Knife's Edge

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I'm woken up at a ridiculous time on Saturday morning when my bedroom door is opened – and when I say opened, I mean slammed against the wall so hard I swear my room shakes.

I shoot up in bed, bleary eyed as I stare at an already dressed Bailey standing in my doorway. She's fully kitted out in some black shorts and a dark red top, her short black hair tied up in a small ponytail. She's even wearing shoes, a pair of black Doc Martin boots with funky green laces.

"Ugh," I groan, lying back down and pulling the covers over my head. "What year is it?"

I wait for her to yell at me, accuse me of some wrong she's convinced I've done her. She hasn't spoken to me for days and she never comes into my room so whatever it is she must be mad about something.

"What've I done now?" I mutter when Bailey doesn't offer up any words.

"I need a favour."

Okay, those are not four words I ever imagined coming out of her mouth. I'm not entirely sure they did... maybe I'm still dreaming. Yeah, that must be it.

I slowly pull the covers from over my face to double check that she is actually standing in my doorway.

Yep. There she is.

"Excuse me?" I ask, my voice slightly croaky from sleep.

"I'm not saying it again."

Yeah, that's definitely Bailey.

"Back up a few, what time is it?" I ask, reaching for the clock next to my bed.

You have got to be kidding me.

"Six," Bailey replies.

Crazy child.

"Are you serious? Why the hell are you awake at six in the morning?"

"Because I need to talk to you before George and Stella wake up," she replies as if it's obvious, not phased a smidge by the glare I give her.

Six in the bloody morning. Why didn't she just shoot me? It would hurt less.

"Yeah? Well I'll be surprised if they're still asleep after you just played earthquake simulator with my door," I tell her. She frowns and glances at the door, pressing her lips together.

Yeah, clearly she hadn't thought that one through all the way.

"And, what, you're suddenly talking to me now or something?" I add on.

"Oh, forget it," she snaps, turning to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait," I say quickly, leaning up on my elbows with a sigh. She pauses. "Come on in and close the door if you don't want Stella and George to overhear."

She does as I say, leaning her back against the now-closed door and folding her arms. She stares at me for a few seconds and I at her, weighing each other up with the trust levels of a paranoid cookie.

How cookies can be paranoid, I have no idea – it's too early for logic.

"So, what's the favour?" I eventually ask.

"I'm going out for a bit. If Stella or George ask, I need you to tell them I'm at the library."

Yeah, because that doesn't sound dodge.

"Why do you need me to tell them?" I ask.

"Because they'll believe you."

Yep, dodge as all kinds of hell.

"Yeah, I'm going to need more to go on than that, Bailey." She just glares at me so I ask outright. "Where are you actually going to be?"

"Why do you care?" she snaps, instantly on defence.