Rayston Point Road || Editing

Chapter Twenty

"Hey, Lor, wake up baby." My body rocked slightly as a hand on my shoulder pushed me back and forth, waking me. I groaned slightly as I opened my eyes, blinking and squinting as they adjusted to the bright light still streaming in through the windows. I turned my head to look over my shoulder, my sleep-filled gaze landing on Leighton over my shoulder.

"What?" I mumbled, rolling back over and closing my eyes again as a distance headache started to roll through my temples and forehead. I hadn't been able to sleep at all last night, and after helping Leighton with the boys all afternoon, I finally crashed in the midst of reading sometime mid-afternoon. It was far from a healthy amount of sleep, and my deprivation of it was setting my entire body on edge.

"There's someone here for you."

I sighed, feeling my body relax back into the sleep I was still seeking, uninterested in dealing with whoever had showed up at Leighton's house for me.

"Who?"

"A boy named Alex?" I let Leighton's words settle for a moment before I opened my eyes again, rolling onto my back and looking up at Leighton looming over my bed, her hands crossed loosely over her chest as she gazed down at me with a curious, amused expression. "He's cute." I groaned again, reaching up with both hands to rub my eyes and brush my bangs back.

"It's 4:00?" I wondered, dropping my hand as I felt around for my phone. Leighton hummed her response beside me as I looked at the illuminated screen, taking in that it was just a few minutes past four, as the memory of the plans I had made yesterday came breaking through my haze. "Crap. Can you tell him I'll be down in a minute?" I forced myself to sit up, pushing back the comforter, closing my eyes for a moment as lights flashed in them and the room started to spin from moving too quickly.

"Is it a date?" Leighton asked, not moving from where she was standing. I glared back at her as I swung my legs over the bed, blinking my eyes again heavily as they continued to adjust to the light.

"No, it's not," I grumbled, turning away from her before I rolled my eyes so she wouldn't see. "Seriously, I need to change. Can you just go and tell him I'll be right down?" I listened as Leighton's footsteps crossed my rooms, my door opened and closed, and then I slowly pushed myself to my feet. Shuffling across the floor, I walked into the bathroom and ran the sink, searching for a cloth and facewash in the drawers. I took my hair and wrapped it into a haphazard bun at the top of my head, brushing my teeth quickly before slipping back into my room, grabbing the first clean article of clothing I could find, the green dress I had worn to the Memorial Day party at Andie's house. I pulled it over my shoulders, adjusting it with one hand as I grabbed my phone, slipping my feet into a pair of socks and white sneakers, and rushed out of my room and down the stairs. Leighton was standing at the end of the stairs, the boys sitting on the floor by her feet as she talked to Alex, who was standing at the door, surprisingly not in his work uniform. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt over a striped blue-button up, and black work boots.

"Hey," he smiled up at me as I came down the steps, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Hi," I exhaled, returning his smile as I walked around him to pull open the front door and motion for him to pass through it, desperate not to linger in Leighton's presence. I watched as Alex glanced between the door and me, my sister, and my nephews still sitting on the floor playing with each other.

"It was nice to meet you," Alex smiled at my sister, reaching out his hand. If he noticed it, Alex didn't let onto the fact that my sister raised her eyebrow subtly at his extended hand, her eyes flashing briefly to me as she reached out to shake it, clearly impressed and flattered. I rolled my eyes behind his head, forcing a smile back onto my lips when Alex turned around and started walking through the open doorway. I watched him for a moment and then turned back to Leighton, who was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked out, smirk on her lips with one eyebrow raised.