Strawberry Ice cream

Chapter 15

Clifford barks from beside me in bed when the door clicks open.

"Good morning Sunshine," his raspy voice sounds, the sound of the curtain rings scraping against the rail comes before the light pouring in.

I see it behind my eyes, making me see shades of pink. I bury my head further into my pillow, pulling up my duvet.

"Lou," he coos, stroking my hair back.

I groan in response, not wanting to get up, feeling extremely tired after a late night with family. Hang on a minute...

"What're you doing here?" I mumble into my pillow.

"We have a date." I feel the mattress dip beside my feet. "Don't you remember?"

"No, I know about that I'm just wondering how you got in when you didn't stay over last night." Wait did he stay over last night? I only had a beer with Mark, surely I'd remember if he slept over.

"Jackie let me in. She's downstairs making breakfast for the girls for later whilst your mum takes a nap. She told me you were still in bed."

I grumble more, moving my duvet up to my nose now.

"Right sleeping beauty, up we get!" He claps his hands together, standing.

I shake my head. "What time is it?"

"Seven."

"Argh! It's so early! Come back in like... two hours... or something." My voice is slow and caked in sleep.

"But you want to catch the early train so it's not so packed. We want to make a full day out of this Lou." I hear a slight pang of sadness in his voice.

"Give me ten minutes then."

I feel the cold slap my bare skin on my legs from where my pj bottoms have scrunched up above the knee when I rolled around in my sleep. His warm large hands wrap around my ankles and he begins to pull.

"Nope, you're going... to get up now... whilst... you can!" He grunts as he pulls harder.

I grab onto the top of my mattress but he's slightly stronger and my fingers loosen. My body begins sliding and I grumble and groan until my body gives way and falls to the floor with a thud.

"Son of a fucking bitch, bastard, wanker, cock head!" I say as loud as I dare, not wanting to wake the girls up.

My eyes fly open and narrows on the beautiful boy standing above me. His socked feet tickle my head. I brush his feet away from me. I soak him in, wearing black ripped jeans and a striped light blue shirt- sleeves rolled neatly slightly.

"You look nice today," I state and he gives me his adorable dimpled grin that makes my tummy soar.

I grab his outstretched hand and he pulls me up to standing. He strolls over to my wardrobe, looking through it.

"So Mr Hedgehog, I want to pick your outfit today." The hangers squeak as they glide against the rails.

I fold my arms. "Oh yeah?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I want to see you in the pink braces." He looks behind himself towards me and smirks, turning his attention back to the contents of my wardrobe.

He throws some black skinny jeans my way, followed by a white tshirt and the pink braces.

"It's gorgeous. Simple but effective!" He hurries me along and I quickly change.

I look in the long mirror in the side of my room and try to sort my hair out with my fingers. I tut when it doesn't work.

"C'mere, let me sort it out." I toddle over to him and he begins shaping my hair this way and that, swiping my fringe over to one side. "There. Like a pretty picture."