Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Chapter Ten: The Nerd's Story

SIGHING, ROSE PUT ON AN APRON AND ran towards the kitchen, only to trip on something and fall on her face. As she got up to her feet, she heard a familiar chuckle.

She turned around to see Kai laughing, an amused expression plastered on his face. "What?" Rose asked defensively, rolling her eyes. Kai still had that silly grin stuck on his face as he drawled, "Hugging the ground, huh? Didn't think you were that lonely."

Ignoring his comment, Rose went into the kitchen and washed her hands. She had specifically set an alarm to wake up early so that no one could bother her when she cooked.

Her decision to stay awake and complete one chapter which lead to reading ten more of them had clearly been a very bad one, as it is her turn to cook today, and she overslept. Mad hungry zombies would soon murder Rose if she couldn't make breakfast on time.

"How long were you awake?" Rose asked Kai, who was dragging a chair behind him. He looked up, his grey eyes focusing on her. "Came down because I was thirsty, but my guitar was lonely. So I decided to give it some company by playing something. Just like the floor was giving you some company because you were lonely. Why?" He fell heavily onto the chair, gently hugging his guitar.

"Shay wasn't in the room when I woke up. So I wanted to ask if you saw her or something. Leo isn't outside, so I think she took him out on a walk." Rose said as she chopped some vegetables.

"Oh really? Will wasn't in his room too," Kai said with a sly grin and raised his eyebrows. "Do you think Shailene Isabella Anderson is one more step closer to becoming Shailene Isabella Anderson Harrington?"

Rose snorted, "That will happen for sure, but knowing those two it's gonna take years."

"Sad, I know."

"What's sad?" Will emerged from the back door, Leo from behind him. Rose's eyes widened as she searched for answers, but Kai casually said, "Oh, Miss-I-will-read-another-chapter-and-end-up-sleeping-late- Herriot here has to fasten her cooking speed or people will kill her. Her death would be a tragedy," He said, shaking his head which made his pale blond hair fall into his eyes.

Will hummed absent-mindedly in response as he let Leo in and shut the door, locking it. Rose and Kai exchanged a glance before looking at Will, puzzled. "Where's Shay?" They asked simultaneously.

Creeped out by the sudden and simultaneous question, Will shrugged. "Sleeping."

"So, you are telling me that she didn't go out with you? She isn't in her room!" Rose exclaimed, suddenly scared.

"Calm down, she's sleeping in her parents' room."

Kai looked up and sat upright, alarmed. "Her parents' room? But she hasn't been in it for two years. Did she have a-" He asked quietly, stopping his question when Will nodded.

"Oh, Shay," Rose shook her head. Then she looked at Will, whose eyes were tired and had dark circles, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Will asked and ran upstairs, avoiding her question. "I'm fine!" He shouted as he went inside his room.

Kai and Rose looked at each other before sighing and returning to what they were doing. Time passed by as Rose cooked, and soon everyone was awake and threatening to either make food quickly or they would make a meal out of her.

Shay laughed weakly, sitting on the granite countertop beside Rose. Everyone was looking worriedly at Shay, who sensed the weight of the gazes on her and smiled weakly. Then they looked at Will with the same concerned look, who shook his head and rolled his eyes.