Holey smokes, guys. I'm so sorry about the delay on this one, but I got a block like you wouldn't believe. Plus I started school and other things are happening in life...I'm just sorry. Hopefully I'll get another chap out soon. I think I have an idea.
As always, I don't own 'em, i just write 'em (that includes Velcro) and please send the love because it truly does make me smile to know that you're enjoying. *hug*
Eight. Eight times, Carly woke me up by flailing around or screaming out loud from what I assume were her nightmares. Each time, I woke her up and she clung to me like Velcro. Each time, I had to convince her that she was in her bed and that she was safe.
I woke up at 10:47. The last time that I had looked at the clock, it had been 6:39. Most of the night, there had not been more than an hour between Carly waking up. I actually started to panic when I saw that Carly was not in my arms or even in the bed. I sat up and looked around wide eyed and saw that the bathroom door was closed. I got up and knocked as calmly as I could.
"Sam?" Carly's voice called from the other side. I heard a splash and sighed with relief.
"Scared me for a minute, Carls." When I realized the situation, I looked back at the door. "You don't take baths." I realized and said through the wood divider. She was acting way weird.
"I'm pretending its a hot tub." She called out with a hint of enthusiasm. "Laying in your own filth isn't all that bad really. Its pretty relaxing." I chuckled out loud at the comment.
"My mom always takes baths to relax after really bad dates; usually with bikers."
"Your mom has a lot of bad dates." She splashed back. It felt normal for a while. It was a really great feeling, but pretty brief.
"You...could come join me if you want." She suddenly said with a bit of a riské tone in her voice. I got a chill and had to try hard not to shiver out loud.
"No...I'm gonna go get something to eat." I knew I sounded unsure and hesitant and I bet anything that she picked up on it.
"Make me some waffles?" She asked normally as if the last comment had never happened.
"Sure." My voice was the same hesitant tone. I couldn't help it. Carly had her off moments, but she'd been downright bipolar lately.
When I got downstairs, I saw Spencer staring with a fierce intensity at a cereal box. He wasn't just staring blankly, that I would have understood. He looked like he was in a staring contest with the box.
"Hey, Spence." I greeted him, hoping to figure out what the hell he was doing.
"Sam." He said quickly and continued to stare at the box. I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Sooo...whacha got there, Spencer?" I poked the box.
"Box." I threw my arms up at the answer, but really, what was I expecting?
"I mean...why are ya staring at it like that?"
"That gopher gave me a dirty look." I shook my head and reached for the box. I pointed at the cartoon gopher mascot of the Gopher Rice Gobbles and pointed the box back at Spencer.
"This gopher cannot give you any looks...except for this one riight here." I tapped the face of the gopher and opened the box.
"Hey! That's my breakfast!"
"Relax, I'll get you a bowl."
"No! I can do it myself!" Spencer snapped. I shot him a look of confused concern.
"I know...I'm just trying to be nice..." I handed him the box and hoped that the box would end the conversation. He sunk his hand into the box and started to eat the cereal sloppily by the handful. I decided to leave him to it for a little while and check up on Carly. I stupidly opened the door without knocking.
In front of me stood a very nude Carly leaning into her drawer. I couldn't make my feet move or my mouth shut. She got up from the drawer and noticed me. A slightly creepy grin formed on her face.
"You could just ask if you want to see, Sam. You don't have to sneak in." She started walking to me. I was finally able to shake my head out of the trance and think again. I backed up clumsily and tripped. She lowered herself to the floor all the while facing me with the creepiest dazed face. I tried to back away, but she was quick and landed herself on me just as fast as I started to back up. She pushed me back so that I was laying on the floor under her and started to make out with me hard. I felt my face cringe in my efforts to get her off of me. I'm a strong girl, but when Carly is set in something, she is scary strong. I was starting to panic again.
Finally, I was able to move in the right way and turn her over so that I was on her belly and pinned her hands beside her head. Her grin grew and I shuttered, but kept my grip. I knew my eyes were wide and I had to have looked really scared, but all she would do was stare back with that awful grin.
"Carly! You can't keep doing this!" I tried not to scream, but my voice was unstable. I watched as, slowly, her grin fell and she looked down like a child looks in shame. I was relieved, but I knew what was coming. I saw tears starting to fall down her cheeks. She didn't move as I let go of her hands, got off of her stomach and knelt next to her. I offered her my hand to help her get up, but she just shook her head at me. I reached behind her neck and back and lifted her up so that she was sitting. I held her up by her arms and she slumped forward. I hugged her to me yet again and felt her shutter with every sob. I tried to think of some way to make her relax or to think of something else. All that I came up with ended up sounding so stupid.
"Do...do you want those waffles?" I heard myself say as I amazed myself with my awkwardness. She shook her head into my shirt. I decided that she couldn't just sulk around, so I started to get up and brought her body with me. I think she made a point of trying to be as heavy and full of dead weight as she could.
"Come on, Carly. We're gonna go see Spencer and get some food. I'm starving."
"I don't want to see Spencer." She whined into the air as her head slumped back.
"Well he's where the bacon is so whatever. Even if you don't eat, you're coming down." I took her hand and led her downstairs. She mumbled whines all the way as I pulled her behind me. I guess I was happy that she was even out of bed. I turned the corner from the stairs to see Spencer sitting at the counter. His head was on the counter in a pile of Gopher Gobbles and his arms were dangling at his sides. I felt my heart jump to my throat. I spun to Carly and stopped her in her tracks.
"Stay." I almost tripped as I turned and ran down to Spencer. I was looking for blood, broken glass, knives, anything that might be wrong. After not seeing anything, I was still afraid to touch him.
"Spencer..." I very slowly touched his shoulder. I felt him flinch and almost screamed as I jumped. At least he was alive.
"Spence...you okay?" I tried moving his face and found a bunch of mushy cereal underneath and stuck to his cheeks. He started to scream out as I turned him. I shooshed him but he didn't care.
"Caarlaaaaaaaaay!" He screamed and then mumbled loudly. I was trying everything that I knew how, which really isn't that much, to get him to calm down. He completely ignored me and continued to make all kinds of horrible noises. I didn't realize it at first, but I had started clutching my head in frustration. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped. I look around, completely confused. I felt a hand on my arm which pulled my hand away from my head and turned my body around to face Carly.
Spencer was crying into her shoulder and she was stroking my arm with one finger from her other hand. She stared at me with a tired, defeated look that made my skin feel like it was melting. I put my arms around both of them and held tight. My heart was still racing from thinking that Spencer had... yeh. I only noticed the shaking when Carly started to stroke my back.
I thought to myself then "Wait! I'm supposed to be the one comforting them!" and then as a reflex, I squeezed just a little harder before I backed away.
"I'm...gonna make breakfast. Carly, you wanted waffles, right?" I felt the same shot of awkwardness as I rolled my eyes behind closed lids. She nodded and smiled lightly at me. It wasn't the creepy grin from before, it was normal Carly's sweet little smile and it felt less awkward. I nodded and went to go get the waffles.
I'm still just a kid. I don't know what I'm doing with this stuff, but Carly needed me and if waffles were going to make her feel any better, then waffles! I was hoping as I set up the toaster that I wasn't just making things worse for the both of them by being around. It had been going through my head throughout this whole thing. I wasn't going to get an answer to that for a while, but I figure doing something is better than ignoring the whole thing. And she smiled at me. I must have done something good.
I looked over to them and saw that Carly had laid her head on Spencer's shoulder. She had a content look on her closed eyes and a very small smile. At least I could be sure that they were helping each other.