A Hidden Picture

Eight

~ Annalise

The birds won't stop yelling at each other and it's strangely relaxing to listen to as I read at my circular kitchen table. Hell N Back by Bakar plays lowly from my phone on the kitchen counter top.

The school day is already over thankfully and I was able to finish all my homework during lunch. Detention was rather boring. Reed looked extremely tired and was asleep the entire time.

I had a strong desire to wake him up just to be a cunt. But I felt like being nice today.

Except now I'm stressing out about college.

My foot anxiously taps the floor repeatedly as I read.

I think I want to be in the medical field. The idea of it makes me groan. It's not something I want to do, but it's all I can think of.

I have a computer open in front of me as well as a notebook where I was jotting down ideas. Except I got a little side tracked and now I'm reading the book I left here last night.

All my grades are A's which is good, but I'm lacking on volunteering hours.

Last time I volunteered was...well. I tap my pen repeatedly against the notebook as a I think.

Well, never.

Sighing, I throw the pen down and lean back in the chair to stretch. I groan and cover my eyes. Fuck my life and fuck volunteering hours.

Suddenly my phone starts ringing.

Quickly I get up and check whose trying to FaceTime me.

"Hot bestie Rowen." He put that name in my phone for himself. Not me.

I pick up.

"Get out my room holy fuck!" I'm immediately welcomed to the voice of Ro yelling at his little brother, Landon. A twelve year old nuisance who loves to make his older brother homicidal.

"Wanna fight?" I can hear Landon trying to rile Ro up.

"Get the fuck out!" Ro throws something and I can hear Landon laughing as he runs away.

When Ro finally looks at the camera he looks like he's so done with having to deal with that boy.

"What a warm welcome, thank you." I grab my phone from off the counter top and prop it up on the windowsill above the kitchen sink. I leave Ro there to go make myself a bowl of cereal. All this college stuff is making me stressed and cereal sounds really good right now.

"If I kill my brother, what would be the jail sentence?"

"That's first degree murder...so probably life." Frosted flakes or lucky charms?

Ro sighs over dramatically.

"Frosted flakes." My eyes widen and I immediately walk back over to where my phone is propped up, my hands planted on my hips.

"How the fuck did you know I was choosing cereal?"

He looks at me as if I'm crazy. "I heard the sound of your cabinet opening and you were taking too long to come back to the phone. Duh."

My mouth hangs open before I start laughing.

"Babe, I have your house practically memorized. Don't even act shocked."

I throw my head back and start cackling. "Creep."

"Hm...I prefer the word attentative," he smirks. I snort and grab the frosted flakes and milk from the fridge before going back to my phone.