Zodiac Academy

10. Pajamas of Choice

  I groaned. My arm was bent at an awful angle and I couldn't feel my left leg. I stretched out on my bed. I hit resistance and it wouldn't budge. My bed wasn't anywhere near the wall. I grudgingly opened my eyes.

  I was indeed in my dorm. And lying on the bed next to me was a sleeping Lake. Her light hair pooled around her head and I was happy to see she was not drooling.

  Her body was draped over half of my own. My leg was numb because she had been laying on it. I pulled my arm from underneath her body. She made a small noise that could only be described as cute and didn't move otherwise.

  I pushed my hair back from my forehead and let out a deep breath. Today was the day of the Signs Dance. And I had a Capricorn in my bed. Seemed like a good start if you asked me.

  Suddenly, Lake flipped her body around. She was only wearing a bra. I hoped she just slept like that and didn't try to do anything else provocative last night. We hadn't had anything to eat or drink last night and I don't recall her ever taking off her shirt.

  Or putting on my bra.

  My bad luck couldn't help but put me in a situation where they could laugh and I had to suffer.

  I slipped my finger underneath the strap. Lake didn't move as I pulled it away from her bare shoulder. I snapped that strap like a whip. It took a couple of tries before she finally woke up and began to rub her shoulder.

  "What the heck are you doing?" she grumbled.

  "Trying to wake you up. What in Sign's name are you wearing my bra for?"

  Lake stretched out across my bed. "I couldn't sleep in my own. It was full of sweat from dancing," she yawned.

  I shoved her off of my body and stood from my bed. I was wearing a T-shirt and underwear. Where had my pants gone?

  "Nice -"

  "If you say anything about my ass I'm going to throw you out of my room," I threatened.

  "I wasn't going to," she mumbled.

  I found my pants by the foot of my bed. Picking them up, I also found her bra. It was sitting inside my skinny jeans. "If this is some sort of joke, I'm not laughing."

  She watched me extract her piece of clothing from mine. Laughter erupted from my bed. Looking back at Lake, she was clutching her stomach and laughing. What was so funny about this?

  "You're hot when your confused," she giggled lightly after her fit of laughter.

  "What? Just take off my -"

  The door was thrown open and I had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit. Jenny ran into the room and slammed the door behind her. "Oh my gosh, I haven't said yes to anyone yet to go to the dance with because I'm waiting for the one person to ask me. You were right, I am waiting for someone specific to ask me to go with them. And- Who are you?"

  She shot off into her rambling before either of us could get a word in. Once she had finally noticed the half-naked girl on my bed that wasn't me, she froze.

  Lake wiggled her fingers. "Hey."

  "You should learn to knock," I said from behind the stunned girl.

  Jenny spun around. "I- I'm sorry. You... you don't usually have anybody in your room and you're usually awake by now so I just assumed that," she trailed off before stopping completely.

  I shrugged. "I went to the Aries' party last night. I found her there. Somehow, and by some unknown reason, she is here too."

  Jenny glanced back at Lake. "Didn't you... yeah, didn't you ask her to go to the dance with you?"

  Lake winked. "Indeed."

  "And now you're lying on her bed. But didn't she tell you no?" Before either of us could reply, she gasped and turned back to me. "Have you been secretly dating? Did you tell her yes in secret," she hissed.

  She slapped my arm. Surprisingly hard.

  "Don't we both wish," Lake said smirking. She winked at me this time.

  One day, her eye just might give up on her. "We're not dating. And she should get dressed and leave," I replied.

  Jenny looked back at Lake quickly. "You're topless!"

  Lake stood from my bed. "About not to be." She crouched down on the floor in search of her top.

  "What is going on?"

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. There was no way I could explain this to Jenny. She wouldn't understand. I don't understand.

  "I need to get ready," I said.

  She crossed her arms. "For what? School was postponed. That's what I came here to tell you. The dance stopped all of our school activities. Thank Signs, too. I needed a break."

  Lake brightened. "Really? Classes are postponed?"

  "Yeah. And the Extracurriculars."

  The dark-haired girl bounced, reminding me of Jenny when she's happy or excited. "Does that mean I can stay?" Lake asked me. She clasped her hands together. "Please? I'll behave."

  "What would we even do?"

  "Party?"

  "What about me?" Jenny pouted.

  Lake smirked. Before she could even form a letter with her lips, I butted in. "I'm not going to the Signs Dance and I'm not going to party anymore. So, Lake, go back to your own room or go find a partner-"

  "I already have one," she interrupted.

  I ignored her and kept talking. "-and Jenny. You go ask that Pisces to take you to the dance before they get asked by someone else."

  "But what if they already have?"

  "Go win 'em over," Lake cooed.

  Jenny looked at the girl. She was throwing on her top and removing my bra from her body. Rolling her eyes, Jenny looked back to me, raising an eyebrow. "Her?"

  "She has impeccable taste?" I offered.

  "I'm sure she does," Jenny said, disgusted.

  "Why are we talking about my taste?"

  "Ew, grow up," Jenny complained at the look on Lake's face.

  "Alright, get out. You have your clothes and you have a date to ask." I corralled them to the door and opened it. Shoving them out was harder than I had expected, but I accomplished the task.

  I slammed the door shut and locked it. I didn't plan on leaving my bedroom until tomorrow. If someone was dying, I would consider leaving. That's the only reason I would even consider leaving the safety of my dorm room.