I inhaled, counted to ten then exhaled. “Fuckers.”
With that being said, I stood and walked to my car, retrieved my guitar with Reece and Donovan walking up behind me, their chuckles of amusement filling the air.
Ignoring them I walked back to the porch, lifted my guitar from its case and started moving my fingers over the strings, wanting the guys to hear what I’d done so far with the new song I’d been working on, ‘Tonight’.
Donovan was the first to break the silence, following the last note I’d strung. “Wow.”
“Fucking awesome,” Reece commented, sitting beside me with his guitar. “Play it again without the lyrics.” Reece had a talent. One I wished I had. He only had to hear music, and within ten minutes he’d be able to repeat it, flawlessly.
Chapter 7
Thalia
––––––––
Ugh, the shrill buzz filled the air and my arm shot out searching for the snooze button. The alarm could wake the dead, or rather Callie, if I let it go on too long. Six o’clock flashed in the dark room and I groaned, closing my eyes only to be jerked awake again as it went off at five past six. Even still, I ignored the need to get up until the third time the alarm went off at a quarter past six.
Dragging myself out of bed, I groaned again. I needed about a gallon of coffee before I could function properly, especially after a late night. With that in mind, I walked to the kitchen first; opening and closing the cupboards looking for the canister of coffee that Callie had trouble keeping in one spot. Not finding it was a good enough excuse to stop at Starbucks on our way out of town, the only thing wrong with that plan though, was that Liam wouldn’t let me consume it in his car. Ugh, where the hell could she have put the coffee?
Thirsty, I opened the fridge, reached for the milk and spotted the canister of coffee on the shelf next to the cheese. What she’d been thinking about at the time could be anyone’s guess.
With a sigh of relief because I would get some caffeine, I quickly sorted the coffee machine out then ran to the bathroom to grab a quick shower while it brewed.
The shower took all of three minutes because the water was damn cold. The hot water heater had obviously stopped again, which was a regular occurrence. I shivered all the way back to my room where I quickly threw on my pale blue jeans, dark blue t-shirt, thick socks, which used to belong to my dad. My cowgirl boots fit snuggly over the socks and I slipped on a sweater in an attempt to make my goose bumps disappear.
Finally dressed, I dashed back to the kitchen and poured my first coffee of the day. I inhaled it before taking a sip, loving the rich aroma, something that I did every morning. And yes, I’d burnt my nose once or twice when I hadn’t been paying attention to what I was doing. There was nothing worse than walking round campus looking like Rudolph in the middle of summer; embarrassing.
Sitting on the lumpy sofa, I finally took a sip of coffee, which tasted delicious, while I waited for Liam. After the kiss last night, I hoped everything wasn’t going to be strange between us. The kiss in the club had been close to hot, but the kiss downstairs had felt – odd.
My phone buzzed with a message – Liam. I quickly text him back to let him know I’d be down in five.
I left the coffee cup in the sink in the kitchen, then snuck into Callie’s room to say goodbye.
Callie’s room had Twilight posters all over the wall, or rather Edward posters; she was in love with him. I told her on numerous occasions that there was something wrong with her, because at twenty-one she shouldn’t be in love with a guy on a poster. She just laughed and told me I was jealous, which was so not true.
Callie had her head buried under her pillow, her quilt pulled up to her neck, so all I could see were bits of blonde hair sticking out. I lifted the pillow, and asked, “You alive?”
She started to groan and turned over onto her other side, fighting to stay asleep.
“Callie, I’m going. I need a hug.”
She huffed, turning over to look at me and then held her arms open. I crawled on to the bed with her for our farewell hug. Callie’s bed was so damn comfortable, all I wanted to do was stay and go back to sleep, but instead I pulled away with tears in my eyes.
“Take care of yourself Thalia, and remember if it gets too much in Alabama, you can come and stay with me in Texas.” She grinned, “Lots of cowboys in Texas.”
Climbing off the bed, I tucked her back in, and then started to walk from the room, when I turned back to her, “Stay in touch Callie. Promise me?”
“You’ll be sick of me.”
I frowned down at her.
“I promise,” Callie grumbled half asleep.