Sugarcane Chronicles Volume I: One and Lonely (ryden)

Winter's Coming

I woke up on the floor of Ryan's bedroom because I had fallen asleep on it, but I also woke up with a blanket on me and a little bit of weight on my chest, which hadn't been there when I fell asleep.

I looked down at my chest to find an arm. The arm was attached to The Boy That Was Everything; Ryan (I could tell by the cast). I smiled slightly and looked up at his face to find looking at me.

"Oh, hey," I said sleepily, smiling wider.

"Hi," he said. He brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

"Howdy," I said, leaning closer to his warmth, suddenly the coldest I had ever been.

"You're up early," he observed, pulling the covers higher over us and draping his arm over me after.

"Not by choice," I replied, closing my eyes.

"Mmmdon't fall asleep again," he said. "We have to get up."

"But I don't want to," I said. I pulled the blanket, which I then realized was his duvet, over my head.

"But you have to." He paused before adding, "Don't make me get Pete to call your mom."

"I miss her anyways."

He sighed. "Could you please just... get up? I'm kind of...naked. Under the covers."

I raised an eyebrow even though he couldn't see it. "Really? Now that's something that would get me out of bed..."

Ryan quickly pulled the blanket away and off of me to cover himself up. "Brendon, no."

I pouted. "Fine." I got up and something popped and I groaned. I said under my breath, "I'm getting too old for this," and left his room to give him privacy because I respected it.

I walked downstairs in the wrinkly, slept-in clothes I had worn the day before and went into the kitchen. Pete was sitting at the table, drinking his coffee slowly.

He looked up at me and smiled. "Hey!" he said. His smile faded slightly before returning with suspicion and mischief woven in. "Are you wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said, sitting down next to him. "I slept on his floor last night." I noticed something was missing. "Hey, where is everybody?"

"They went to school already," he said. "It's..." he pulled his phone out of his pocket and clicked it to show the time "7:50." He turned the phone to me. "See?"

I cursed and stood up. "Why didn't you wake us up?" I yelled at him.

He raised his hands in defense. "I didn't want to disturb you guys. You just looked so peaceful."

I sighed. "It's ok. I just have to get ready really fast."

I ran to the living room and went for the stairs but stopped when I saw an arm and leg sticking out from under the couch. I looked closer and saw extremely curly hair poking out from it, too. I realized it was hungover Joe sleeping under the couch and continued my sprint to Ryan's room after I grabbed my bag.

I ran up to his door and opened it to find him completely dressed, standing on the other side of the door with his hand out.

Ryan smiled at me. "I was just about to come down."

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I asked, walking into his room and placing/throwing my bag down on his bed.

"No," he said, taking his phone out of his pocket. He saw the time and his eyes widened to the size of the moon. "Shit! We better get going."