Work in Progress

Chapter 21: Awake

*SAM'S POV*

I turn to my side and press my face on the pillow when I feel the sun landing on my face. My head was throbbing so I took a deep breath and-- wait. Is that a hint of strawberry and mint? I could feel the panic rising up inside me when I realized my leg was touching someone else's. The last thing I remember was asking Eli if she could drive then immediately falling asleep. We didn't, did we? I think I would remember. Plus, she's not like that. She wouldn't take advantage of someone. Maybe we just fell asleep together. Wait-- where am I?

I slowly open my eyes trying to prepare myself to come face to face with Eli but instead I saw that it was Jane. Drooling. Ew. I sat up and looked around. Kate was curled up at the end of the bed. The room was... big. A huge window lined the wall to the right of the bed, it's curtains slightly opened enough for a ray of light to enter. There were nightstands on both sides of the bed, which was a queen. And on the wall in front of it was an equally large TV. A door separates it from the other side which was lined with built-in cabinets that extended to a small hallway. This cut through the left side wall indicating a smaller room within the bigger room. There was an open space between that and the bed, which was decorated with different instruments. Eli was not in sight.

I got up slowly not wanting to wake up the others. I tiptoed towards the smaller room, which I guessed correctly was a bathroom. It was big enough to fit a separate shower and bathtub area, the toilet, a sink on marble counters, and an open shelf on one wall where I found three sets of clothes and towels. I took a quick shower and changed into a grey shirt and shorts. When I finished, the other two were still asleep. I walked up to the door leading to the rest of the house and bracing myself, exit Eli's room.

I'm greeted with the full view of Eli's house, or I'm guessing, apartment. The room extends into one long space: the living room, dining, then the kitchen, which was a step higher than the rest. There, I saw Eli cooking. She doesn't notice me until I'm right beside her.

"Oh hey, you're awake. I'm making pancakes," she says with a smile and flipping the one she was cooking.

"We're at your place."

"Yeah, you girls were passed out last night and I figured it would be easier to just bring you here rather than explain to your parents one by one why you're passed out. Actually, come to think of it I only know where you live. But I still wouldn't want to explain to your mom. She has such a great image of me." She smirks, finishing up the pancakes and starting on some eggs.

"You don't seem like you have a hangover." I say, noting how uncharacteristically cheery she was.

"Comes with experience," she winks. "There's some coffee over there if you'd like," she motions with her head to a brewer on the counter behind. "Mugs are on the cabinet above it." I went to grab myself a cup of coffee all the while watching how bubbly she seemed. Still, I couldn't help but notice a slight hint of worry in her eyes. Before I could ask her anything, Jane and Kate were making their way up to us in the same grey clothes I was in.

"I SMELL BACON," Jane says in a monster voice.

"AND COFFEE," Kate does the same.

"I see the demons have awakened." Eli chuckles then proceeds to place the plate of pancakes and eggs beside a heap of bacon on the dining table, which I didn't notice was set already.

We all look at the hearty breakfast she prepared, impressed by it.

"I wish my mom would cook me hangover breakfast like this," Kate whines.

Jane moans as she takes a bite of the bacon, "This is soooo good."

"I guess I used your gift to good use then." Eli says taking a bite off her own pancake. Jane looks at her wide-eyed and Kate nervously laughs, "What do you mean?"

"Oh just drop the act already, Kate. Eli knows we gave her that pan, which is good or else we wouldn't be eating this delicious breakfast now." Jane says, still munching on her bacon.

Kate breathes out in relief, "Oh thank god! Sorry about your locker though."

"It's alright. I guess we both have a thing for hammering things."

We looked at her confused then I remembered how Brendan's tires were damaged. "So you did slash Brendan's tires!"

"Technically, I jammed a nail through each of them but yeah. He messes with my tires, I mess with his."

"Damn, girl. And I heard you made such a big deal about being older and having to be more careful," Jane says with a mouthful of pancakes.

Eli gives her a look and says, "I am older and I was more careful. No trace that I did it, right? Well, I guess except for you three..." She looks at us pretending to think.

"We'll consider this meal as payment for our silence," Kate says already on her third pancake.

"You three do look like you're coming from prison," Eli laughs.

"Hey, they're your clothes. Just Saying." I say putting my hands up.

We went like that for a while. Just making jokes and forgetting about our hangovers. But every now and then I would see Eli glance at her phone and smile. I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Looks like someone has a phone pal," Kate teases Eli, who got flustered for a moment but quickly shrugs it off.

"Oh, umm. I made a new friend at the party," she says, scratching her neck and smiling a little.

"Yeah, we saw. You looked like you were having fun with your college friends." Eli looked panicked for a moment at Jane's comment but composed herself again.

"They're actually not that different from you guys. It's just that I can be less restricted with them." Eli suddenly coughs after saying the last part. Then I remembered I saw her last night acting close with a redhead, even putting her hand around the other's waist and whispering in her ear. I've never seen her so relaxed before. In school, she'd always just have a blank stare on her, sometimes replaced by the occasional smirk. She'd always make sure to keep her distance from us. Even Kate, who loves clinging onto people's arms, was unsuccessful in getting Eli to let her do that. I'm suddenly filled with jealousy as I realized how stupid I was to even think that I had a chance with Eli. Of course, she wouldn't wait eight months. She wouldn't wait at all. She already found someone else she could be with now.

"Why don't you hang out with them then if you like them so much." I snap at her, my friends giving me a weird look.

"I am. That's what I'm doing," Eli says waving her phone and equally snapping at me. "I just set a date." Then she puts her phone down on the table. A date? Already? I wish I didn't snap. But she'd still go on that date anyway even if I didn't know.

"That's great, Eli! Turns out you can make friends fast, " Jane says trying to diffuse the sudden tension.

We finished breakfast quickly after that since it was obvious that Eli and I weren't interested in making conversation anymore. We had packed our clothes from last night and were at the door about to leave when Eli pulled me back and said, "Actually, Sam, I was wondering if we could talk."

My friends, thinking that this was a good opportunity for me, quickly said goodbye and left before I could object.

A/N: Sorry for the weird updating schedules but I'll definitely try to post at least once a week. Tell me what you think so far and what I can improve on :)