Pt. 3

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Your eyes cracked open, heavy with sleep, brain lagging behind the noise by several seconds. You blinked up at the ceiling first, disoriented, then at the faint morning light leaking around the curtains, soft and hazy.

You shifted up on the bed when you felt something drop from your chest before tightening around you.

That’s when you remembered that you didn’t sleep holding onto any pillow.

You looked down and found an arm, her arm wrapped around you. You tried to move a leg when you felt hers wrapped around you like a koala holding onto a branch.

“…Huh,” You breathed, brilliant as ever.

You tried shifting again, gentler this time, only to discover that she somehow tightened her grip in her sleep, an unconscious, sleepy vise that pulled you closer, her forehead nudging between your shoulder blades like she was burrowing.

Great.

Fantastic.

Absolutely no way this would be normal for your heart rate.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The knocking came again, louder this time, impatient and echoing faintly from the front door.

You craned your neck toward the bedroom entrance, whispering, “Lynn…? Lynn, someone’s—”

She groaned into your back like the concept of consciousness was a personal insult.

You sighed before you carefully lifted her arm aside and slipped through her grasp to get out of your own bed.

When you got out of your room, you made your way to the front door where the loud knocking came from.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

“Yeah, yeah, coming.” You mumbled, your voice still lingering with sleep.

You opened the door and squinted your eyes, the sunlight outside blinding you for a split second before they focused on the sight of your own sister standing in front of you.

“There you are. Don’t you know how long I’ve been out here? Got me thinking you died in your sleep or something.”

“Good morning to you too,” You muttered, leaning against the doorway because your spine still hadn’t caught up to being awake.

Rei pushed her sunglasses up into her hair, squinting at you like your face offended her.

“You look like a corpse.”

“Thanks. Great way to start my day.”

“I mean it,” She said, brushing past you like she owned the place. “Your hair looks like it’s been through hell.”

“It did,” You replied under your breath.

Rei walked in without waiting for permission, dropping a paper bag onto your counter with a dramatic huff.

“Bought you breakfast, because I’m a saint. And because someone didn’t answer their phone. Or the door. Three times.”

You shut the door, rubbing your eyes. “Why are you here so early?”

She opened her mouth then stopped.

Her gaze slid past you.

Past your shoulder.

Straight toward the hallway leading to your room.

“I’m guessing she slept in your room?” She asked, crossing her arms on her chest.

“Yeah, let her take the bed.”

“And you two slept together?” She smirked.

“What? No—I slept on the couch.” You lied through your teeth. “Now could you please tell me why you’re here?”

Rei seemed to believe you despite her rolling her eyes.

“Anyways, I need you to come with me to the market. I need to do another ingredient run before I open up for the day.” She explained, turning to your kitchen and opening the fridge.

“And maybe you could need some too.” She added, looking into the fridge.

“What do you need me for? Surely enough, you could do it on your own.”

“Sure,” She said. “I could do it on my own. I could also lift a whole sack of rice on my own. Or carry three crates of produce. Or haul boxes to the delivery van. But guess what?”

She jabbed a finger into your chest.

“I don’t want to.”

You blinked. “That’s your big reason? You don’t want to?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “It’s early, I’m tired, my back hurts, and I deserve manual labor support from my only idiot brother.”

You rubbed your eyes. “Okay. Fine. But why didn’t you call instead of banging the door like you were the police?”

Rei held up her phone. “I did call. Seven times. You didn’t answer. Wonder why.”

You felt heat creep up your neck.

Before you could defend yourself, she glanced toward the hallway again.