Guilty by Association [Jacob Barber x reader]

One.

One.

Esther's eyes fluttered open and she rolled over onto her side. She felt something shift beneath her. She had become so accustomed to this routine, it hardly phased her that she was lying next to the boy she was in love with. She lifted her torso, taking the weight off, and the boy's arm retreated, still asleep, and he rested it gently on her waist. She scanned his sleeping features. His lips were tightly pursed, a deep frown set into his features. His mussed brown hair covered his eyes as he slept. She closed her eyes for a few more minutes of peaceful rest curled up next to him.

"Esther," it was his voice, Jacob's deep morning voice, drawing her from her sleep. "Essie. My parents are up; play dead on the floor."

Esther lay still in the bed, scanning the boy's delicate features. He's pretty. She thought.

"Esther!" Jacob whisper-shouted at her. "They'll kill us!"

The girl groaned and rolled off of the bed and onto the pile of blankets she put on the floor for show last night. She was already on her way back to sleep.

Enter Andy Barber. "Hey, come on, guys. Time to get up," both of the teens lay limply under the covers as Andy turned his back to leave. He looked back to notice neither of them moved an inch. "Let's go. Rise and shine." Andy poked Esther with his foot. "Come on, gotta see those eyes." He sighed and pulled out his phone. "All right. You leave me no choice." His phone started blasting "Back in Black" next to his son's ears and he shot out of bed.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Jacob groaned.

"There he is!" Andy said. "Mornin', buddy. You can handle her." He gestured to Esther, who hadn't stirred, before winking at his son, exiting the room, and closing the door behind him.

"Esther!" Jacob threw his pillow at the mess of blankets on his floor. She stirred. "I'm gonna sit on you."

Esther groaned loudly in response. "I'm awake!"

"Hardly," Jacob said before kneeling by her corpse and prodding her with a fist. "Wake up!"

"I am! I won't get up until you leave," Esther growled from under the covers.

"Get up!" Jacob pulled the covers off of her head to reveal staticky blonde hair sticking out in every direction. He pinched the flesh on her cheek and pulled it until she swatted him away.

Esther finally sat up. "God, I'm awake! I'm up! Go!" She grabbed the pillow he'd thrown earlier and wielded it as a weapon against him.

"I'm gonna fight you!" Jacob laughed and tried to pull the pillow back. "Quit it, and get dressed."

Esther let out a breathy chuckle and took in the boy's features, savoring this delicious moment while she could. His hair was messy and his face contorted in a laugh. He was still in his baggy sleep shirt and sweatpants, sitting cross-legged by her makeshift bed. Knowing her stare would start getting creepy in a few seconds, Esther composed herself and stood up. Jacob rose too and set his hands on her hips. Esther wrapped her arms around the boy's neck as he gave her a quick good morning kiss.

Esther went to get dressed in the bathroom, slipping on a red Archer High sweatshirt and some wool gloves. They exited the room and greeted Jacob's parents. Jacob nudged his girlfriend. "Can you quiz me in vocab? For the test?"

Esther took the sheet from his hand and sighed. "Sure."

"Good morning to you too," Mrs. Barber said from the corner, sipping her coffee.

"Morning, Mom."

"Good morning, Mrs. Barber."

"That's Laurie to you. I'm not your boss," Laurie pointed at the girl, who smiled at that. "You two need a ride, or are you walking?"