Chapter 4
1027 Words
AMARA
Somewhere around the third movie, my eyes stopped fighting me. The couch had gone soft and warm in that specific way that makes you promise yourself you'll just close your eyes for a second, nothing more. Nova's laugh had gone quiet beside me, and even Peyton had stopped narrating the plot out loud.
That text was still sitting in my phone, unanswered, and some tired, half-asleep part of me almost typed back none of your business just to have the last word. I didn't. I let my phone go dark instead and let the room blur soft at the edges, telling myself I'd deal with all of it in the morning.
We didn't even realize we had dozed off. The rom-com marathon, the cocktails, the endless laughter-it all blended into one comfortable haze on Peyton's oversized couch.
Popcorn bowls sat half-empty on the coffee table, cookie crumbs scattered across plates, and our phones lay forgotten nearby. I had curled up under a throw blanket between Peyton and Nova, the stress of the last few days finally catching up to me.
A sharp knock on the door jolted me awake. "Girls? You need to go to school now. It's almost eight!"
Peyton's mom called from the hallway, her voice warm but firm. I blinked groggily, rubbing my eyes as the others stirred beside me. The room was brighter than it should have been-sunlight streaming through the curtains we'd forgotten to close properly.
"Ughhh," Peyton groaned first, burying her face in a pillow. "Five more minutes ... "
Nova sat up slowly, her curls a mess. "School? Already? This is cruel."
I joined the collective groan, stretching my stiff neck. "We really slept through the whole night? I didn't even text Mom." Panic flickered in my chest. The last thing I needed was more family drama on top of everything else.
We moved in a sleepy rush, folding blankets, gathering our things, and splashing water on our faces in the bathroom to look somewhat alive. Peyton's mom waited downstairs with a knowing smile, car keys in hand. "I figured you'd crash here. Come on, I'll drop Amara off first since it's on the way."
The drive home was quiet except for the low hum of the radio. I sat in the back, staring out the window and praying I wouldn't run into Kingston or Maddox. The twins were early risers on school days-usually grabbing protein shakes and heading out for optional morning drills before classes. If I could slip in and out without their usual commentary, it would be a small mercy.
Peyton's mom pulled up to the curb. "Have a good day, girls. Text if you need anything."
"Thanks again," I said, waving as I hopped out. The house looked peaceful from the outside, but I still tiptoed up the front steps like I was sneaking in after curfew. The door creaked softly as I pushed it open.
Immediately, the warm, sweet scent of Mom's favorite pastries hit me-cinnamon rolls or maybe blueberry muffins baking in the oven. It wrapped around the kitchen like a hug, a reminder that not everything in this blended family was chaos.
"Honey, is that you?" Mom's voice called from the kitchen.
"I'm home," I replied, kicking off my shoes by the door.
"Where were you?" She appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a dish towel, looking concerned but not angry.
"At Peyton's. We had a girls' night and lost track of time. Sorry, I should've messaged."
Mom relaxed, smiling. "As long as you're okay. BRB with breakfast?" I nodded quickly. "BRB." I dashed upstairs before she could ask more questions or, worse, before the twins emerged.
My room was a safe haven-neat desk, stacked books, posters of book covers on the walls. I stripped off yesterday's clothes in record time, jumping into a quick shower. Hot water chased away the last bits of sleepiness. I dressed for school in a simple sweater and jeans, then tied my hair into a ponytail, letting a few soft tendrils fall around my face. A swipe of cute lip gloss finished it off-nothing fancy, just enough to feel put together.
Back downstairs, Mom had packed a small container of fresh cookies. "Come sweetie, I packed some cookies for you and your friends. Share them at lunch or whatever."
I took the container, the warmth seeping through the plastic. "Thanks, Mom. Bye."
"Bye, baby. Have a good day. And tell your brothers to behave if they give you trouble with that tutoring."
I forced a smile and slipped out the front door before she could elaborate. Peyton's mom was still waiting patiently at the curb, engine idling. I climbed into the back seat again, where Peyton and Nova were already chatting about first-period notes. "Ready?" Peyton's mom asked.
"Yep." I shut the door, and we pulled away. Once we were a block from the house, the tension in my shoulders eased slightly. No sign of the twins. No shoulder checks or mocking nicknames this morning.
Inside the car, Peyton cranked up the music-some upbeat pop playlist that had us all nodding along. Windows down, wind whipping through our hair, we sang along badly to the chorus, laughing when Nova hit a particularly off-key note. It felt freeing, a brief bubble of normalcy before the school day swallowed us. The drive wasn't long, but we made the most of it, recapping funny moments from the movie last night and planning our next hangout.
We arrived at school just as the morning bell warning rang. Peyton's mom waved us off with a cheerful "Study hard!" I waved back, then sighed deeply at the sight of our school building looming ahead. The familiar brick facade, crowded parking lot filled with cars and students milling about-it was just another day, but the weight of upcoming tutoring sessions already pressed on me. The three of us grabbed our bags and started walking toward the main entrance, blending into the flow of backpacks and chatter. Peyton was mid-sentence about her latest crush when a familiar voice cut through the noise from behind us.
"Here comes our baby stepsister the nerd-"
- Writer
