My British Bear

Chapter 14

Well, hey guys, I've had a busy two weeks and feel like I should update you! So, we don't have to move, but my dad is still out of the house. I'm going to self publish this book on September 1st on Amazon (available for Kindle and Paperback)! It'll be ready for pre-order all of August. July 25th I am done editing (and celebrate my bf's birthday), and then I'll get it uploaded. August 20th-30th will be a blog tour if everything goes well. I've contacted 12 blogs in two days. *wooh* Also, this entered for the Wattys 2017.

So, yeah. There ya go. 

"I don' wanna..."

"Jess, go make lemon poppyseed muffins."

Beautiful voices broke into my sleep. But, lemon poppyseed and muffins were pretty convincing to get me to semi-wake. "Wha...?" I groaned, turning on the bed and wiping the slobber from my chin. Ew. Sunlight was filtering in through the blue curtains Chloe had over her windows.

"Jess is making lemon poppyseed muffins." Molly said, already awake, dressed, and with her hair combed.

"Fiiiiiiine," she huffed, storming off downstairs.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I glanced at my new phone. It was one in the afternoon. Crap. I sighed, stretched, and then got up. I needed to leave soon, before my uncle woke up, or he'd wonder where I was. No doubt he drank way too much the night before to care, though.

I was bone weary. I never got up well after staying up all night. Or dreaming. Or having nightmares.

"I can stay for breakfast, but then I have to skedaddle." I yawned, ruffling my bedhead with one hand.

"Sure." Chloe nodded.

We managed to trudge downstairs and into the kitchen. Tiaz and Zach were still passed out, and Seth was helping Jess, so only Brooks and Aadesh were sitting at the table. I felt my cheeks heat up.

Brooks' curls were all fluffed up and matted down, and his glasses were tilted halfway off of his face. He was resting his head on his hand, his eyes half closed. I sat down next to him and he flashed me a smile.

"Hey." He yawned, fixing his glasses.

"Mornin', teddy."

Chloe giggled. Jess made a giant bunch of lemon poppyseed muffins, sausages, and eggs. We all dug in. "So what's the day plans? I'm going home and either snuggling with Seth while watching Netflix or passing out," Jess said, shoving an entire muffin in her mouth.

Seth laughed and pecked her cheek, then wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Well," Molly said, "I'ma try and get the Christmas lights working again. They busted a fuse or somethin'."

"I'm cleaning my house and finding my books." I shrugged.

"I'm going to take Chloe to... on... on a date." Aadesh said.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna-- wait what?!" Chloe shrilled. "Really?! You're so sweet, you stupid flirt!" She hugged him and kissed him on the cheeks. Aadesh laughed. We clapped.

For a second I wished I could do that with someone. With Brooks. I caught him looking at me and smiling. I looked away, busying myself with tearing apart a sausage.

"I'll take Maria home," Brooks said. Jess and Molly winked at each other and I pretended not to notice.

"Oh! By the way, at 6:00 we're all going caroling! Be here. And Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" we clamored.

I stood up. "Okay, I gotta go." I gathered my wonderful gifts, hugged Chloe, gave her a hug for her mom and dad, grabbed my coat, then started outside. Brooks followed.