Shadowed

Chapter 28

I awoke slowly to light pressing and pushing my eye lids begging to break through. As I awoke further I became aware of the painful throb of a migraine at the back of my skull. Strangely there was no pain from the numerous stitched up wounds though. But then again I hadn’t moved yet.

My stomach rumbled making the final decision. One…Two….Two and a half….ehh I really don’t want to get up….two and three quarters… but I’m HUNGRY!......Awwwww Three. I opened my eyes and squinted into the bright light. Bit by bit my eyes slowly opened further and adjusted. I noticed first the blank white walls and then the large piles of shopping bags, the clusters of boxed furniture waiting to be assembled. My room. It was MY room. The room that I was hopefully still going to be able to help set up today. A rush of excitement made me smile and fling back the covers which had been carefully pulled over me. Ok. Now to sit up. Placing my hands on either side of my body I slowly eased myself up. So far all was good, there was nothing but a small tightening tug around each of the stitched wounds. God I hope they don’t scar. The chair which Kale had sat in was still at the side of my bed. Swinging my legs slowly to the side I hopped down from my bed which the boys, now that I think of it, must have put up. My eyes swam dizzily and I froze waiting for it to pass. When I regained focus slowly I walked over to my bedroom door which had been closed, while trying my best not to move much of my upper body. Soon I was in the hall and making my way in the direction of what I hoped was the kitchen.  Ahead of me a door opened and a half asleep Dan shuffled out of his room groggily his hair all shaggy and sticking up in all directions.  I followed him and hoped that he would lead me to the kitchen. He hadn’t seen me, and when I put a hand on his shoulder he jumped out of his skin. “SHIT!” He yelled jumping and flinching away from me. When he saw it was me he relaxed brushed his brown hair off his forehead. I snickered and he glared at me, shaking his head.  We walked to the kitchen together and showed me where all the bowls were so I could have some cereal. James , Harry and Ben were already at the table, Harry with milk dribbling down his chin as he read his book while shoveling cornflakes into his mouth.  “Morning.” I mumbled pulling out a chair and sitting next to James.  He’d watched me as I’d sat down and now had the slightest hint of a smile on his face. I was still in my clothes from that night, they were grubby. My top had it’s sleeve ripped off and hanging limply over my chest which also had deep rips round the neck line where my wounds were. It was my blue bra and the revealance of flesh that had made him smile. Typical.  After lifting up a mouthful of cocoa pops I saw that he wasn’t the only one that was aware. Grimacing I plowed through my cereal as fast as I could wanting to leave the table as soon as possible. It was rather discomforting knowing that the four guys you were eating breakfast with were more happy to just to gaze and fantasize over the sight of a bra and a little boob then create an unawkward conversation. Standing from the table I went and dumped my bowl in the sink and muttered something about going to get showered and changed. I walked quickly towards the hall way their gazes pinned on me the whole way. I nearly walked straight into Kale who was just emerging for some breakfast. My heart fluttered. He was wearing red silk boxers and that.was.it. He stood all 6ft 7 of him practically naked , his taught torso lined with a strong six pack , and casting a hulking shadow over the top of me.  He looked at me in surprise before he noticed the revealed flesh. Kale after having a quick moment frowned and looked up spotting the guys peering at me from the table and then glared. “Morning.” He grumbled his gaze still looking over my shoulder.

I swallowed awkwardly and walked passed him without saying a word.

After my shower and drying my hair I took a deep breath and slowly opened the bathroom door a crack. I hadn’t gone back to my room and fetched clothes so I was wrapped in a towel.  Peeping around the door I searched to see if the coast was clear. Seems all good to me. I opened the door a little further and stepped out my hands folded over my chest and holding my towel in place. Go. I scrurried down the hall as fast as I could. Nearly there.. There was a loud whistle from behind me and I looked over my shoulder. Brody had just come out of his room in his pajama bottoms and was grinning at me while surveying me up and down. I glared at him pulled the finger before carrying on towards my room.

When in the safety and privacy of my room WITH the door LOCKED, I let go of the towel letting it fall to floor and then rummaged in some of the shopping bags for the first couple of items of clothing I could find. I found a pair of denim shorts, a crop top, and of course a pair of panties and a matching bra.  I easily managed to pull on the shorts and the panties but it was more of a challenge putting on the bra and the crop top. My wounds prickled painfully as the skin around them stretched. It took at least 5 minutes to put my bra and top on, every move done ever so slowly. But when I was done I felt a lot better. I opened the curtains and then settled down on the floor  to begin sorting through some of my things, by simply putting clothes in one pile, books in another, and  other stuff in another pile. “Kaela, how are you feeling?” Cried Haley rushing in to my room and kneeling down to hug me.

“Oh I’m fine.” I smiled. I ‘d been fighting the memories of last night since I first awoke this morning. My sleep hadn’t been a good one no matter how peaceful I may have seemed. Each dream a replay of events from last night , my parents dying and another which I could scarcely think of. “Hey I made a rough start!” I replied dumbling down the deep thoughts and the emotion that was fighting to escape.

“Ohh you have. We’ll need to move everything to middle of your room first though so we can slap some paint on those walls. I got the quick drying stuff It’ll dry in like four hours, it’s great stuff.”

“Four hours!?” I moaned. It was still a long time, but it was better than like two days.

“Mmmhmmm, it’ll be quicker than you think. Honest.” She smiled brightly.

“I’ll help.” Said a voice from the doorway.

Caleb was leaning against the doorway his hands in his jean pockets.

“Tell you what I gather the troops, I’m sure none of them will mind giving a hand.” He said grinning and disappearing down the hall.