CI sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and blinking slowly until I could see clearly. I was dizzy as hell, but I was sitting down. How that work? I glanced around the room I was in, and it was unfamiliar. I got up slowly, hoping my head wouldn't pound, but it did anyways. I made it to the doorway and looked out both ways.
I could see Orabella on the couch, fast asleep from here.
"You're up."
I jumped. A thinner version of Xochitl stood in front of me. "I'm Dallas. Xo's sister. Yeah, uh, your friend brought you here," she went on, "She's on the couch. Do you want somethin' to eat?"
"Yeah," I nodded sheepishly. I wasn't hungry at all but I knew I needed to eat something.
"What time is it?" I asked, as I followed her into the kitchen. I knew I probably looked like a hot mess, it was a blessing she was even interacting with me.
She gestured to the clock on the stove.
"Damn. I'm fucked." It was Sunday morning- clear as day in illuminated characters. My parents were gonna beat my ass.
"Sandwich orrr?"
"Cee?" Ora mumbled from the couch.
I went over to her as she slowly sat up, yawning.
"Yeah?"
"You're up," she yawned again, taking me in with her eyes, "Do you feel better?"
I noticed the way she studied my face, figuring that I just looked pretty bad. "Tired," I mumbled, rubbing my head.
"Well, I know my dad's probably up. I left my bedroom locked. Hopefully he didn't bother unlockin' it and seein' I wasn't there," she sighed.
"Why are we at Xochitl's? And where is she?" I asked.
"Over at Zeymira's. Hungover and tired," Dallas supplied from the kitchen. "My friend Kenya is comin' over soon, sooo," she waved her hand, "Y'all gon have to evacuate or sumin."
"Alright," Ora got herself off the couch.
"Sandwiches?" Dallas asked the both of us.
"Yeah that's fine. Whatever's cool," Ora waved her hand as we both went into the kitchen.
"How did I get here?" I asked.
"Don't even," Ora grumbled.
"You went to the party last night?" I then asked, frowning.
"No shit," Ora scoffed, then cringed, looking at Xochitl's younger sister. "Oh, sorry, Dallas."
"I'm 16, not four. Damn."
Ora laughed, "You remind me of Xochitl a lot. What you and yo friend got planned for today?" she asked pleasantly.
"Me and her were invited to be apart of this girl's court for her fifteenth. So we have to do some dance rehearsals," she explained.
"Oh, so you can dance, Dallas? I bet I can dance better," I challenged, shimmying.
"Most definitely not. That was a 0/10 ma'am. Next contestant," Dallas covered her mouth, laughing. Dallas finished up with our sandwiches and once we were done, she shooed us out the apartment.
"You know we gotta talk, right? About last night," Ora said as soon as we left out, heading down the stairs of the building.
"Yeah," I tried to avoid eye contact with her.
"Your eyes are so pretty. Don't look away," she told me softly.
"Where are my contacts?" I demanded. No wonder she kept looking at my face. I thought I just looked crazy or some shit.