vexatious (infuriating sequel)

chapter sixty-three

"mmm," i hum, rubbing my eyes and adjusting to the newfound light in the room. my back aches and when i focus my vision on my surroundings, i am caught off guard to see coreys room.

"good morning," corey greets me and sits on his bed above me. i don't even remember falling asleep, let alone on his floor.

"how did you sleep?" he asks, referring to my lack of comfort. i have a pillow under my head and a blanket covering me, which must've been his doing, but that doesn't make this any more pleasurable.

"i slept fine, what time is it?" i ask, birds chirping outside of his window.

"ten," he tells me and i nod slowly, realizing that it is far too early for colby to be awake, and i don't even know what i'm going to do this early.

"are you doing anything today?" i blurt the question out like a guilty child. i don't want to make things worse for colby by hanging out with corey the same way he hates me being with jake, but i could use a distraction today.

"i'm not," he shrugs and i nod slowly, disappointed but careful to not show it.

"why don't you call up kat or julia?" he asks, noticing my sudden boredom. i just need to do something that isn't fighting with colby or deciding if i should stay with him. maybe calling the two girls and seeing what they're up to isn't the worst idea. truthfully, hanging out with them and not colby sounds awful to me, but i need to take a break from the constant intoxication that i get around colby. if i don't, i will never think clearly.

"good idea," i shrug. i quickly gather myself and get off of the boys floor, finding myself in the kitchen almost immediately.

"hello?" katrinas voice is quiet as i hold my phone to my ear with my shoulder, pouring cereal into a plastic bowl.

"hey, i was just wondering if you wanted to come over today? i was gonna call julia too, but i don't think she's awake."

"yeah! she's literally sleeping on my couch right now, i'll let her know when she wakes up," the girl laughs and i am comforted to know that she doesn't hate me after last night. i hope once i left everyone calmed down and they were able to have a peaceful night. it feels like i bring chaos everywhere i go lately. i don't want to ruin their holidays.

"thank you, i'll see you then." we say our goodbyes and hang up. before i get the chance to sit at the table with my cereal, i notice jake peering his head around the corner, looking at me from a distance.

"yes, jake?" i call out, letting him know that his presence isn't unknown.

"hey..." he trails off, walking in and following my previous actions, pouring a bowl of cereal for himself.

"how'd you sleep?" i ask, trying to avoid the topic that is weighing on me more than anything.

"i slept good. i was so tired," he admits. i laugh and agree. i couldn't have been any more exhausted than i was last night. i don't even remember falling asleep, and corey probably had to move me to his floor. i am thankful though, because if i had slept in his bed with him, colby would've left me in a heartbeat. there is no doubt in my mind that he wouldn't even consider the circumstance.

"are you doing okay?" jake asks, his sudden change of pace catching me off guard. i'm not used to jake being serious, so his facial expression forces me to have to hide a smile.

"i'm alright," i shrug, knowing that he won't believe me. i don't even believe myself. i could cry right now if i tried hard enough, and we all know it. it's not a secret that i am unstable and fall apart any time colby decides he wants to mess with me.