Being the Little Sister ♡ New Beginnings Spin-Off

22. Flawed Logic

I'm exhausted when my alarm goes off the next morning. Of course, I have no one but myself to blame since it was me who willingly went downstairs last night and spent a couple hours too many, eating Oreos and exchanging kisses with my boyfriend.

I hadn't made it back to my room until almost three in the morning. And the time staring back at me read 6:17 am. I'd already laid here wasting two minutes. I sigh, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. Was this what it was like to have a boyfriend? To stay up all night talking and wake up feeling like a zombie?

My phone buzzes on my nightstand and begrudgingly I lean over to grab it, finding a text from Caleb that simply reads, good morning. As silly as it sounds, the message is enough to get me out of bed and within the next twenty minutes I'm showered, dressed in a pair of light wash, high-rise jeans, a Stranger Things crop top and a pair of Converse on my feet. I run a brush through my hair, brush my teeth and finally throw my hair into a high ponytail before calling the look complete and heading downstairs to join my family for breakfast.

As per usual my parents are practically sat on top of each other while the boys laugh about something that Jackson is showing Caleb on his phone. I slowly pad across the floor, waiting for someone to notice my existence and unsurprisingly it's my father. He offers me a gentle smile and points to the burner on the stove. "There's eggs and bacon in the microwave" he tells me before returning his attention to my mother.

I reach into the cupboard to grab a plate at the same time Caleb gets up to put his in the sink. My brother meanwhile, escapes into his phone, probably texting some unsuspecting girl that'll become the next victim of his charms. "Morning." Caleb says politely while I shovel food onto my plate.

"Good morning." I reply casually, not even making eye contact as I turn to retrieve bacon from the microwave. Caleb doesn't push the conversation, knowing the thin ice we're skating and instead returns to the table to join my brother.

Once I have my food and my glass of apple juice procured, I too find a spot at the table to sit and decide to dig in, opting out of starting any conversation. Unfortunately, my parents are a chatty bunch. "So, are we to expect you home at regular time today?" My father asks teasingly. On the way home I had confessed to him the real reason for my tardiness and while he wasn't thrilled that Caleb was distracting me at school, he was happy that I took his advice in trusting him.

I shoot him an unamused glare and he laughs. My mom discreetly slaps his arm, seemingly knowing the story behind my detention now as well but it doesn't faze me.

I turn my attention back to my breakfast, taking rather large bites until the plate is empty and my phone is ringing on the table. I look down and see a text from Addy. She says she's coming up to the house to get me but a part of me thinks that perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye.

I glance over at Caleb to find that he's seemingly gotten a message too and my heart sinks, just a little bit, because I realize that the plan to make Jackson convinced that there's something going on between Caleb and Addy is about to commence right in the middle of my kitchen.

The doorbell rings and despite how heavy my legs suddenly feel, I make my way towards the door to find my best friend on the other side. She was dressed much cuter than me, but then again she always was. She was the glam to my casual. Her hair was curled expertly, falling down past her shoulders and she was dressed in an oversized, tan sweater with black leggings underneath. The look completed with a pair of Uggs on her feet. "Morning."

"Hey." I reply, far less enthusiastic. I could tell from the pep in her step that she'd already had her morning coffee. She brushes past me, walking into the house and heading straight for the kitchen while I stand, concreted to the floor.