Contemporary Life // FILLIE

Early Awakening

Finn's POV:

I watch as Caleb's eyes take a doubt take at the sight of me, at first not noticing who exactly I was. "Hey, look who's back from the bedroom." Caleb teases with a sly tone and mischievous smirk. His words causing the two others to look over their shoulders at me, both of them having more of a natural expression. As I reach the last and final step I force out a low, groggy, "Hey." as I make my way into the kitchen and to the cabinet. "So.. did anything happen?" Caleb questions as I take a clear plastic cup from the shelf. Turning to face him my eyes squint at the light hanging above the island. "That's none of your concern, 'Laughlin." I answer flatly, my voice still not back to it's usual awake tone. "So basically that's a yes?" He guesses just before Gaten hits his bicep with the back of his free hand while the other holds and ice pack to his forehead, shutting the dark skinned boy right up. Head must hurt after that many drinks. I let out a small snicker at the short show they put on, glad I have someone like Gaten to handle things I wouldn't bother with.

I walk over to the fridge only a few feet away from me and push the cup against the small trigger in the back of the small square on the outside of the fridge, watching as a small tube pours cold water into the cup before pulling it back out to take a sip. "Is Millie still asleep?" Sadie asks in her worried tone as I come over to the island. I simply nod while taking a gulp of smooth fridge water. "Good.. that girl could use it. Everyone was gone just a little after 4 AM." The redhead explains, to which I just stay silent to as my eyes look out the window to find it's still pitch black outside. A small apart of me finds the sight of the street light just beside her driveway shining onto the street to be unsettling, scary even- but even that feeling is brushed away as I remind myself we're talking about the small town I've lived in my whole life. "Where'd Kenzie and Noah go?" I ask as my eyes linger on the sight a little longer, as if expecting to see something emerge from the darkness, until my eyes welcome back the sight of my friends. "Kenzie had to get home before her curfew, I guess Noah went home after dropping her off." Gaten explains with pain written along his face, yet he somehow still manages to shrug at the end.

The kitchen fell silent, all of us tired and happy to simply not talk. That is until we all hear a door swing open from upstairs followed by rushed footsteps and another door opening, and lastly the sound of someone hurling. All our heads turn toward the noise, Sadie looking especially worried yet also slightly annoyed. "Here we go again.. I got it." She says with a sigh, setting her phone onto the counter before starting up the stairs. "Dammit Gaten, why'd you have to let her have the punch?" She complains as she reaches the top of the steps, turning down the hall towards the bathroom where we hear the faint noise of the door closing with a click. "Again?" I repeat as my eyes trail back to the remaining teens. Caleb nods, "Millie's been throwing up since about 3:30." He explains. I furrow my eyebrows as my eyes go back to the hallway, hearing the faint voices of the two girls coming from the bathroom- well, mostly just Sadie's and hurling. How could I not have noticed.. or woken up? "For a girl that's been hanging with us guys her whole life, she still seems to know how to deal with all these 'girl' type things." Caleb adds with a light chuckle, causing a small smirk to form on my lips. "You got that right." I mutter quietly, taking another sip of water. 

"Oh Finn, I almost forgot- I uh, I brought some clothes for you since I kinda guessed you'd be sleeping here, y'know, with her parents gone and all.." Gaten trails off as he quickly sets down the ice-pack and grabs the folded clothes from his bag that he left here whilst helping Millie decorate. Placing my glass of water on the counter behind me, I reach over the island and take the clothes from him with a thankful smile. "Thanks Gaten." I say, flipping through the clothes to see what I got. On the top of the small pile is an Adidas black sweater with three white stripes streaming on each sleeve, underneath that there's a plain white t-shirt, and a pair of cotton Nike shorts on the bottom. Noticing how everything that was in this pile I already had at home, I looked up at Gaten with a suspicious smirk. "Did you go to my house?" I ask, stifling a laugh as I imagine him just swiping these from my drawers and closet. With the ice-pack now back on his forehead, he simply shrugs. "Yeah. Not like I haven't done it before.. remember that time you shit your pants in fourth grade at recess? You were so scared to get up from the swing that you asked me to run to your house and get you new pants." He questions flatly, only a faint, pained smile coming to his face as he reminds me of the story. Caleb tries to hold in his laugh but fails within seconds, howling with laughter like a hyena as I repress a smile, hating that he had to bring that story up. "Yes Gaten, I remember." I say, annoyed with him but still trying not to smile despite the urge. A short smile flashes on his face before fading back to pain. Man, his head must be pounding like a jackhammer if he can't even smile.

Suddenly the familiar sound of a door creaking open upstairs brings my attention away from them, watching closely as I see Sadie leading Millie back to her bedroom in the darkness with her arm around her protectively. By the time they turn into her room Caleb's laughter has come to dissipating halt. "Are you guys staying the night?" I question, raising my eyebrows with interest. With a smile still printed on his dark face but fading quickly, Caleb gives me a shrug. "We were supposed to but I don't think Sadie will let that happen if Millie keeps at it." He answers. I shift my eyes over to the curly haired boy who nods slowly. "Don't worry Finnie, I'll be on the couch." He says sarcastically, using the pet name only girls that aren't close to me say. I press my lips together as I stare down at the stack of clothes in my hands. I should go comfort her, take care of her.. let Sadie have a break. But before any of that.. I gotta get out of these clothes. Without a word I release one hand from the stack and turn around to my water, chug down what's left, toss the cup into the sink, and look at the guys as I quickly start going upstairs. "You guys know where the sheets and stuff are, right?" I ask, making sure they don't need me anymore. Gaten gives me a thumbs up as he nods with his eyes shut gently. 

With the door wide open, I walk into Millie's room where the only light is coming from her bed lamp and of course, the bright moon outside. I pass by Sadie and Millie, with the brunette sitting up in bed wearing a different, more comfortable outfit, her comforter covering her crossed legs on the bed. And Sadie sitting on the edge with her feet on the ground, handing her a pill and glass of water as I come barging in and straight to the closet to change.

-

After Millie went back to sleep I tried to stay up as long as I could to make sure I'd be awake and ready to care for her if necessary. But as the night went on and Caleb and Sadie left assuming she'd be fine for the night, I grew to assume the same as my eyelids became heavy. About the only thing keeping me awake was the fact that I still had a shirt on, where usually I'm used to just sleeping in boxers so the cotton on my chest felt more like a sock when trying to sleep- just not right. So, growing more tired with every second that passed, I threw the shirt off my body and tossed it onto the bay window. I turned onto my stomach as I was now under the covers, slipped my arms under the cold, soothing pillow, and allowed myself to drift off into the night. Feeling a sense of security and warm from the presence of the Foreign Spice beside me.