Bound To Happen

Four

“Don’t get out of the car, I’ll climb out through the window.” Carley took deep breaths to steady her voice and heart rate. She picked up her phone and the charger, opening the widow facing the large magnolia tree in her front yard. Carefully she stepped onto the nearest branch and climbed down, hoping her brother still wasn’t home so he couldn’t see her sneaking out through his window. When she was on the ground she ran to the van that was parked in the same spot a half hour before and opened the door. She threw herself next to the nearest person and wrapped her arms around them, burying her face into his chest. Her body shook with sobs and his arms wrapped around her, steadying her shaking body.

Zack stroked her hair as she breathed deeply into his chest, trying to calm down. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of them; it made her look weak when she tries so hard to appear strong and together.

Zack looked at Carley and hugged her tight. He wasn’t one for comforting words; that was more of Alex’s thing. No one in the car spoke. The only noise you could hear was the soft sound of the radio and the deep breaths from the girl tangled in Zack’s arms.

The van pulled up in front of Zack’s house and everyone got out, Carley being carried out and up to the house. Inside, she was set down on the couch where she cuddled up into a pillow.

“Let’s leave her to sleep and we’ll ask in the morning. Do you mind if we stay over?” Zack shook his head at Alex and grabbed some pillows and blankets from his room, spreading them out on the living room floor around the couch. Jack was the first to fall asleep; passing out the minute his head hit the pillow. Alex and Rian were out not soon after, leaving Zack awake in the quiet house. He couldn’t sleep, the image of Carley crying and sad etched into his brain. She looked so broken, something that contradicted her emotions earlier. He didn’t like the sudden change at all. He fell asleep a few hours later, the sight of a broken Carley still in his mind.

~

Carley awoke to the smell of bacon, the scent making her mouth water immediately. She stretched out the kinks in her back and sat up, looking around the room. She was on a couch with three sleeping boys on the floor around her, one of them hugging her hand in their sleep. She giggled and pulled her hand away from Jack and stood up, swerving around the sleeping trio as she made her way into the kitchen. Zack was in front of the stove, sleepily cooking bacon and eggs. He noticed her walk in and smiled, patting the island next to him. She sat on the island and watched the bacon sizzle in the frying pan for a few minutes before Zack spoke up.

“How’d you sleep?”

Carley yawned and stretched her arms out in front of her, sighing as the joints cracked. “Really well, actually. First time I’ve slept in past 9 since I can remember.” Her dad never liked when she was asleep past 9. He felt it was a waste of the morning she could use to do other things like chores or dance. Dance and school were the only things he was ever proud of her for. With her grades, she would be graduating a year early and be valedictorian. As for dance, she worked her way to the top class, earning the spot of teacher’s favorite.

“It’s a rare thing for me too. I like mornings. The only time I really sleep in is when I have a killer hangover.” Zack chuckled and flipped the bacon, moving on to watch the eggs.

“I smell bacon!” Jack yelled from the living room. He ran into the kitchen, stepping on Alex in the process causing the blond boy to smack Rian in the face in shock. The two groaned in pain as Jack flung open the kitchen door and stared at the cooking bacon. He reached over and grabbed a cooked piece from the plate by Carley and shoved it in his mouth, chewing with delight.

“Jack you fucker! That hurt!” Alex yelled, rubbing his stomach. Rian mumbled “asshole” and he rubbed his face. Alex appeared in the doorway of the kitchen and reached over, grabbing a spatula and hitting jack with it. Jack screamed and grabbed a wooden spoon, countering Alex’s attacks with his own. The two continued their fight, spoon and spatula clashing everywhere. Carley scooted closer to the middle of the island; trying not to get hit and Zack moved farther down the stove.

“Will you children stop your sword fight and get me an ice pack? My face hurts like a bitch!” Rian whined from the doorway. Jack flung the spatula into the sink and grabbed and ice pack from the freezer, handing it to Rian with a cheesy smile. Rian rolled his eyes and smacked Jack, putting the ice pack to his forehead and sulking back to the living room. Alex put down the spoon and sat next to Carley on the island.

“Hey you stole my spot! Zaaack, tell Alex to get up from my spot!” Zack sighed in annoyance and flung a piece of scrambled egg at Jack. “You can both sit there, just shut up.” Jack nodded and picked up the piece of egg, tossing it in his mouth and sitting on the other side of Carley on the island.

“Breakfast is ready, don’t make a mess you animals.” Zack took out 5 plates and stood back and Jack and Alex pilled food onto their plates. They ran back to the living room and turned on the TV, stuffing their mouths with food. Zack gestured to the food and Carley grabbed a plate, putting some bacon and eggs on it. Zack did the same for his and Rian’s plates. They walked out to the living room and sat on the couch next to Jack and Alex who were almost done with their massive amounts of food.

“Extreme Couponing? Really guys?” Zack rolled his eyes as Jack and Alex nodded enthusiastically, their eyes glued to the TV.

Carley ate her breakfast in silence and the boys talked amongst themselves. It was soon quiet as all eyes landed on Carley. She looked around with a confused expression as the 4 boys looked back at her with eyes full of questions. Alex was the first to speak up.

“So, what was up with yesterday? You were fine until you got home, then you called us crying. What happened?

Carley look at her lap, an argument going on in her head. She didn’t want to tell them what happens at her house; she just met them and wasn’t sure if they were trustworthy or if they would even stick around. But on the other hand, she had this feeling that she needed to tell someone, and they had been so nice to her. She settled on not giving out too much information, but not to lie. “My dad was drinking and I don’t like to be around him when he drinks.” That wasn’t lying, but it wasn’t telling the whole truth. She figured saying this much was good enough for them to not press into it too much.

The boys nodded their heads, leaving it at that. It sounded true, for the most part. They all gave her a hug with the exception of Alex, and went back to fooling around. Alex narrowed his eyes at Carley, not believing that she was telling the whole truth. He didn’t want to bug her about it, but he could tell she wasn’t telling them everything right off the bat. It was understandable, but Alex did feel a twinge of hurt. He was always someone people easily opened up too and he was a good listener. It felt strange to him for someone to not be so open with others.

Carley stared back at Alex. She knew that he could see right through her, though she wasn’t sure how. She was good at masking her feelings so no one could get into her head.

Alex cocked his eyebrow at her. She shrugged and turned back to the TV, not really paying attention. Her mind was swirling with thoughts and she needed something to distract her from Alex’s curious stares. Alex let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and slumped into the couch. He wasn’t too happy at the thought of someone not trusting him and not asking him for advice. He pushed the thought aside and focused on Jack being his obnoxious self, stretching out across Zack begging for more food that wasn’t available. Jack’s flailing legs were dangerously close to Rian, who was pushing the legs back hoping he wouldn’t be hit in the face again. Jack fell off the couch with a thud, a string of curses coming from his mouth as everyone in the room laughed at him struggling to sit up.
♠ ♠ ♠
Boring, short, filler. Three words to describe this chapter.
So it's now officially summer break for me! That means more time to write, which means more updates!
Anyways, I'm gonna start doing a song of the chapter kind of thing.
Song of the chapter: The Consequence - You Me At Six
I've had a recent YMAS obsession c:

Comment, you lovely people!

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