The Other Gilbert

Wild Side

"Shit." I groan. My back on ground, feet entangled in the sheets, and my alarm clock is being obnoxiously loud. The impact from my fall is a real wake up call. I crawl my way over to the alarm clock that decided to wake me up. I reached out for it, patting the bed stand but I couldn't seem to grasp it. I angrily stand up and slam the alarm clock against the wall watching it shatter to millions of pieces.

"That's one way to do it." I already recognized the voice so I didn't even bother turning around. I reach out for my phone because checking the time on whatever remains on the clock wouldn't do.

"We need to stop with these alarm clocks." I frown and turn around, "Aren't you late for work?"

He sighs and mutters a yes. I can hear his footsteps grow distant and i'm to myself once again. I pull on the clothes I set out and head for the kitchen.

"New alarm clock?" Alaric asks me while he tries to make himself some coffee. I look over my shoulder at the folded up blankets on the couch and shake my head. He has been staying the whole summer on our couch. I understand he doesn't feel comfortable sleeping in Jenna's room but I think a bed would be better than our couch. Sometimes he takes up my offer to sleep in my room while I sleep downstairs. Sometimes was only two times and that's when he was piss drunk.

"Don't even bother, we're sticking to my phone. Five clocks was enough." I reach out for another mug and finally decide to cut him a break and help with the coffee maker. "Seriously you've been here for almost half the summer and you still can't work the dang thing." He pushed my shoulder while I laughed at him. 

The laughter dies down while we drank our coffee in silence like we did every morning. I blame Alaric for getting me so into caffeine, keeps me awake. Most of it is false energy that comes back to hit me hard in the middle of the night but whatever keeps me up at school is alright with me.

"From the sound of Caroline's enthusiasm on the phone yesterday I'm pretty sure Elena's party is going to be huge." Shaking his head he stood on the other side of the counter while taking another sip of his coffee.

"I'm keeping a close eye on you, no drinking and no boys." He playfully glared at me, while I raise my hands up in surrender. We laughed and quietly sipped our drinks in a comfortable silence. "Still can't believe i'm that kind of teacher, chaperoning my students at a non school related party." He shook his head taking another sip of his coffee.

"It's not like there's anything better to do." I tease, only to earn me his famous eye roll.

"Did she find something?" Elena walked in cutting of our silence, I look up when she mouth 'morning' towards us. "And you're sure its a vampire?"

Silently, I tap my fingers against the counter picking up a rhythm. Letting the warm delicious rich yet bitter taste run down my throat. Ric and I send a couple looks at each other wondering what she was going off about.

"Doesn't mean its not, i'll call her...tell her thank you for her help. Oh and Caroline keep tonight small please."

Alaric looked over his shoulder at me and I make a run for it upstairs leaving my coffee behind. I close my door behind me before I could blurt anything out to Elena about tonight, I can't keep a secret in the mornings. I blurt things out by accident, it's not my fault my frontal lobe is barely functioning in the mornings. I wait for a couple minutes, murmuring a bunch of random lyrics from some songs that were stuck in my head. 

"She's gone!" Ric calls out from downstairs.

I made my way across the street whistling softly waving hello to some townspeople. "Hey Kory!" Someone calls out, I have some pretty bad eye sight from a far so I had to squint a little bit but the closer I got the more visible the person was.