In Fair Verona

XXVIII

Isaac: hey
Casey: it's 2am
Isaac: what
Casey: tf, y u awake at 2?
Isaac: you're awake too
Casey: ya good point
Isaac: wassup
Casey: nothing. I took a nap today I was so bored and can't sleep
Isaac: I can't sleep either but it's because Amber came to my room because she gets scared and she snores
Casey: she still gets scared?
Isaac: you're scared of dark basements
Casey: ya, again good point
Isaac: what did you get for Christmas?
Casey: we already discussed this earlier
Isaac: right. What did Auguste get then. Haven't spoken to him
Casey: I think some drawing stuff and socks
Isaac: that must be exciting
Casey: see with text I never know ur sarcastic or not
Isaac: yes socks are exciting
Casey: well he got other things so idk!!
Isaac: I'm bored
Casey: I am too
Isaac: it's annoying when you're trying to sleep and you're just thinking
Casey: I like thinking
Isaac: I do too. Sometimes I get stressed though and sleeping becomes harder
Casey: hah relatable times
Isaac: stressed about exams?
Casey: nah
Isaac: I am
Casey: we have a month
Isaac: Yeah I guess. I'm also stressed about Amber because she's a lot of work sometimes
Casey: hm. Never rly been close to a sibling like that
Isaac: Yeah well when you come out of the womb just hours apart, you don't get much of a choice

I stare blankly at the ceiling.

I want my mom back.

Lately being around this family makes me want my own. This isn't my family and it'll never feel like that, even if I've grown to love everyone. I do love them all but sometimes it's hard that they're all so close and I missed out.

Isaac: u still there?
Casey: ah dw I won't be falling asleep anytime soon
Isaac: long nap?
Casey: Yeah
Isaac: Amber just kicked me. Help

I stifle a laugh.

Casey: must suck
Isaac: If there's sarcasm I don't get it because it does suck
Casey: I want hot chocolate
Isaac: that's random
Casey: but Tims has the peppermint kind
Isaac: oh those are the best!
Casey: Tim's is around the corner. I'm going to take it ass a challenge to sneak out and get there
Isaac: lucky
Casey: I mean you have a car and you said Amber was annoying
Isaac: a truck actually
Casey: oh shut up. It's got wheels. Better then a bike in this weather
Isaac: this time wear a warm coat
Casey: can't make me:)
Isaac: surely I can
Casey: yeah? How?
Isaac: ya I don't know but race you there
Casey: Yeah drive slow. Ice
Isaac: walk slow. Ice

By the time he'd sent the last message I had slipped into a pair of joggers and a hoodie. I grab my denim jacket from downstairs and a pair of sneakers.

Proper attire for negative twenty two and two feet of snow. It's a quiet walk. The snow frowns out a lot of the noise. Some nights the snow plows are out all night. Beeping and things.

I brush my teeth, I don't want hot chocolate. I don't really want to be out of bed right now. Surely I'm bored but it's freezing and two thirty am.

Thank god for the fact that this Tim's is 24/7.

I beat Isaac there. Eventually he arrives and we chat for a bit. We end up starting a conversation with this random young couple and playing cards.

They leave at about three thirty am. Isaac and I for a while think of backstories of who they are and how they ended up here at this time.

We end up chatting and half falling asleep at around four. I'm pretty sure beeping from one of the machines woke us both up and we realized there was a whole new set of workers on shift.

Then we chatted again. Delusional, talking about random things like how we'd react to apocalyptic or anarchy situations.

I don't even know if I remember his answers. Or mine.