misophonia | m.c

the next day

Cassidy fell asleep around eleven thirty in the evening, surrounded by English notes and a half-written Chemistry paper. She had that habit; working so hard but still not finishing. It was a constant struggle in her home.

She awoke the next morning to the sound of her door crashing open. The girl pulled the white comforter up over her face with a groan, not wanting to face the day at hand. When a pair of hands tried to pry the blankets off of her small body, Cassidy pulled harder. She refused to buy an alarm clock, her house was usually loud and busy enough to wake her. 

After about a minute of this struggle, Cassidy kicked out, connecting with what felt like a hip. "Five more minutes, mom." She drew out the vowels in each word, groans coming every time she moved.

"Not Mom, Luke." The girl's step brother chuckled, though he sounded slightly annoyed. "I don't want to drive you again so get yourself dressed and ready in twenty minutes for your bus." 

With a final grunt, Cassidy managed to drag herself out from under the covers, feet connecting with the cold wood floor. She glared up at the blond boy who was dressed and ready from the waist up, he was just lacking pants.She rolled her eyes at the dark plaid boxers and stretched. "I don't think you can go to school like that any more than I can go to school like this."

Cassidy's mother had married Luke's father when she was just two and he was three, so they barely used the term "step" in the Taylor-Hemmings household. She called Luke's father dad and he called her mother mom, they all got along quite well. 

When Cassidy didn't move from her position on the side of her bed, Luke grabbed under her arms and pulled her too her feet. "I'm serious, Cassie. I have people to pick up, that aren't you. Mom and dad aren't home either so have fun walking a few miles if you miss your bus."

"Then leave so I can get changed." The girl rolled her eyes, walking over to her door to hold it open for him.

He rolled his eyes, walking out of her room but lingering right outside her door. He looked down at her shirt, Cassidy had fallen asleep in her clothes from the previous day and it was obvious Luke was not impressed. "Who let you out of the house in that? Not everyone is going to know it's a band shirt, especially the school. I didn't know you even listened to Sex Pistols, Cassidy."

Cassidy sighed heavily. "I don't. It was lent to me by ... a friend yesterday after the shirt I was wearing got dirty at lunch.  Any more questions, Mr. Hemmings?"

"I don't want to see me little sister in a shirt like that again, you hear me, Ms. Taylor?" Luke chuckled, he could be quite overprotective and Cassidy wasn't quite fond of that. 

"Bye, Luke." She shook her head, shutting the door before turning back into her room to get ready for the day.

 After pulling on a pair of skinny jeans and a red tank top, Cassidy began to dig through her closet looking for her favorite jacket.  She tossed aside sweaters and t-shirts, and shorts. Basically everything except her jacket was found and then discarded. She knew the morning was supposed to be cold but it would heat up by lunch, so she needed a jacket that would look nice being worn and tied around her waist. With a defeated sigh, Cassidy retreated to the bathroom she shared with Luke to wash up and do her makeup. 

Once she was pretty much ready to leave, she stopped by her brother's room, leaning in the door way. "Luke?" She asked, dragging out the U.

"Yes Cass?" He responded, walking over to where she stood. 

She bit her bottom lip, "Do you know where my brown jacket is? The one with the brass buttons? It's kind of chilly out and I don't want to have to wait out there in just a tank top."