Sheets | ✓

TWO

Pulling on a fresh set of clothes, opting for loose shorts instead of my usual jeans that would probably be a little too familiar with my tender behind, I carefully stepped downstairs, stomach rumbling. My head was still a mess and my heart was a beat or two away from an infarction, but my stomach was empty and gurgling. I needed food, and water, and probably some painkillers if I was going to get through the rest of the day. Jamie was already in the kitchen, quietly humming to herself with her earphone stuffed into her head, phone tucked into the waistband of her pants. She gave me a quiet nod, gesturing to the sandwich on the counter. I mouthed her a silent thank you, my sister curtseying in response.

The two of us usually spent our time like this, quietly communicating to not wake our mother up from her daytime sleep. As a night shift nurse, she was usually out of the house before we woke up, and in bed before we came home. She always tried to make time for us on her days off, but most of the time it was just the two of us in our house, unless our dad was back from an overseas business trip, which usually wasn't the case. The two of us had never minded though, and enjoyed spending quiet afternoons together. It was probably because of this that I enjoyed the quiet. 

I felt something soft brush my feet, which rested on the horizontal slats of the bar stool, and peered down, a small smile breaking out on my face. Jojo, the family labrador, peered up at me happily with her long tail swaying in the air. I chuckled as her mouth hung open, tongue lolling out the side as her eyes sparkled, locked onto the shreds of chicken hanging out from my sandwich. 

"Hungry?" I asked her, Jojo straightening her back as she panted, almost drooling on the floor. Shaking my head, I pulled out a strip of chicken, dropping it into her waiting mouth. Chewing happily, Jojo rubbed her head on my foot again affectionately, before walking around the side of the counter to sit by her bowl.

"You need to stop spoiling her," Jamie sighed, but reached into a drawer to pull out a can of dog food, making me scoff at her contradictory actions. 

Pressing down the packed sandwich, the mashed avocado oozing from the sides, I took a large bite, groaning at the taste of something other than death in my mouth. Jamie stifled a laugh as as she reached into the pantry and threw a rustling packet of Panadol at me, the paper box skidding across the counter to stop at the edge of my plate.

"You look like you need it," Jamie said, and I gratefully popped out two pills, swallowing them easily without water. 

"You seem experienced in managing this," I said, Jamie snorting.

"Most people my age would be," Jame said, pulling out a tub of ice cream from the freezer, digging into it with a large serving spoon. "Hell, most people your age would be too."

"I'm only 17," I said, frowning. "It's illegal."

"Says the one who came home hungover," Jamie said, snorting again, sticking the full spoon of ice cream into her mouth. Jamie waved her empty spoon in the air, running the metal from my toes to my head. "Want to share what happened yesterday? We both know you're not the type to be so..."

"Stupid?" I offered, Jamie shaking her head.

"Not that. Reckless? Or maybe just young," Jamie mused. "I don't know what the right word is, but you're not usually the type to break the rules. I mean, you're pretty boring."

"Thanks," I said, rolling my eyes as Jamie just laughed.

"It's not a bad thing, I mean, mum had her hands full with me. It's probably a good thing you don't do anything scandalous." A slither of lettuce lodged itself in my throat as I sharply inhaled at her words, the leafy green tickling my oesophagus as I choked. My ass seemed to ache harder and my appetite weaken.