fingers. "You think she's sitll up?"

"Yeah," he replied, increasing the TV volume a few clicks when the commercials finally ended, "she's usually up until like ten thirty on her phone."

I sat up and stared at him with furrowed brows. "How do you know?"

Kellan didn't even look at me so he never saw my surprise, but I continued gawking.

For the third time in a row, he shrugged. "Sometimes I come down here when I can't sleep. She's almost always up."

Broken out of my stupor by his simple explanation, I snorted. "So you're the reason all the Christmas cookies are already gone!"

Kellan shot me an amused half grin that said he wasn't taking me seriously in the least. "Maybe, but that's not thanks to you, either."

"Is that a fat joke?"

My cousin shot me one more grin and turned his attention back to the TV. "Maybe."

"You're an ass." I tossed a pillow at him, which he dodge easily, and stumbled to my feet. "I'm gonna go see if you're right, though. You owe me five bucks if she's asleep."

He ignored me as I ambled down the hallway in the direction of Coda's room, phone clutched in my left hand. With my right, I knocked on the sturdy wood, glancing underneath for signs of light. Muffled movement came from inside and I realized I might be forced to hand over five bucks.

"Kellan?" Coda called softly. She sounded sleepy and I wondered if I'd woken her up. Five bucks could still be mine.

"Nope," I replied, pressing my face to the door so she could hear me. I wanted to wake Coda up, but definitely not my aunt and uncle.

More faint activity came from inside and then all of a sudden Coda swung open the door to face me. "Hi."

"Hi," I grinned, lifting the hand with my phone in a wave. "Did I wake you up?"

The blonde bun on top of her head wiggled when she shook her head. "No, I was up already."

I rolled my eyes. "What happened to going to bed?"