365 Days

223

A/N: Hey my lovelies! I hope you are all well, unlike me currently. I have so much going on right now that my brain has crashed so if these next few chapters aren't the best, that's why. I hope you can enjoy them anyway, though! Happy reading!

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223

Nanna and Poppy are the only two up when I get downstairs. I'm back in my short overalls and flannelette around my waist; my comfortable travelling gear. Sweat is already budding at the nape of my neck as the air conditioner fails to do it's job. I have to twist my shower-damp hair into a side plait to cool down.

"Good morning, Dakota," Poppy smiles. He is dancing around Nanna in the kitchen, who is frowning at her recipe bible. The two of them are in perfect harmony; maneuvering around each other without once getting stuck.

We talk general chit chat until Alex gets here. He looks me up and down and shakes his head with the brief flash of a smirk on his face.

"You're not wearing that, today."

"Why not?" I growl, standing with a hand on my hip.

"Reasons," he says, sitting at the counter with his eyes pointed at me. "Just do it."

"What the-" I start to grumble, before Nanna cuts me off.

"Listen to the boy, sweetie, and get into something else. Perhaps a skirt?" She's smirking too as she works the wooden spoon around the cooking bowl. What is with everyone this morning?

"Fine. I'm going," I huff. I shuffle upstairs and tear apart my suitcase trying to find a skirt like Nanna had suggested. I don't know why I'm doing this. I'm comfortable in my overalls and it's not like I'm going anywhere nice. We're just going home and then I will nap and do my homework and go to sleep. I don't think that will require a skirt.

Regardless, I throw on the same clothes I wore last weekend; my lace long-sleeve and my floral skirt. I need the long sleeve for back home and I will be in air conditioning until then.

Speaking of which, the air con in my room is still rumbling along so I switch it off and repack my suitcase.

I'm packing my only jumper into my suitcase when there is a light knock on the open door. A groggy Levi is standing in the doorway, his hair looking like a birds next but worse. Much, much worse.

"Hey cuz," he mumbles, "Can I come in?"

I laugh, turning back to my suitcase on my bed. "Duh." The Mickey Mouse clock reads 8:45am. 15 minutes until we leave.

My dopey cousin stumbles over to my bed and sits down, his back against the headboard.

I zip up my suitcase and put it on the floor, the only sound in my room the tick tock of the clock.

"I asked Temma to be my girlfriend."

I spin around, my eyes wide, my smile as big as the Joker's from Batman. "Oh my God, congratulations! What did she say?"

His eyebrows scrunch up and his former smile turns upside down. "She said no."

"What?" No, she couldn't have. She wants to date him. She said so last night!

"She was teasing, but it wasn't funny."

Ohhhh. Smart girl. I let out a quiet chuckle, before it turns not-so quiet when he pouts. "You should really hold onto that girl."

He shakes his head but smiles. "I intend to."

"Good." My eyes flick to the clock. 10 minutes until I have to leave. "I should probably head downstairs and put my stuff in the car."