Wicked Love

Chapter 5

I wake three times during the night. The first time, Belle had climbed on top of me and hugged me in her sleep. The weight of her was killing my ribs, so I rolled her off me, hugged her to my side and drifted back to sleep. The second time I woke up to Belle starfished on the bed, her little legs pushing me towards the end of the bed whenever she moved. She may be a tiny three-year-old, but when she spreads out, she takes up the whole damn bed.

I finally fell asleep after moving her arms and leg over and getting comfortable.

I woke up the third time and Belle was nowhere in sight.

I shoot up and look around the room. I hear soft breathing and look over the edge of the bed to see Belle on the floor by the side of the bed.

Aw, poor girl must've rolled right off the bed in the middle of the night. I slide off the bed and bend down, picking her up and cradling her in my arms. After a few more seconds, I gently place her on the bed and cover her up again. She can sleep in since it's the weekend but I don't let her sleep past eleven.

I lay back down and take my phone off the charger on the nightstand. It's 9:08 and I see that I have a few messages from Tori.

Tori: Your guy friend came asking for you yesterday at the Cafe.

That one was sent at 7:32. The next ones were all sent at 7:40.

Tori: He was asking why you weren't there and when I told him you called in sick, he asked when your next shift was going to be.

Tori: I don't know if you wanted me to or not.

Tori: But I told him you'd be working again on Monday and that you had weekends off.

I groaned. Ignoring Julian is going to be harder than I thought. I was planning on just telling him to leave me alone and ignoring him in school.

Tori: Anyway, how's your head? Are you feeling better?

Me: Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed a nap.

Tori's reply was instantaneous.

Tori: Okay, good. Why don't you and Belle come to the Cafe later for lunch or something? You're probably goin' to the playground later anyway. Keep me company during my shift.

Me: Yeah, we'll stop by around two and stay for an hour or two, then I'm gonna let Belle play for a little while before we go to the store. I've gotta get food. Belle's sleeping but I'll get her up soon.

Tori: Okay, let Bellie sleep. Come over whenever and I'll let you have free food.

Me: Alright. We'll be there.

Tori: Kay, thanks.

Tori: We still on for tonight?

I was going to drop Belle off at Julie's for a sleepover with Clary while I spent the night at Tori's. I usually take Belle with us and we make pillow forts, ice cream sundaes, and watch Disney or horror movies, but Julie said that Clary was going to be over this weekend for Belle and texted to see if she could come over. I told her she could, then made plans with Tori.

We don't hang out a lot, just every other weekend when my dad is so drunk off his ass that he sleeps through the weekend or when we're working the same shifts together.

Me: Yeah. See ya later.

Tori: See ya.

I didn't hear dad walking around downstairs yet, so I don't have to make him breakfast yet.