Chereads / The Writer and the Artist / Chapter 5 - "Did you just name the pan Karla?"

Chapter 5 - "Did you just name the pan Karla?"

~April

We had gotten to his condo about ten minutes ago and here Austin was, sitting on the floor with a bottle of Vodka tightly in his grip. I roll my eyes as he bursts out laughing at the TV that was surely blank.

Trust me, I checked.

I lick my lips as I pull out the carton of milk, pouring it into a cup. I chug it down and wipe my upper lip, bending down to help him up.

"Come on big guy, let's get you to bed," I say as he stands up. I walk up the stairs cautiously, tapping his face now and then to wake him up.

I get him successfully to his room and let him lay on the bed, pulling off his shoes, and tucking him carefully into the bed.

"Such a drama queen," I mutter under my breath and he smiles. I turn to leave but he latches onto my wrist, pulling me back roughly making me land on him.

Now, you'll think I stared into his eyes as he stared into mine, leaning in while he grips my waist in his large hands, fingers grazing my skin that serves shivers up my spine.

Well if you thought that, you're sooooo wrong.

In the real world, stuff like that rarely ever happens.

Either the guy gets slapped right in the face, or the girl lands on a wrong spot, for the guys, if you know what I mean.

Well, in my case...

I hit my head against the headboard.

•°•°•°•°•|•°•°•°•°•

I wake up with a throbbing in my head, it almost feels like I fell from a skyscraper,d only my head got hurt, which is impossible but don't expect me to think straight in the morning.

A groan escapes my lips and I turn and open my eyes, which was a big mistake since I came face to face with something you'll never think of.

Austin's pink bunny slippers.

My eyes widen and I jump up and hit my head again, on the same spot at the edge of the bed.

My hand flies to my forehead and I cradle it, biting my lip to stop the cry that is forcing itself through my clogged throat.

As I stand up, I realize that Austin is no longer in his bed, so I walk out of his room, still holding my head.

I trudge down the stairs, blinking to clear the sleep from my eyes. I hear shuffling in the kitchen and immediately walk there, feeling like my mouth had gone on a trip to the Sahara desert, I quicken my steps.

Austin had a loose white shirt on, grey sweatpants, and his feet were with slippers, white ones.

I walk into the kitchen and grab a glass, filling it with water.

"Morning sunshine!" Austin cheers and I look at him weirdly.

He's supposed to have a wicked headache.

I gulp down the water and put down the glass, watching as he quietly munches on a bowl of popcorn.

"You're supposed to have a hangover," I tell him while I sit on the counter, holding my head like it's a valuable treasure.

"I don't have hangovers." He smiles cheekily and I groan, cursing under my breath.

"I feel like the one that drank yesterday, thanks to you!" I accuse and he gasps.

"What'd I do?"

"Oh, I don't know, pulled me into your bed and made me hit my head against the headboard," I grumble and he laughs. I reach out to smack his head but he dodges and grabs my arm, smirking like a fish.

"Wipe that grin off your face or else I'd have to do it with my fist."

He rolls his eyes and releases me, paying his attention to his bowl of popcorn.

"Are you supposed to be eating that in the morning? Is it even healthy?" I ask and he makes a face.

"Pfft' nonsense, I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, if Kai couldn't stop me, then can you?" He boasts and throws another handful of popcorn in his mouth.

"But wouldn't you get hungry, I mean, popcorn isn't food, it's just, I-feel-like-chewing-something-right-now kind of snack," I say and he blinks.

"Then I'll just order pizza or something." He answers and goes back to eating.

"How are you not fat?" I question as I gulp down another glass of water while massaging my temples and forehead.

"I don't know, something called workout?" He says sarcastically.

"You're gonna die of cardiac arrest or something," I mutter and he throws popcorn at me.

I scowl at him as I bring out a pan.

"Alright, Karla, ready to whack some sense into Austin's soon to be disfigured head?" I ask as I twirl the pan in my hand.

"Did you just name the pan Karla?" He asks as he raises a brow, blinking furiously.

"Do you want your head to look like a signboard?" I ask and he clamps his mouth shut.

"Now drop the bowl and help me cook," I say and he pouts making me raise the pan. He immediately drops the bowl and stands up, dusting his pants.

"What are you making?" He asks.

I turn back and give him a wicked smile.

"You'll see."

•°•°•|•°•°•

We have a situation.

A very serious one.

Austin was being handled by the twins. Temi had her shin around his neck while tugging his arm over her thigh, Lola had him in an ankle lock, and I, well they thought I was tied down but when they found out I wasn't, they tied me down to 'set the scene'.

Austin's grunts echo through the kitchen as his red face starts losing its color.

Now, how did it get to that you may ask?

After I'd had breakfast with Austin, he was cleaning and I sat on the counter when the doors burst open and Temi and Lola jumped in and attacked him, and when I tried to stop them, they tied me to the chair while punching Austin who they assumed was the kidnapper.

"Guys, stop it! I sent you a text last night saying I won't be home until today." I shout at them and they pause, even Austin stops groaning to look at me.

When they release him and grab their phones, checking for my text, Austin hunches over, coughing and rubbing his neck.

"Oh." They say together as they read the message making me roll my eyes.

"Yes, oh. Now can you get me out of here, I can't believe you guys did this." I say as Lola starts losing the cord she used to tie me up.

"Sorry, we just- you're the third good girl after Lola and May, and I didn't find you home and instinct kicked in and I got Trevor to track your phone and we traced it here, I'm sorry," Temi says as she gives Luke a glass of water.

He accepts it and chugs it down, sighing before asking.

"What was that for?"

Lola removes the cord and I stand up, walking over to whack Temi upside her head.

She groans and pouts her lips, walking to a corner.

"They thought you kidnapped me and so they bombarded you with their useless ninja skills," I tell him as he stands up.

"Who're they?" He asks, and I bite my lip.

"The one I whacked is Temilola and the other one is Damilola," I say and he nods.

"Hey, why didn't Lola get whacked?" Temi asks, rubbing the back of her head.

"Because she's adorable and probably the only good child I'll ever have," I say and Austin laughs.

"You guys are her roommates right?" He asks and they nod, Lola, assessing the kitchen. 

"Cool, so, you love this fat frog here so much that you tried to kill me?" He asks and they shrug, muttering a 'pretty much' and I smack his shoulder.

"You need to talk to my bestie, I could literally get shipped off to Japan and she'll only call to tell the people that received me to give me popcorn for breakfast, the level of disrespect that girl has." He says and Lola smiles, shaking her head.

"Yeah, now that you know us, who the hell are you?" Temi asks, stepping forward. Austin gulps and looks at me but Temi turns his head to face her, staring at him with a wicked glint in her eyes.

"I'm Austin Henderson, but you can call me Luke." He says and she raises a brow and Lola's mouth drops.

"Oh my gosh, like the author of 'The stars in our sun'?" She asks and he nods.

"Woah, April, you didn't tell me he was such a hottie." She whispers in my ear and I elbow her.

She groans and glares at me, clutching her side.

"So, what happened between both of you last night?" Temi asks, getting comfortable on the counter. "Oh, um she helped me sleep." He says and my eyes go wide.

"No, no, you got drunk and passed out and made me hit my head against the headboard," I say and he sighs.

"You're never gonna let me live that down are you?" He asks and I scoff.

"Never."

I look around and notice Temi clutching Lola and wiping away fake tears, muttering something under her breath to which Lola smiles and whispers back.

I narrow my eyes on them as I stomp over, grabbing their arms, and shoving them into the living room.

"Alright guys, I think it's time we leave, let Austin breathe after the near-death experience he just had," I say and push them to the front door.

"Alright, have fun Luke," Temi calls and I hear Luke mutter something under his breath.

My phone starts ringing and I pull it out of my pocket, checking the caller ID.

A smile graces my face as I press the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Macy." I chirp and I hear her giggling into the phone.

"Hello, Baby April, what's up?" She asks and I roll my eyes.

"You're the one who called, and you're asking me, you'll never change, or maybe you have enough phone bill. How's life being married to Adam?" I ask and I hear her giggle again.

"Well, he's okay." She says and I hear Adam gasp in the background.

The small kiss they'd shared five years ago transformed into a full-time relationship.

They got married!

I told Macy that she'd get more than a tiny kiss from the heat of the moment, and I guess I was right.

"Oh please, you're acting like I won't be the godmother to fifteen children because Adam couldn't keep to himself," I reply snarkily and I hear her gasp, then giggle and snort.

"Tell your best friend that I am nothing like 'okay' I am huge, really-" I hear Adam say in the background and I cut him off.

"Adam, I don't need to know the size of whatever anatomy you're talking about," I say and he laughs.

"So, why'd you call?" I ask and she gasps.

"So now it's a crime to call your bestie?" She asks and starts her dramatic crying.

"Yes, when it comes to you and Adam, yes it is a crime."

"Whatever, I just called to check up on you, we're coming over next week, Adam decided he wanted fresh air that's not in Canada." She says and I laugh.

"Kay, I'll talk later, gotta drive," I say as I open the door of the car.

"Yep, Adam, stop it!" She yells before the line goes dead. I shake my head and tuck my phone back into my pocket as I climb into the driver's seat.

"Buckle up people, you're going for a long drive," I say and Temi rolls her eyes.

"We're just going home you fool."

•°•°•|•°•°•

I tumble down the stairs, hitting my head against the steps and walls, the sound of me crashing onto the floor, leaving a dent in my skull. Warm liquid seeps out of my head and skin, the bruises stung, my arms lay dead beside me as my legs twitched. I could hear the maniacal laughter from up the stairs, staring down at me. I hear footsteps running down the stairs, a knife comes into view, the person drops down close to me, playing the knife around my eye before dig-

"April!" I hear one of the twins yell and I roll my eyes, groaning to myself as I drop the book beside me.

I walk into the living room and see Temi sitting on the couch, staring at the TV. "Yes, what is it you want?" I ask and she smiles at me sheepishly.

"Can you pass the remote?" She points to the table beside her just out of reach.

I grab a pencil from the table and throw it at her head. She yelps and glares at me and I smirk.

"Where's Lola?" I ask as I plop down on the couch beside her.

"She went out with Dele, I guess she's helping him with something." She says and looks at the TV.

"Do you think she'll be able to go to the basketball game herself?" I ask and she looks at me, biting her lip.

"She has to, I'm not going to be around forever, she should be able to defend herself, yes I get that her being color blind and all the bullying has made her lose confidence in herself but look at me, my left eye is blind but I don't go around being all sad because if it. She's my twin sister and she needs to be strong for herself."

I nod and smile at her to which she rolls her eyes, snacking me as she remembered I haven't given her the remote.

"I hate you stupid frog." She says and I laugh.

"Love you too babe."