TRAPPED

40

Celine

I wake up again when it's dark. My dad is still beside me, but he's awake, answering emails on his phone.

     I roll over, and he sets his phone down. I yawn. "Dad."

     "Hm?"

     "I'm tired again." I whisper.

     "I'll make you something to eat before you go to sleep again, in case you don't wake up until the morning." He responds softly. "Come down with me. We can change your cold cap, too."

     He climbs off the bed and I follow him tiredly. He sets his hand on my shoulder before wrapping his arm around me, keeping me close to his side as he leads me out of my room and down the stairs to the kitchen. Julien and Léo are there, the former noticing us first and smiling gently.

"Hey, CeCe." Julien says softly.

"Hi." I whisper. My dad guides me to sit in the chair between both of my brothers before rounding the counter and beginning to make food. He talks to Julien and Léo, but I zone all their voices out.

     "Celine?" Léo whispers.

     "Hm?"

     "Do you want to come watch TV with me in the living room?" He asks gently.

     "Okay." I whisper. He smiles. I get off the stool and follow him into the living room. I sit on the couch and he takes the spot right beside me, covering me with a thick blanket before turning Benidorm on. I look up at him. "We haven't watched this in ages." I say quietly.

     "I know." He responds. "I missed it."

     "Me too." I yawn and lean back.

     "Try stay awake." He urges. "You need to have your food."

     I shake my head. "I'm tired."

     "I know, but it'll be done soon." He tells me. "How was school yesterday?" He asks me.

     I shrug. "My—my maths teacher said she's gonna move me up to top set."

     He smiles. "That's amazing."

     "Do you think dad will let me change classes?" I ask quietly.

     "Of course he would." He says softly. I find myself leaning on him, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders. "What class do you wanna change?"

     "I wanna swap music to fashion." I whisper.

     "Ask him. He'll let you." He tells me. He rubs his hand up and down my back as Benidorm begins to play. I lean my head on his shoulder and I'm seconds away from falling asleep when Julien walks in with a plate of food.

     He smiles at me and sets it down on my lap before sitting right beside me. I grumble. "Move."

"No." He says. "Eat your food."

I scowl. "Don't tell me what to do."

He rolls his eyes. "The sooner you eat your food, the sooner you can go back to sleep."

"When?"

"When you—"

"Did I ask?"

He rolls his eyes again. "You're not funny."

"I'm funnier than you."

"You wish." He responds.