Waiting for the Sunrise

chapter seven

Rebecca-

Will's alarm went off, finally. I had been laying next to Will, awake for hours. I was thankful it was finally 6:30. He tapped the alarm off on his phone screen and rolled over.

"Good morning. Breakfast?" He asked, I sat up.

"No. I don't think I'm gonna go in today." He sat up and kissed my forehead.

"I'll get your work. Meet with Dr. Lord please?"

"Maybe." He brushed off my response, hopping out of bed and getting up to shower. I watched him get ready for the day from the comfort of his bed, which was very warm. He was nice to watch, look at. His muscles always seemed to look flexed, and looking at him made me want to smile. I held back, due to my misery. Yesterday I had felt so full of hope. Ridiculous how quickly things change, and I was so ready for a change to begin with. I wanted to be better. I had to work harder on this than I ever had.

I stood up. Will noticed instantly. "What are you doing?" I shrugged and let out a deep breath.

"Getting ready for school." His lips upturned to a smile. I walked towards his bedroom door. "I'll be ready in twenty." I shut the door behind me and entered the hallway. I went into "my" room. The walls were especially grey, almost like they were trying to bring me down from the happiness I was so attempting to grasp. My phone buzzed on the nightstand next to my bed. I picked it up.

Jake

Hey. Are you back at your house? Pretty loud last night. Hope everything is okay.

I was confused. I obviously was not back at my house, therefore I had no idea what could have possibly been loud.

No. I'm still at the Mercer's. Maybe it was my mom? What was going on?

I set my phone back down and got into the shower, the hot water hitting my skin with force. It felt nice. I thought about my house. Would it be my mom? Why would nobody tell me she was home? What could she possibly be doing that was so loud our neighbors would hear? After the shower I put my clothes on and grabbed my backpack, brushing my hair with my fingers as I walked down the stairs. The Mercers welcomed me with a smile. I put my cup under the Keurig as they asked me about my plans for the afternoon and what was going on at school today. I gave small answers, but I felt guilty about it. Guilt seemed like it could be a step in the right direction I suppose. I checked my phone for a response from Jake as I waited for Will by the door.

Oh. I don't know then.. Maybe it was your mom. Didn't sound good. Im surprised nobody called the cops. We'll talk today. See you

I mentally groaned. Another neighborhood scandal was not what I needed at this point. Will walked down the stairs, donning a bright, classic, Will Mercer smile.

"Good morning." He said to his parents, smiling at me. He grabbed a cup of iced coffee he had prepared last night from the fridge and said his goodbyes. "We have to pick up Mckenzie again." He said as we walked out the door with me. "We should try not to scar her this time, she probably told her mom we are crazy." I shook my head.

"Everyone in this neighborhood knows I'm crazy, Will. Trust me, I don't think it hurt your rep." He gave me a sympathetic smile and we got in his car. His favorite classical radio station was playing a Bach I immediately recognized as one of his favorite. I turned it up for him as he shifted out of his driveway. "I have a Calc test today. We'll see how it goes."

"I'm sure you will do great, Beck. You always do." I shrugged and we pulled into the driveway of a huge brick house. It was even bigger than Will's, or any of the houses in my neighborhood.