The Notes We Write

16.

The next day I didn't wake up that pleasantly, with a kick to the shins. "Grmphh" I growled, pulling my legs more to myself.

"Oops, sorry" Sophie whispered, "I forgot I wasn't alone"

"What time is it?" I said rubbing my eyes, trying to wake myself a bit more. "It's 8"

As if on cue my door opened and Nova launched herself onto the bed. "Oomf, what is it today? Let's hurt Hailey day?"

Both Sophie and Nova, who had wiggled herself in between us, broke out in a fit of laughter. I turned around pulling the covers back up and closing my eyes.

Nova immediately leaned herself over my body trying to reach my face. "No Hails, don't go back to sleep! Mom's making scrambled eggs!" She reached her fingers and tried pull my eyelids open gently.

I quickly turned around and started tickling her sides. She erupted in giggles and tried pushing my hands away.

"You go down, we'll change out of our pyjamas and then join you, okay?" She ran down the stairs yelling a quick "Okay!"

"She's so funny" Sophie chuckled getting out of the bed and putting her hair up in a bun. "She got it from me" I joked. She rolled her eyes, "Sure, you believe that."

"Hey, I'm funny!" I nudged her with my elbow and she just laughed shaking her head lightly.

We quickly changed and joined the others downstairs. The familiar smell of Mom's eggs filled my nostrils. She had made the table for everyone going a bit far for just breakfast. We wouldn't usually have this big of a breakfast, but I knew she did it because she felt bad for not doing something more for last night's dinner. So she wanted to make up for it this way, although absolutely no one minded the small dinner. It was just her.

We sat down next to my dad and Sophie's parents, Nova immediately went to sit on Sophie's lap. "Hey dad, I'm funny right?"

"Of course sweetheart" he answered. "Ha, I told you so" I laughed at Sophie. "If you think knock knock jokes and bad puns are funny!" He high-fived Sophie and they started laughing.

"I feel under appreciated" I said crossing my arms and pouting. Secretly I found it pretty funny as well, but I didn't want to show that to them.

Mom put the plates on the table and big pans with scrambled eggs and some pancakes. "Well, I do think that you're funny Hails." She said kissing my head lightly.

Dad shook his head, "little mommy's baby" Mom hit Dad on his head, and this time it was my turn to laugh.

After breakfast dad had to go to work, Mom luckily didn't have to so she could show Sophie's parents around town.

"Could you guys walk Luna, please?" Michelle, Sophie's mom, asked us. I jumped up nodded excitedly.

"Shall we go put you in the shower then?" Mom lifted Nova from Sophie's lap.

We walked to Luna and I put the dog leash on her, she wagged her tail excitedly. She immediately ran outside as I opened the door for her. She stopped a moment in confusion as the cold snow hit her paws, I guess she forgot where she was for a minute. She recovered herself quickly and barked for us to follow her.

After a trip of Sophie throwing snow at me and us running after Luna, we came home again. I filled Luna's waterbowl for her and made some tea for Sophie and I. The rest of the house had gone 'out'. Not entirely sure where to, but away nonetheless.

"What do you wanna do today?" Sophie asked sitting sideways in a chair with her legs over the armrest. "we could go for lunch in the mall." I said feeling myself getting a bit hungry.

"Sure! How are we going to get there though?" I thought about our options for a bit. ''We could go by bus or I could call Casey and ask if he's free?"

"I'm gonna go for the free option, aka grab your phone." She chuckled. ''Besides, I'm not gonna miss the opportunity to meet the boy you can't stop talking about."

"Shut up" I said pressing the call button on my phone. It rang a few times before Casey picked up with a hello. "Hey are you busy right now?"

"No, I'm just at home. Why"d you ask?" Sophie was leaning closer and closer, trying to listen to the conversation. "Well I need to tell you something first. Yesterday when I got home from school, Sophie and her family arrived at our place and they're staying until after New Years!" I said feeling myself getting excited again that I could spend so much time with my best friend.

"That's amazing, Hailey! I'm so happy for you and I can't wait to meet her!" Casey said almost as excited. "I know, I still can't believe it!"

"Anyways, what I really wanted to ask you is if you maybe had time to drive us to the mall for lunch? You can join us too if you want?" I said really hoping he'd say yes.

"Yeah, sure! I'm with Ashton though, he can come too right?''

"Of course! See you?"

"We'll see you in five minutes!" He said before hanging up.

I turned my head bringing my attention back to Sophie. "Casey and Ashton will be here in five minutes."

"I'm meeting two of your friends at once? I feel honored" she joked before getting up to get her coat.

Not long before we heard a honk from outside, signaling that our ride was here. I quickly locked the door behind us and we got in Casey's car.

"Again thank you for doing this." I greeted both boys. Casey started the car again. "You can call me anytime, you know that!''

Ashton rolled his eyes and turned himself towards the backseat where Sophie and I were sitting. "The real reason why he's doing this is cause I was beating him at Mario Kart, but he doesn't want to admit it.'' He whispered with a smirk on his face. "I can hear you Ash, and that is just not true at all. I was getting first position on every course" Casey defended himself.

"Yeah at 50cc!" Ashton joked, making us, including Casey himself, laugh. "I like your friends already." Sophie whispered in my ear, so only I could hear it.

Then I realised that I never introduced Sophie to them officially. "Oh guys, this is Sophie. Sophie this are Casey and Ashton."

Casey waved and smile at her through the rearview mirror. "I'd hug you but as you can see I'm driving." "That's okay." Sophie laughed.

Ashton turned around again and streched his hand out to her "You can call me Ash" he winked as they were shaking hands. I rolled my eyes at him flirting with her. And to think that he tried to kiss me a couple months ago. I shook that thought away. I looked at Sophie whose cheeks had turned slightly red.

"I can indeed see how much you like them" I whispered in her ear, teasing her a little. She elbowed me in my side telling me to shut it.

Not long after we arrived at the mall and Casey parked his car in the parking garage.

We got out the car and Casey immediately pulled Sophie into a quick hug, scaring her a little. "You owed that one", he chuckled letting her go. She laughed too, and walked over to me.

"You were right he does give really nice hugs" She told me in Dutch so the boys wouldn't understand. Ashton furrowed his eyebrows, "what did she just say"

Sophie gave me a sharp look, telling me not to embarrass her. I had to think quickly and just said that she was really hungry

"Well I guess we should go in quickly then!" Ashton said pulling Sophie along.

Casey and I quickly caught up with them, walking through the big automatic doors and stepping onto the escalator leading upstairs. 

We sat down at this place Ashton said was really good. It wasn't much, but it looked beautiful. On the wall there were all kinds of animals and characters painted in a silly manner. It was very colourful and it quite frankly lifted up my mood.

Not much later our food and drinks arrived. Sophie and the boys were really getting to know each other. Looking at them talking and joking around brought a smile to my face.