Hearts and Other Breakable Things

chapter twenty-four ✔️

stevie hopkins
- march 23, 2018 -

"CHELS..." GRABBING HER SHOULDER, I gave it a firm shake, "Wake up."

            The lanky girl stretched and groaned, but didn't open her eyes. Instead, she rolled over and pulled the blanket further up, passing her head, but exposing her feet. She tucked her knees to her chest and they disappeared under the blanket.

            I shook my head, but still smiled. Even asleep she managed to make me smile. I rolled up a perfectly good Home Style magazine and smacked her across the shoulder. Her eyes shot open and she fumbled around. Twisting to look over, she slipped right off the couch and crashed into me. I buried my head into her side to muffle down the laughter tumbling out of me.

            "Your face—" I laughed.

            She grabbed a pillow from the couch and wacked me with it, "You're the devil, Stevie Hopkins." She twisted around and pulled me on top of her; boot and all. Her hands found my sides and then I was really laughing.

            I tried pushing her hands off, but it was no use. I was at her mercy which she was gracious with. She laughed, but finally stopped. We breathed hard and looked at each other. Suddenly it was as if all the air was sucked from the room with the intensity behind her eyes.

            Our hair was tousled and I sat with my legs straddling her thighs. She moved the hair from my face, but stopped when her fingers reached the back of my neck scratching at the sensitive skin there. A shiver ran through me and I prayed that she couldn't feel it.

            She went to speak, but a whistle from the back caught our attention and we both turned towards the noise. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved to my feet. I held out my hand and pulled her up. She moved her hair from her face and a sly smile played on her lips.

            We walked into the kitchen and Xavier barely looked up at us. He leaned back against the over with his arms crossed over his chest and his head tipped down. The teapot sat behind him on the back of the oven. He was letting the water cool like he did.

            I started the coffee pot and pulled multiple cups from the cupboard, lining them up in front of the machine. It's funny how we slip into old habits so easily. By the time Xavier was pouring his tea, the coffee pot was finished and most of our siblings had joined us downstairs and were scattered around the kitchen.

            The sun barely winked over the hill when we all sat around the cups in our hands and our eyes finally blinking open.

            "Well," I said into my coffee, "I can't say I didn't miss this."

            "Lucky you," Monica grumbled into her cup.

            I chuckled, "I guess when you think of it, I kind of am."