Challenge: Jay reflexively hugs anything that gets near him while he's asleep.
Nya stood in the door way and watched five boys all sitting in a circle talking too loud for the time of night. She tossed the pillow she was holding at the huddle of boys, a collective of groans followed—Kai was especially load. She stood hand on her hip, wearing light blue stripped pj bottoms and a baby pink spaghetti strap tank top and black bobbed hair that fell messily into her face.
"Hey! No girls allowed! Did you not see the sign?" Cole, the only one of the five boys brave enough and tall enough to stand up to her, glared—mimicking her stance. "Well I wanna join. You can't tell me no just 'cas I'm a girl!" From the other side of the room and the middle of the pile of kids, Jay stuck his tongue out and bravely corrected, "Well you are a girl! Ya know?" She glared and he ducked his head—his face flushing.
Kai got up from the floor and stalked over, "Nini—You can't be at a boys sleep over!" She pouted, "But Lloyd's a baby and he gets to be here!" He gave her a look that said it all. "Lloyd is a boy." She pulled her face into the one that let her get away with anything and begged, "Please! I'll go away when you go to sleep! Please!" Cole—behind her turned uncharacteristically pink.
He towered over everybody and running around and daring Zane to pushups and his dad's dance lessons had made him a strong fifteen year old, but under his scowl was a small crush on her. Zane a blonde boy a whole three months younger got up and it seemed like before the argument was through everybody was gonna be standing! "Why don't you let her Kai? She can go away before bed."
A vain was getting ready to pop in Kai's temple. Obviously he didn't want to share his friends. He was a whole year younger the Zane and Cole but older then Jay and their little gang was above baby sisters. Even if the baby sister was a flat chested tomboy, who wouldn't leave them alone.
Jay laughed, "Like we go to sleep!" Kai rolled his eyes but shrugged. Nya punched the air and embraced her big brother, her ribs poking him. She scrambled to lug her pile of pillows and two covers over to the spot the circle had been seconds before. This—her having already decided she would get her way—only added to his annoyance. Lloyd, about eight was almost as excited as she was. Not many times did he get to join the older boys.
They goofed off for a while and then had a coke chugging contest, then a best burping one after that.
Jay even after all his bragging was the first to fall asleep, his snores were loud and Nya and Cole practically enemies, bonded over miming plugging their ears.
The first sign of trouble was when Jay's right arm flopped on the floor and he mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like neena, or neeha, his mouth opened and his eye lids twitched. He rolled onto his side and attacked the nearest pillow—giving it a monster hug—and squeezing it to death.
Kai smirked and prodded his younger friend in the back with his foot. Jay rolled toward him and reached with blind luck for where Kai's foot had been. But Kai was quick enough to scoot out of the way and poor Cole's arm was caught in Jay's grip.
Jay's eyes were closed and his breath was soft. Cole struggled but managed to pull his arm away by planting a hand on the side of Jay's face and pushing. Jay whined and turned over a few more times and murmured something again.
They all inched away from him. Cole shivered for show and shook his arm out. They all laughed until Jay latched on to Kai's leg. Kai was not happy. He grumbled. A lot. And when sleeping Jay was not alerted, tried to ply him off but the younger boy had an incredible grip even in sleep. Kai kicked out with a socked foot but all that happened was Jay's breath caught for a second.
Zane and Nya picked up their "beds" and deposited them at the other end of the room, creating a nest of bedding and pillows. Kai called to them in irritation, "Oh really?! Your leaving me with," He poked his captor rather hard, "him?" They laughed and Nya saw Zane in a new light, he wasn't really a stick in the mud!
Lloyd joined them after another two minutes of Kai struggling and finally Cole tried to help pry Jay off. But neither of them could do it! He just kept mumbling and hugged Kai's leg harder.
"Jay! Jay! Let go!" Kai smacked him with his free hand. The trio on the nest of blankets died laughing and finally the cause was given up. A game of cards was started and Lloyd won, beginners luck. They played three more games and made too much noise. At about 3:30 Jay detached himself and rolled over again and Kai was so relieved to have his personal space back he didn't fuse too much.
In the morning Jay woke to an empty room. Nya had never left and about 6:13 the group deemed it late enough to turn the tv on in the living room. Jay groggily stumbled in to see them all asleep, sprawled around the room. He shrugged and helped himself to the fridge completely unaware on the night before.