Rewrite the Stars (bxb)

Chapter 3 Exploring

When I wake up, I immediately flip over and tug the comforter over my head. The sun is so fucking bright. Wait, the sun.

I throw the comforter off and look out the window again. Then I look at the clock. 11AM.

No wonder it's so bright outside. I also missed breakfast.

I shrug it off and reach underneath my pillow for my ipod. But my heart skips a beat when I come up empty. I sit up and throw everything off of the bed. But it's not there. I think. I had it at dinner last night but then—

The relief floods through me when I see it sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. I grab it and put it under my pillow. Then I read the note on the nightstand.

Peter went to school, Orion went into the office today, Jax and Sam went to the mall, and Lincoln and I are going to the library. We'll all be back around oneish. Heavy on the ish.

We didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful, but I did leave some breakfast on the stove for you.

Love, Dev

Oh.

I guess I have the house to myself. I climb out of bed and trudge downstairs. It's quiet when everyone isn't here. I see the french toast on the stove, grab a plate, and sit at the table. I slowly eat as I look around the kitchen. The situation I'm in finally starts to sink in and tears well up in my eyes, but I shove them down. I don't want to think about this right now. I don't want to be here right now.

I throw the last bit of food in the trash and put the plate in the sink. I walk around, going from room to room, to figure out where everything is. This house is a lot bigger than anything I've ever stayed in. There's hardwood floors in all the downstairs rooms and stairs with carpet everywhere upstairs.

I walk from the kitchen to the dining room, wrap around the foyer (with a bigass chandelier), go through the living room, to the den, and then back to the kitchen. It's just a big loop with the stairs in the middle to go upstairs.

But then I spot a door in the kitchen. I go over and open it, not expecting to see more stairs leading down. I creak down the carpeted stairs and emerge into a colder room with a sofa and huge flat screen tv. They even have a basement. That's amazing. In all the houses I've lived in, we only had a basement one time, and I loved it. It may be weird, but I spent an entire week in the basement one time.

I go back up the stairs to the kitchen, closing the door gently behind me, and see another hidden door across the room. I open the door and see yet another set of stairs. These, though, lead up. I walk up those as well and come into a big, almost empty room. Games stack up one of the walls with an air hockey thing in the middle. There's an area of blankets and beanbags and even a little kitchen area in the back corner.

This house has everything. How rich is Orion?

I go over and lay down on the beanbag, but when I tilt my head back, I see a bookshelf. I immediately get up and go over. I scan the titles, looking for anything interesting, when I hear a doorbell ringing. I look back down the stairs and realize that I'm the only one here. I'm going to have to get the door.

My heart pounds as I walk back down the stairs to the kitchen and then through the den to get to the front door. I see the shadow of someone behind the door, and I flinch when they start banging on the door.

"Blythe? Are you there?"

My heart calms down a bit but not enough to be calm. I open the door to see Dev and Lincoln standing there, each holding a stack of books in their arms.

Dev lights up when he sees me. "Hey, Blythe. Glad to see you up."

I step back as he and Lincoln come inside. Then I close the door.