Classified ☑

[ chapter 06 ]

Sunlight filtered in through the window as I started to wake up. I leaned onto my stomach to reach for my phone that sat on my nightstand. I rubbed my eyes with my free hand to get rid of the blurriness that clouded my sight.

My stomach dropped when I saw the time. I tried to get out of bed but the comforter was tangled between my legs, causing me to fall onto the floor with a loud thud. A sharp pain shot through my hands from the bruises that laced my knuckles.

My feet pounded the creaky wood floors as I ran downstairs and into the kitchen. Thomas was at the stove, cooking pancakes, as he whistled a tune I didn't know.

He glanced up at me and chuckled. "Someone slept in for once."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why didn't you wake me? It's seven in the morning."

My uncle rolled his eyes at me. "Geez, most kids your age would be complaining if they woke up at seven."

"Thomas," I said sternly. I'd missed my morning run by not waking up on time. I didn't have the nightmare every night to wake me, but I usually woke up with enough time to go on a run.

"Nina." He sighed. "After yesterday I figured it was best to let you get some extra rest. You had a hard day yesterday," he said, glancing at my purplish knuckles.

The anger I had towards him started to subside as I watched him. I couldn't stay mad at him, he was doing what he thought was best for me. "Fine," I mumbled as I took a seat in one of the chairs around our tiny kitchen table.

His eyes were big as he turned around slowly to glance at me.

"What?" The irritation I felt towards him moments ago started to reemerge.

He shook his head, laughing. "Nothing." Before I could ask him what he was really thinking, he changed the subject. "What are you doing Friday night?"

"Nothing," I said, mocking him.

"Funny," he deadpanned back. "I'm going out this Friday, so go out with some friends. Be a normal teenager."

I ignored his last comment and asked, "are you going out with Gracie?"

He sat down across from me with a plate of pancakes in his hand. "That's none of your business."

"So you are going out with her."

He tried to play it off, but his face contorted. He was a terrible liar. "I didn't say that."

"But you didn't say you weren't." I smiled at him and saw the look of defeat on his face as his shoulders slouched. I'd gotten him.

"You're annoying sometimes," he said, forking a piece of pancake and stuffing it into his mouth.

I couldn't stop the smirk that overtook my face as I leaned back into my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm just being a normal teenager."

*****

As I entered school that morning, I couldn't help but feel anxious after what happened yesterday. Between Cole, Mark, and Shelly finding out about my dad being dead and Cole witnessing my meltdown, school was the last place I wanted to be.

My eyes glanced around as I looked at the faces that passed me in the hallway. I'd waited until the very last minute to walk into class so I wouldn't have to talk to any of them. The chatter from the hallway died as I walked into the room, spotting Cole, Mark, and Shelly all sitting in their seats.

The room was quiet besides a few students talking here and there. I felt Cole's eyes on me until I passed him and took my seat next to Shelly, who was avoiding looking at me by staring at her desk. The tension between the four of us was high.