Early in the morning a bit before 6 o'clock, I awoke stepping quietly out of the room to not wake Taylor. I never got up this early especially if I didn't have to. Practically half asleep, I trudged to the living room/kitchen. I was too fresh from my sleep to think about food, so I just plopped onto the couch trying to keep my heavy eyelids open. I curled up with my head on the arm of the couch leaving one cushion free. Fighting to stay awake, I lost the battle.
I woke up, assuming it was not too long after and sat up on the couch. I felt a bit more hunger, not any less exhausted so I stepped past the border where the living room met the kitchen. Still disoriented and distraught, I yawned closing my eyes.
"Ash, maybe you should go back to bed..." Ryan said simply from behind the fridge door. I jumped when he spoke, clearly surprised that I was not the only one up this early.
"One of these days you're going to give me a heart attack." I said frowning. I grabbed a bagel and dropped it into the toaster, leaning on the counter in an uncomfortable silence. The toaster popped making me jump with a small gasp.
Ryan leaned on the counter opposite me and held a bowl of cereal, which he pushed around in the milk with his spoon. "Didn't sleep last night?" he inquired casually glancing up from his bowl.
I shrugged adding cream cheese to my bagel, I guess not." I replied rather flatly with yet another yawn. Ryan nodded setting his bowl in the sink. I walked out to the couch and set my bagel plate on the end table.
A long pause and a sigh passed in the silence and Ryan came up behind me. "Ash, go back to bed." He suggested gripping my shoulders. I felt myself relax beneath his hands, but tensed up remembering what I was going to tell him. Jack... But I figured a little procrastination wouldn't hurt, right?
"Yeah, I think I will,"I said distractedly moving his hands. Then, spotting my half-eaten bagel I reached for the plate with an exasperated sigh.
"I'll get it. You go to bed." Ryan said snatching the plate from off the table before I could. I shook my head at him and headed down the hallway, feeling sort of cowardly.
As I entered our room, Taylor practically jumped on me, "Did you talk to him?"she asked suspiciously.
"There's nothing to talk about," I said stubbornly, crossing my arms just as well.
"Do I have to do it for you?"
"Be my guest," I joked rolling my eyes and heading for the desired bed. She got up her own bed and went for the door walking out. I smacked my forehead and collapsed on my bed, too tired to bother with Taylor's nosiness. After a moment of wallowing, I stood up and cracked the door open to listen. My curiosity had gotten the best of me.
With Taylor and Ryan
"Eat something this morning?" Taylor asked with a bounce in her step and a suspiciously sweet smile on her face. 'Wow, she isn't very good at being nonchalant.'
"Yep, Fruit Loops," Ryan replied indifferently, obviously clueless to her strange way of hinting.
Taylor rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh. She opened the fridge, "Ha! Found my breakfast."
Ryan looked at what Taylor had pulled out of the back of the shelf. "Put that back, yogurt isn't breakfast," he said shaking his head.
"Sure it is! There's fruit, dairy...Sounds good to me," she said with a shrug opening the foil top.
"My Fruit Loops have fruit and dairy too." Ryan said smirking with a small laugh at his joke.
Taylor rolled her eyes looking at Ryan like he was crazy, "And a massive amount of sugar," she retorted nodding her head at her own fact with a bite of her yogurt.
Ryan chuckled a little and Taylor looked at him intently before going back to her yogurt.
Ashley
At this point, I gave up on listening, so I did go back to sleep like I had intended. I laid down in my bed and turned from side to side before settling in. I nuzzled the pillow and easily drifted off the sleep.
Taylor and Ryan
"Did Ashley finally go back to bed?" Ryan asked. Taylor smiled and nodded looking down the hall.
Ryan nodded as well, "Good, she needed some more sleep..." his voice trailed off. Taylor narrowed her eyes with suspicion. "What?" Ryan asked innocently.
"You are jealous," she stated with a satisfied smirk on her face.
"What? I am not! Jealous? Why would I be jealous? Jealous of what?" Ryan stammered defensively. Taylor laughed quietly to herself.
Ryan crossed his arms looking away from Taylor. "She can do whatever she wants..." Ryan broke the silence in a stubborn tone of voice.
Taylor jumped up and down, "Ha!" she exclaimed. "You admit it. You know what I was talking about!" She took a bite of her yogurt smiling widely.
Ryan sighed, defeated and strode out of the 'kitchen'. He headed down the hallway where Taylor watched him from her spot. She put her yogurt container on the counter and stepped behind Ryan. He poked his head in Taylor and Ashley's room. Ashley was sprawled out on her bed deep in sleep already. He chuckled quietly at the sight.
Taylor smiled, "You are so made for each other!" she squealed making Ryan jump a little as she made her presence clear. Ryan looked away and closed the door with a solemn look on his face.
Taylor sighed and leaned against the wall. "How do you know she's not trying to make you jealous..?" Ryan just shook his head hopelessly.
Taylor rolled her eyes, "Girls do stupid things... For a guy," she said simply heading back to her yogurt that was calling her name. Ryan stared at the wall where Taylor was standing. A moment later, he followed Taylor's path hoping for some sort of explanation to her comment.
Ashley
Hearing a few voices outside the door, I started to slowly stir. Yawning, I got up and opened the door with an accidental 'bang'. I cringed at the loud noise.
Taylor and Ryan
Ryan turned toward the sound of the door, quickly looking back away. As Ashley slowly came down the hallway, he looked at Taylor who was standing next to him. Rashly deciding on the last second in his mind, he pulled Taylor to him, kissing her.
Ashley
I looked up from my shuffling feet only to see an embrace between Ryan and Taylor. I opened my mouth to say something, and turned around heading to the bathroom. 'Maybe, they didn't see me and I can just pretend I wasn't here... Or wasn't seen.'
Taylor and Ryan
Taylor pushed Ryan away and cringed a little. Looking over his shoulder she spotted Ashley running off. "Ryan, what in the world?" she scoffed. "Apparently, guys do even stupider things..." she muttered.
Ashley
"Ashley, hun... Come on out I really can explain... Well, not really, but I just would rather not talk to you through the door." Taylor pleaded as she knocked lightly on the door.
I rolled my eyes which were now welling up with tears. 'Now I'm crying over him?' I angrily wiped the tears away. "Go away Taylor!" I said in as sharp a tone as I could muster and sat on the floor with my back against the door.
Silence.
Success.
I sniffled and grabbed a roll of toilet paper, my temporary tissues. 'Smart Ashley... What a fun place to lock yourself up.' I pulled my feet closer toward me, my knees bent. I laid my head on my knees and bit my lip as another confusing tear rolled down my cheek.