The Girl in the Hoodie

9

[Chapter nine]

"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. King."

"Honey, please, just call me Tanya." She smiles warmly at me as I hand her another dish to wipe and put away. Noah and Danny are yelling in the living room as they play videos games.

"Right. Sorry, Mrs. Ki--Tanya." I correct myself.

Tanya chuckles. "You know, Noah doesn't bring many people home. Actually, the only people he lets in our house is Max and Dylan."

"That's actually not very hard to believe." I mumble, making her laugh slightly. "But Danny practically begged him to let me come over."

"Noah always says no." She smirks slightly. I open my mouth but I don't know what to say. "Danny, time for bed!"

"Goodnight, mommy!" Danny runs into the room.

Tanya bends down, kissing his head. "Goodnight, little one."

Danny wraps his arms around my waist. "Night, Vaeh."

I smile softly, ruffling his hair. "Night, Shortie."

He grins up at me before letting go and running upstairs.

"Uh, well, I should go now." I say, turning back to Tanya.

"Sweetie, it's ten-thirty at night, I'm not letting you walk home now, it's not safe." Tanya says.

"Mrs. King--"

"No. You are to stay the night. You can sleep in Noah's room." She takes the dish towel from me.

"Mrs. Ki--"

"Honey, for the thousandth time, it's Tanya. Mrs. King makes me sound old." She cuts me off. "And you are staying the night. Noah!"

I hear the thudding of footsteps as Noah runs into the kitchen.

"What happened?" He questions in concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart." Tanya smiles. "Nevaeh's spending the night. Give her some clothes to sleep in and make sure she's comfortable. She staying in your room."

"I thought someone dropped dead." Noah rolls his eyes. "Come on, Carter."

I follow him up to his room and sit down on his bed as he rummages around in his drawers.

A few seconds later, he turns around, a plain white t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants in his hands.

He throws them at me and they hit me in the face before dropping on my lap.

"Wow, nice catch." He drawls sarcastically.

I roll my eyes, getting up and walking down the hall to the bathroom.

I quickly change into his clothes which practically swallow me and throw my hoodie on before trudging back to Noah's room, my clothes in hand.

I throw it on top of my backpack which is in the corner of the room before walking over to the bed and lying down.

"What the hell are you doing?" Noah questions as he comes out of the bathroom in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts.

"Nice eight pack." I state. "And I'm going to sleep. What does it look like?"

"Why are you on my bed?" He asks. "You're supposed to sleep on the floor."

"I'm not sleeping on the floor." I roll my eyes. "You sleep on the floor."

"I'm not sleeping on the floor." He rolls his eyes right back before walking over and pushing me to the right side of the bed.

"What're you doing?" I question.

"Pushing you to the side of the bed. What does it look like?" He copies me from earlier before lying down next to me.

We stare up at the ceiling in silence before I speak up.

"Night, butthead."

I can practically hear him rolling his eyes.

"Goodnight, Carter."

*~*

"How was school today, girls?" Mum asks as Heaven and I trudge through the front door.

We both groan, dropping our backpacks on the ground with a loud thump, dragging our feet over to the couch and collapsing on it.

"I'm guessing it sucked?" She questions.

"Mum, when does school not suck?" I ask rhetorically.

She chuckles before her mood drops. "Heaven, sweetie, you've got a doctor's appointment in half an hour. Go get ready."

She walks back into the kitchen and Heaven sighs, getting up and trudging up the stairs.

I frown, staring at her retreating form before hopping up and following her.

"Heav?" I call, knocking on the door of her room.

She opens the door and lets me in before shutting it again.

I look at her. Like really look at her.

There are dark circles around her eyes, along with bags, she's pale compared to her naturally tanned skin, and her cheeks are slightly sunken in.

She doesn't look sick. She just looks...tired.

Tired of everything.

I immediately pull her into a hug. She wraps her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder as she sobs.

"I-I'm scared, Vaeh." She cries.

"I'm scared, too." I whisper quietly so she doesn't hear, a single tear rolling down my cheek.

I groan silently, rolling onto my back.

It's two in the morning and I haven't been able to sleep. All I've been doing is having flashbacks and listening to stupid Noah's silent breathing.

"Can you stop squirming around like a worm?" Noah's agitated voice cuts through the silence.

"I can't sleep." I tell him defensively.

"And that's my problem, how?"

"I hate you, Noah." I groan.

"Thanks, I can just feel the love." He drones sarcastically.

It's silent for a few moments before I hear him shuffling and a muscular arm is wrapped around my waist and I'm pulled into a lean chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" I question.

"Shut up and go to sleep, Carter."