"Mm... I want a little more—"
Rhea moaned in her sleep. Unknown to her, she was being watched as she slept. Laura scrunched her face in her bid to hide her laugh. Daniel racked his brain, he thought of possible ridiculous ways to wake his sleeping sister who refused to get up yet.
He looked around the room and his eyes fell on Rhea's feathery muffler. He smirked evilly, a thought just crossed his mind. He plucked one of the woolen feathers and walked cautiously to his still sleeping sister.
"What are you going to do?" Laura mouthed to his son.
"Just watch me mum" Daniel also mouthed a response. He used the feather to tickle his sisters cheek continuously.
Rhea who was still wallowing in her dreamy realms felt a little but annoying fly perch on her face. She swat it off but this annoying sneaky fly won't stop. It now started roaming around her face, perching on her eye lid, forehead, nose bridge and everywhere. It was damn so annoying.
Rhea in her anger smacked her own face very hard and woke up with a start. Daniel and her mother burst into laughter. Daniel sat in the floor, he held his stomach from laughing so hard.
"What is so funny to you guys!" Rhea snapped. She still could not fathom what was so funny to her mother and brother.
"You need to see your own face. Pig head" Daniel answered amidst laughing.
"Daniel, do not insult your dearest sister" Laura chided. "Rhea, I think you should sleep less and look at yourself in the mirror. And don't forget to clean up, we will be waiting for you downstairs". Laura said before walking out of the room and pushing Daniel out along with her.
Rhea frowned after the two disturbance left her room. She was so sure a fly was taking a tour on her face. She pushed her body out of bed and a white feather fell on her foot. Could it be that there was no actual fly—
"Daniel!" She said with gritted teeth. That little demon. 'Just wait till I get my hands on you!' She thought.
She walked into the bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror. She peered at her face, it was red from an obvious smack and there was even finger marks that was hers. She groaned. In an attempt to swat off the 'annoying fly', she had hurt her beautiful face.
She then took her bath. Feeling refreshed and alive, she returned to her room and got dressed in casuals. She tugged at her tight jean in an attempt to pull it up to her waist but it looks like she had added weight this past days and it took her forever to finally drag the trouser up. She let out a sigh.
Just then, her phone rang. She picked it from her study desk and saw that it was Claire calling. She picked up Immediately.
"Hey, best friend" Rhea said. Her mood automatically rose to a brighter shade.
"Hi" was the response from Claire. 'Weird', Rhea thought.
"What's up babe" Rhea voiced. She tried to ignore Claire's weird and cold response to her.
"Em.. are you busy today? Well I mean can you come over to my place today? It is not necessary though.. it's just— well, nevermind" Claire muttered.
"Wait, wait, wait! What are you saying silly, how can I be too busy for my best friend. Sure, I will get to your apartment in no time" Rhea assured. She had a feeling that something was up with her best friend.
"Ah... thank you" Claire said and ended the call.
'Double weird', Rhea thought. She shrugged not knowing exactly what to think. She texted Carter immediately.
'Busy?'
'Nope' the response came as soon as the message was received.
'Come pick me up, we need to go to Claire's place' she texted.
'okay' Carter texted back.
With that, Rhea walked out of her room and headed downstairs.
"Took you so long to get rid of your red face" Daniel voiced as soon as his sister emerged down the stairs.
"You just wait till I get you" Rhea said with lack of interest. "Mum" She acknowledged.
"My dear daughter, don't mind this naughty little brother of yours okay" Laura said.
"Sure, it's not like I have the pleasure of having his time at all" Rhea answered. She picked a piece of sugar sprinkled wafers from a plate and munched it. Her eyes brightened at the sweet taste. She ate more earning a sincere smile from her mother who was watching.
"I remembered when you were little, you used to prefer your wafers with honey not sugar" Laura noted.
"That was then, things have changed. A lot" Rhea answered. Her mother opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of horning.
"Ah.. I forgot to tell you, Carter and I are visiting Claire today" Rhea said as she stood up from her seat.
"Oh, I hope she is very well?" Laura asked.
"Yes, I believe so" Rhea answered.
"Alright then, my regards to her. Hurry up, Carter is waiting for you" Laura said and Rhea nodded before walking out of the door.
She entered the car and Carter drove.
"I was quite surprised when you texted earlier" Carter said.
"I know right, Claire just called this morning and asked if I could come over to her place. I don't know why but she sounded a bit weird and off". Rhea voiced as she leaned into the chair placing her head on the headrest.
"That is... I don't know, it is a good thing you asked me to go with you then. If there really is anything with her, we could help her together". Carter opined.
"Yeah" Rhea murmured.
After a while of driving, the car stopped in front of Claire's apartment. The two got out of the car and entered the apartment. They met with scene of Claire placing dishes on the table.
"Now, this is really weird" Rhea whispered to Carter.
"Why did you say that?" Carter whispered back with a raised brow.
"She never cooks! Well, only if she is nervous or bothered about something" Really whispered a reply quickly.
"Oh..."— 'that is really weird' Carter thought.
"You are here... even you Carter" Claire said noticing them. She stood near the table with her hands clamped together. A forced smile was planted on her face.
"Yeah, we are. So what is the ceremony?" Rhea asked motioning to the table of dishes.
"Ah.. this? Well, I just— ain't you hungry, come and sit let's eat first" Claire replied. She obviously left Rhea's question unanswered.
Although Rhea and Carter sat down, they still looked at Claire sceptically. Carter was about to pick a plate when Claire jumped up and started serving the two. This is unbelievable!.
"Is something wrong with you?" Rhea who could not bear it any more asked.
"What! No" Claire said in a overly loud voice, Rhea flinched dropping her cutlery while Carter sat back. "Sorry" she said in a small voice.
"What is it, tell us" Rhea calmly said. Claire shrank back in her seat and hesitated.
"You can talk to us" Carter assured. Deep down, his heart broke seeing Claire this way and he could not fathom the reason he felt that way. Probably because they have been friends. He successfully covered up his emotions.
"My— my dad, his verdict is on Friday" Claire said in a very small voice but was audible to Rhea and Claire.
Carter raised a brow. He was ignorant and did not understand what Claire meant.
"Her dad is in jail" Rhea explained. Carter cast a side glance at Claire who avoided his look. He frowned but did not say anything.
"But the fuck, that's two days to Christmas!" Rhea voiced, she looked at her best friend with care.
"But don't worry, we are here for you. You have always been strong, so do not let this put you down" Rhea said.
"I am just—"
"Shhh...!" Rhea shut her up. She looked up to Carter and nodded at him to say something.
"Claire, there is nothing to be worried about. The two of us will be here with you" Carter assured her.
"Now, let us eat this food before it gets cold. I have a hunch that it tastes very bad" Rhea said.
"Hey! I cook better than you" Claire yelled and Rhea laughed. She was glad her friend was better, at least for now.
"Did you really cook this yourself, tastes really nice" Carter complimented.
"See, someone with a reasonable taste bud knows a good food when they eat one" Claire said to Rhea who rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, but the food is very good. How did you make it?" Rhea asked.
"Mm... just a few recipes I searched online" Claire answered.
"Really, you made it so well" Rhea praised.
"See, I told you" Claire said and Rhea rolled her eyes in amusement.
The three of them ate the food and found it tasty and not very bad. They chatted for a while before Rhea and Carter left the house. They decided to meet up at the court to cheer Claire up.