My Knights in Shining Armor

Olly's Shirtless Self

A/N: ... idk guys stay tuned for author's note part two at the end of the chapter

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"Cherry, we need to go shopping," Anne announces one Saturday morning.

"What for?" I yawn, reaching for the cereal. I was up late last night playing Mario Kart with Felix and Cal, and yet Blair still woke me up to go running.

Sometimes I really hate that kid. 

"James' annual work party and then Heath's girlfriend's end-of-summer party," she replies.

"Oh, those are coming up, aren't they?" Evan asks, stumbling into the kitchen. His twin follows him a few seconds later.

Both twins have dark circles under their eyes, and I can't help but raise an eyebrow at Felix when he slumps down at the table next to me. 

"Long night, was it?" I tease, nudging him with my elbow.

"You're telling me," Evan comments, setting a bowl of cereal down on my other side. "After you and Cal finally left the room around two, Felix managed to convince me to play every single course with him. He won, as you can imagine, but at a great cost."

I can't help it, and I snort just as Felix's head hits the table.

"How charming," Anne dryly remarks, head in the fridge. "Anyways, Cherry, we should get shopping as soon as we can."

"Wait, didn't we already buy stuff for those parties? Like, at the beginning of the summer?"

"Well, yeah, but you've gotten slimmer from all the forced runs with Blair."

"Yeah, you really have," Evan smiles. "You look nice."

I blush a tiny bit. "Thanks, Evan, it's much appreciated."

"Ah, so that's why you're easier to pick up now than you were at the beginning of summer," a newcomer to the kitchen says. He covers my eyes with his hands from behind me. "Guess who."

"Hmm," I pretend to think. "Let's see. You aren't Evan or Felix, and I seriously doubt Olly is awake this early. Blair is still in the shower, and Dakota spent the night at a friend's. So, that means my mystery man in none other than Cal."

"Bingo. How do you always guess so easily?" Cal whines, letting his hands slip from covering my eyes to resting on my shoulders, where he proceeds to give them a tiny massage.

"What can I say? I like mystery books. Also, I can tell who's talking even without seeing them. The real question is, why are you up so early? I thought you'd be exhausted from our Mario Kart tournament."

"I could say the same to you, my dear Cherry."

I snort. "Oh, I'm definitely going to crash at five pm, probably."

Something clatters to the ground behind us, and we both turn to see Anne staring with dismay at the spatula she was using to make pancakes with on the ground. 

"Darn it," she says. "I'm really glad we have two spatulas, because I was not about to wash that just so I could use it again." Anne opens a drawer next to the stove and pulls out a second spatula before turning to me. "Also, Cherry, if you're going to crash at five, we need to go shopping sooner rather than later. James' party is on Saturday, and Stephanie's is the Sunday after next."

"Who is Stephanie again?" I ask, checking my phone to see what day it is.

"Heath's girlfriend. And it's Tuesday, for your information," Cal says, peeking back over my shoulder.