The Harsh Reality Of Life

Lazy Mornings

Every new day is another chance to change your life.

What every teenager loves about the summer is that there are no early mornings. You don't need to hear the sound of your alarm going off in an endless loop and then destroy it. You'd just lay around, looking like a mess and then start the day when you're ready.

But that wasn't the case for some people. Now Chase, he was an early bird. Feeling a little over empowered, he went out for a jog. In the meantime, almost everyone in the cabin woke up to a beautiful lustrous morning. The sun was shining throughout the windows, creating a shadowed pattern on the cold wooden floors.

"Morning guys." Lea said yawning. She walked into the kitchen/dining room, following a beautiful scent.

"Good mor- oh it's you." Tyler said turning around while whisking a mixture in a bowl.

"Morning Lea." Chase said walking in.

"What are you making? And why does it smell so nice?" Lea asked.

"Blueberry pancakes." He said. He bent over the counter table to make himself look a thousand times taller than her.

Chase turned the radio on to change everyone's mood.

"I love this song." Lea raised her hands up. It was Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud'.

On one hand you had Tyler. His hair was freakishly messy in the morning, he wore loose track suit bottoms, along with a white vest, to reveal his muscles.

"Show off." She scoffed under her breath.

Then you had Chase. This morning he dressed up in a grey buttoned down, long sleeved shirt; leaving the top button open. His hair was appropriately fixed and topped it up with simple black jeans.

"I need coffee." Chloe stated slowly walking down the stairs.

"Where's Jessica and Nick?" Lea asked.

"Uh...they headed out to that gas station, the one that's just a few miles off. We were running out of supply's." Tyler replied.

And so, they started out their day quite nicely.

---LINE BREAK---

"Maddie...?" Liam wispered walking into her room.

She snuggled up to the corner of her bed, with her book still half opened in her left hand. Slowly, her eyes opened at the sight of Liam Fitzgerald, kneeling next to her bed, adoring her beauty.

"Good morning, beautiful." Liam whispered.

"Hi." She smiled, still wrapped up in her bed sheets.

"You look so peaceful while sleeping."

"It definitely is peaceful." She giggled. "Is everyone still asleep?"

"Everyone is wide awake. They're downstairs having breakfast. Something about blueberry pancakes." He said, causing her to smile. "Tyler knows they're your favourite."

"Oh god. " she threw her hands to her face. "I overslept. I was just reading and-"

"You lost track of time? I get it."

"Are you okay?" he spoke in a concerned tone. He played with a loose strand of her hair that fell over her brow.

"Yeah. Just a little tired, that's all. I've got a lot on my mind."

"I'm listening." He said gesturing that he had all the time in the world. A gesture that surely reminded her of Dean from a few nights ago.

Despite all that she's doubted about in the past, all that she had ever wanted was already in front of her. Someone who loved her, who was willing to talk to her when we she needed someone. A guy who immediately could tell that something was wrong.

She stuttered a little then spoke. "Laying in your comforting arms would be perfect right now." She said closing her eyes. Liam jumped right by her side,holding her closely. They stayed there for a moment or so.

"I just want to lay beside you and listen to your heartbeat forever but..."

"But?" He repeated.

"But I am starving." She laughed. "I need Tyler's blueberry pancakes."

"How were the pancakes?" Tyler asked.

"Amazing as usual." Maddie smiled.

"What about you Lea? What did you think?" Tyler smirked, hoping for a home run at this point. See, being nice to Tyler was Lea's biggest weakness.

"I've got to say, you did a good job. Obviously, they're not as great as mine but-"

"C'mon!" He laughed. "Well at least my cooking has been approved by the great Miss Lea Jackson."

"Calm down dude." Chase said taking a sip of his coffee. "You made pancakes not an extravagant gourmet dish."

Soon, the topic of the chat densely changed. College was the talk of the morning.

"I'm just glad that we've all been accepted into colleges that are not far off." Chloe said.

"Yeah and we get to see Jess and Nick all the times as well." Lea added, with the couple being a year older than the rest of the group, they knew what college life was really like.

"What about you Dean?" Tyler asked, seeming interested. "Where are you planning on going to?"

"I-I'm not sure. I've got accepted to a few colleges inside and outside the town."

Maddie stayed quiet through the whole conversation, the talk of college left a pain in her stomach.

"And Miss Maddie Foster?" Liam smiled.

There is so much history in the way he says her name. There was a current that ran between them; like an electric charge on the verge of erupting a perfect storm. She didn't want to disappoint them. Thinking of something to say, the group grew more and more restless.

"I haven't heard from anyone." She lied. "It's fine though,really. Those 'accepted' letters are probably coming through my mailbox as we speak."