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chapter four: sleep
songs: go to sleep feat. kailee morgue [syre remix] and im so tired by lauv and troye sivan

Kaylee's POV

We walk up the steps to Anthony's place, and I watch him fidget with his keys to, later, unlock the door. I step inside and it's a pretty nice home. "You want another beer?" he asks, heading over to the refrigerator. "I think I'm beer-ed out for the night," I say, taking my shoes off. "What about some water or advil? For that hangover you'll have tomorrow. "Oh, I don't get hangovers," I say taking off my jean jacket. "Excuse me? Mama, how do you not get hangovers?" He asks, grabbing two waters, then closing the fridge. "I'm a young one. Remember? I forgot you were an old man. Sorry," I say, leaning my head back on his couch. "What is with these old man jokes? It's only five years," he says, tossing me the water.

"Well I-" I get cut off by his phone ringing. "It's Pip, hold on," he says. Pip? She should be asleep. It's five in the morning and the sun is rising soon. I hear her talk to Anthony loudly on his phone. "Damn Pip. She's fine. She's here at my crib," he says. "Aight, aight. I get it! I'm sorry. Here she is," he says defensively. "Your sister." He hands the phone over to me.

"Pip?" I ask. "I was worried sick all night! I thought you said you were coming home right after you got burgers..." she kept ranting. I mouthed a 'hold on' to Anthony and he nodded. I went out onto his fire escape. "You haven't been answering my texts or calls-" I cut her off. "Pip, you need to take a deep breath, alright?" I say. "Do not tell me what to do right now. I am your big sister. I was worried about your safety-"

"I've been with Anthony the whole time! Where else would I be? Our phones died around midnight, and we didn't have a charger with us. We just got to his place-"

"His place? Put Ant on the phone right now. Were you planning on doing something with him-" she says. "Oh my God! It's not like that! We just got home from a burger joint..." I lie, switching the word 'bar' with 'burger joint.' "It was in Brooklyn, so he didn't want me to take an Uber alone all the way across town to your place. I get that I should've updated you, but there is no reason to freak out. I was just with Anthony," I say.

"You are partially my responsibility while you're living with me, Kaylee. I was just worried because Ant has been with Jas-"

"Look, I'll talk to you about this when I get home. And just to let you know, I'm not as easy as you think I am, so don't just assume that I was going to 'do something' with him. Goodnight." Before she could respond, I hang up the phone.

I can't believe she thinks I'm that easy. Just because I don't commit doesn't mean that I'm easy. And what was that last part before I cut her off? About Jasmine? It's my first day here, and she's already freaking out on me. I'm an adult now, almost ready for college! I can take care of myself.

I step back into Anthony's living room and see him sitting on the couch. "Everything okay? She seemed pretty upset with me," Anthony says, scooting over. "Yea, it's fine. She just still thinks I'm her little sister, when I'm not so little anymore, y'know?" I say, giving his phone back to him. "Yeah. I definitely take some fault though. I should've at least updated her once throughout the night that you were still with me," he says. "No, no. It's not your fault at all," I say, sitting down next to him. I take a sip from my water bottle and set it down on the table.

"I haven't had this much fun in a while," Ant says. I turn to him tilt my head to the side. "Honest. This was a damn good night," he says. "I think it's time for me to go to bed, and no more 'one more hour's this time," I say, patting his leg and standing up. "And I can seriously take the couch. I really don't mind-"

"Nah, no need. That wouldn't be very polite of me would it?" he says. "Okay, okay, if you insist," I say, following him up to his room. I set my purse down on the side of it. "Could I borrow a shirt and maybe some old basketball shorts or something please? Just for the night?"