lucky star // jamie drysdale

4

JAMIE

We're on the fourth round of Uno and a little over half way through Die Hard, which was Griffin's movie choice. But everyone's more focused on the game happening in front of us.

Trevor has almost won about six times and Ava, who's to his left, keeps making him draw cards. It's kind of funny watching him get so excited then have to pick up four cards.

Somehow I've ended up sitting on the floor next to Kendall. She's sitting with her legs crossed and every time she leans forward to set a card in the pile her leg brushes against mine.

I can also see her cards and I should be playing against her but if anything I'm picking cards to help her. Why? I don't know but I am.

Just like earlier when I saw her in the garage, I didn't need to ask her what that call was about but she looked distressed. I couldn't help myself. And since we've been inside she hasn't shown any signs of being upset, she's smiling and teasing her siblings like that phone call never happened.

"I'm gonna grab a snack, anyone want anything?" Trevor asks, standing up.

Ava and Kendall answer at the same time, "I'm good."

"What do you have?" Griffin follows him into the kitchen.

"I need to call Ethan real quick," Ava says standing up too.

"It's like three am there," Kendall looks up at her sister.

"He's been working the night shift so he just got off. If I don't call him now I'll have to wait until tomorrow," Ava explains walking away.

Kendall's phone buzzes on the table for the six time.

"Is that him?" I ask looking over at her.

"Yeah, he's still drunk and awake," she sighs picking up the phone.

"Why don't you block him?"

She's starting at her phone screen.

"It's complicated."

From what I've heard from Trevor, it's not that complicated. He cheated on her and they broke up, why she's still talking to him or even still has contact with him I don't understand. But she obviously doesn't want to talk about it, so we fall silent and wait for the others to return.

When the movie ends we've played two more rounds of Uno because we all kept getting distracted by the movie. And we all decide to go to bed, the girls are sleeping on the 'L' shaped couch in our living room and while Griffin gets our extra bedroom.

KENDALL

I can't sleep. I've twisted and turned every way on the couch but I just can't seem to fall asleep. So I decide to
get up and use the bathroom, maybe I have to go pee?

The house is almost pitch black, the hallway to the bathroom isn't lit up at all. I'm walking with a hand on the wall so I can find the bathroom door.

"Oh my god!" I squeal when my hand suddenly meets something that isn't a wall. It's a chest. A bare chest. My pulse starts racing.