{bella}
i wish i could say i woke up peacefully on this friday morning but that would be a lie.
"bellaaaa babbyyyyy get upppppp." joey and charles whisper in my ear, a nickname they gave me when i was in diapers.
"ughhhhhh." i grown as the sunlight reaches my pupils.
"have it your way." i hear charles say, and a pillow is slapped onto my face, and i groan.
"just a few more minutessssss." i whine, and i feel someone lay down next to me.
"um no." joeys morning voice echoes raspily through my ears and i close my eyes harder.
"but i don't want tooooooo." i whine, and i can practically see joey smirking.
oh no.
"fine."
oh nooooo.
suddenly i'm laughing hysterically as joey tickles me all over, and i'm rolling around the bed as both of our laughs echo off the walls.
"j-j-joey. st-sto-stopppp. i can't- i can't bre- breathe." i say between laughs, and his hands stop. it's silent for a couple seconds until i hiccup.
joey laughs at me, pointing a finger in my face.
"aww does wittle bella have da hiccups??" he mocks and i roll my eyes and hiccup again, causing him to laugh harder, and a tear rolls down his cheek from laughing so hard.
my face gets hot. i hate being put on the spot. and i hate my laugh too. and joey knows it.
"i hate you joseph." i say, but it comes out harsher than i mean it to, and his eyes turn a darker color than before.
he looks at me and he's still laughing, until his smile disappeared.
"you okay?"
i shove him off my bed. "i need to change, get out."
he furrows his eyebrows at me and i look down, as i walk toward my bookbag where i packed my clothes since i was staying over at the birlem's.
just as i'm pulling off my shirt the door swings open.
mady walks in and cocks an eyebrow at me.
"what's your dealio?" she asks jokingly and i roll my eyes and smile, as she plops down on the bed.
"nothing."
mady grunts in response as i take my shirt off.
"liar, liar, plants for hire. what's up?"
i breathe out heavily.
"it's gonna sound dumb." i say, and she shrugs.
"i'm dumb all the time just tell me."
i shake my head at her with a smile on my face.
"joey was tickling and i didn't care like we were having fun, but then he started making fun of my hiccups. like i don't care about that but it made me think of how ugly my laugh must've been and i hate my laugh."
"okay but why do you care what joey thinks? you know he loves you we've all been friends since we came out of the womb."
i shake my head.
"i don't know." i choke on air as the words 'you know he loves you' echoes through my head.
what is wrong with me? i never think into every little detail with joey. he's...
joey.
"probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bed." i shrug, looking at my outfit in the wall mirror.
"you sure?" mady says, coming up to me.
"positive."
{}
i sling my bookbag into the back of charles' car and sit on the left, leaning my head against the window.
"SHOTGUN!!" sophia calls from outside the car and runs to the car, and i shrug, already comfy in my seat.
who cares.
why am i in such a bad mood? it's FRIDAY FOR PETES SAKES.
i try to perk up as charles blasts my favorite song while waiting on everyone, trying to cheer me up, but it doesn't work as much as i'd hoped.
suddenly the car door swings open and joey plops in beside me, and his arm gently brushes mine, and i tense up.
what the heck?
i'm never like this around joey.
"you sure you're okay?" he whispers, his eyes meeting mine, questioning me.
"i um, i'm getting better." i smile.
he smiles softly back. "good."
i nod as mady slides in beside joey, and we head to school.
as we turn into the school, a sharp pain explodes near my waist and i wince, but no one can hear me over the music.
crap.
no wonder i've been so upset.
i text mady in a rush.
me:
oops i found out why i've been moody bahah
mady the baddie💸💅🏼:
ohhhhh makes sense. bc u were acting odd.
i laugh silently and turn my phone off, and my side explodes with pain again.
i moan in complete pain, and joey notices.
"bella, are you okay?"
i look up from being bent over and holding my side, and his eyes drift to my hands.
"charles." i weakly manage as he's looking for a parking spot.
"mhm."
"do you have any ibuprofen?" i wince, as the car turns awkwardly silent.
"yeah, in the glove department."
"i got it." sophia tells me and hands it to me, as i grab two and hand her the bottle back.
"thanks bud." i say to charles and he smiles at me.
"no problem bella boo."
i roll my eyes at the lame nickname as the car stops.
"have a fun day at school kids!!" charles calls out in the best woman voice he can manage and i laugh.
"I LIVE YOU MOM." i scream, and he rolls down the window and winks.
as i'm about to shut the door, joey locks his eyes with mine.
"have a good day." he smiles, and i smile back.
"love ya." he winks. i laugh casually and roll my eyes, pretending my whole stomach didn't explode from nervousness because of it.
"love you too."
