Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 7 - Camera's are Dead to Me

Chapter 7

 I groan and turn over in my bed. I’m tangled up in my sheets. As usual.

I turn over, my flannel shorts and my tank top twisting in every possible direction.  I turn my head towards my clock sitting on the bedside table.

It’s 7:30…

I drop my head back down onto my pillow. I can just imagine the explosion on top of my head that until this morning I called ‘hair’.  I do not want to get up. I need to be ready by 8:30 if I don’t want to be late. I lie there face down, my brain lazily doing the math.

Shit.

I spring up immediately. I have an hour to tackle my hair, find some clothes and walk to school. There is no way I’m riding with Jake again. I rake my hands through the mess of knots on my head, throw on a large old jumper and walk out of my room.

“Hailey?” A sleepy voice says.

I walk back to Sam’s bedroom to find him sitting on his bed, his hair tousled, yawning.

 I smile, tiptoe through the mess over to him and lean on his bed, “Good morning little monkey.”

“I’m not a monkey!” he grumbles while rubbing his eyes.

I pull him out of bed and set him on the floor, “Whatever you say.”

“But I don’t have a tail!” I laugh as we walk down the stairs, “Hailey?”

“Mhmm?”

“Why aren’t you wearing pants?”

I look down at myself, panicking for a moment. “Oh… no, I am but they’re shorts.” I realize whose jumper I’m wearing as we walk into the kitchen.

Matt’s jumper.

As soon as we walk in Sam runs to a chair next to Seth. I watch as the McLane brothers – minus my fave BFFL (note the extreme sarcasm) – practically inhale all the food on the table.

“Morning Claire,” I say giving her a hug, “Can I have a cuppa please?”

“If by ‘cuppa’ you mean coffee, then sure.” She replies with a smile.

Wes stares at my legs intensely. “You do know you’re not wearing any pants.”

Everyone gawks at me.

I look up at the ceiling and groan. “I’m wearing shorts.” I say between gritted teeth. I grab a bowl of fruit that Claire sets out and take a seat at the table next to Sam. “Thanks.” I mumble as she sets my steaming mug in front of me.

She hands Sam a plate of toast which is cut up in little squares, he beams at her, “Thank you mommy!”

John walks in looking very smart in a sleek looking business suit. Completely different from his easy-going, not-really-caring nature. He steals a toast square off of Sam’s plate, much to his objections and ruffles his hair. “Thanks buddy!” He turns to me, “Sleep well Hale?”

“Yeah I guess,” I say.

Claire sets a plate of toast and a glass of OJ in front of an empty seat and pushes John towards it, “Eat.” She orders, “Yeah, she actually managed to get Sam to sleep by himself too!” she turns to me, “Sweetpea, if you do that every night I’ll even start paying you. I have never had such a goodnights sleep!”

John laughs in disbelief, “Wow. You really are something.”

“Thanks,” I quickly shovel down my breakfast. “Mmmm, haven’t had fruit for brecky in ages! I miss my usual though.” I hold up my hand as Wes opens his mouth, “Do not ask me what brecky is. Figure it out for yourself.”