Annalise Starke had known her mother was going to die eventually; she just hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
At fifteen she had moved with her mother back to her home country of Australia with half a heart (metaphorically, of course) and her mo...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
𓇼
I hadn't even realized I'd fallen asleep until I woke with a jolt.
A groan escaped my lips, but I refused to open my eyes. They felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each.
"Teacup?" Jacks whispers my name, but I didn't have it in me to respond. I heard him chuckle, then gentle fingertips grazed my skin, and I was lifted into the air. Jacks cradled me against his warm chest, and I couldn't help but settle against it. I exhaled in content—we fit together perfectly—as my head rested in the nook of his shoulder like it was made to be there.
As the car door clicked shut and he began walking, I pressed my body closer into his chest. I felt his chest vibrate with a laugh. The feeling was soothing.
I heard chatter as he walked. Mostly it was whispers between Jacks and Ryan—who thought Sylvie's subtle snoring was adorable—and the occasional sigh from Breck.
I was lingering that state of half-sleep, but my consciousness was losing the battle.
Sylvie snored again and it became clear that they were just flattering her. I might call her snoring adorable, if adorable really meant a seven-pack-a-day smoking rhinoceros with a chainsaw at a lumberjack contest.
Jacks stopped in his tracks and Ryan let out a muffled snort. "What?" He asked.
I felt movement as Jacks leaned down toward me. "You awake, teacup?" Shit, did I say that out loud? "You did." I was too drunk and tired to care, so I just sighed and put my head in the crook of Jacks' neck.
Sylvie's snoring had ceased. "Well fuck you too, Lise," she mumbled, sleep raspy in her voice. "I can't...help...my deviated...septum," her voice faded.
"My," I sighed. "Pleasure, Syl." I savored the warmth in every place my skin touched his. A yawn escaped my lips before I said, "Love you." I heard her mumble it back.
"What the fuck?" Ryan whispered, a ghost of a laugh on his lips. They were silent for a bit, and I had nearly drifted off into oblivion when I heard the front door close behind us. "Breck," Ryan hissed.
"Sorry," my brother slurred.
But it was too late. Jacks and Ryan might be masters of silence, Breck was not. And I was awake.
I opened my eyes and stared up at him, though my vision was still blurry with sleep. Jacks must've felt the change in my breathing, because his chin tilted and then his eyes met mine. As soon as they met, my vision cleared and I was caged by river of emotions coming from his eyes."Sorry, we didn't mean to wake you, teacup."
In my peripheral, I watched as Breck stumbled up the stairs. Ryan stopped at the foot, and Sylvie was absolutely knocked in his arms. Instead of following Breck, he glanced at us before switching courses and heading into the living room.
