I've been awake for hours: and I mean hours.

Just lying in bed, tossing and turning. Staring up at the ceiling hoping sleep would come.

It doesn't though.

I grab my phone off my nightstand and my screen comes to light. The time says six-fifty am.

Sighing, I unlock my phone and go to Snapchat. I see a video of my friends back at home, at a party, on Alaysiah's story.

They're jumping up and down to the music, screaming the lyrics.  That makes me smile a little.  
I really miss them so much.

I look some more stories until I get bored, and then I play some games on my phone.

********
I get up at eight and use the bathroom. Then I head downstairs to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, I turn on the coffee maker and grab a mug. I pour some water in the coffee maker and I put a k-cup in it. Then I place my mug under it and let it brew.

After five minutes, my coffee is done. I put some cream in it and stir it. I make sure the machine is off before heading back upstairs.

I enter my room and sit my mug down. I sit up in my bed and turn on my tv.  After it comes on, I go to Netflix and watch some Outer Banks while sipping on my coffee.

********
An hour later, I'm still in bed watching Netflix.

"Hey," my brother says groggily, walking into my room.

"Hey."

He walks over to my bed and comes sits right beside me.

"I just woke up."

"I can tell." I chuckle.

"Did you sleep last night?"

"Nope."

"Has this been happening recently?"

"No, I usually sleep just fine." I lied.

"Well if it happens again tell me okay?"

"Ok I will."

He doesn't say anything else after that and neither do I. We just lay in my bed watching tv.

******
Later on in the afternoon, I finally get out the house.

I get in my car and head to Starbucks.  I didn't feel like dressing up so I just put on a crop top and shorts with my Nike Airs. I put my hair in a messy ponytail and stuck a baseball cap on.

I arrive at Starbucks in like ten minutes and find a parking space. I park and get out the car, grabbing my purse. Then I lock the doors and walk inside.

The smell of coffee and pastries hit me as
soon as I walked in. I really love this place.

There's people sitting down and some are just standing up, waiting for their order.

I get in the line and there's like four people ahead of me but it goes pretty fast.

Soon I'm up next and the female cashier says, "Hi, what would you like?" She asks.

"Carmel ribbon crunch Frappuccino."

"What size?"

"Medium."

"Okay, will that be all?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Your total is $4.95."

I reach into my purse and take out my wallet. I grab my debt card and swipe it on the machine. My payment completes and the cashier gives me a recipe.

I look around for a table to sit at. I find one and  go sit down.  I pull out my phone and just wait for my order to be called.

They call it like ten minutes later and I go up to the counter and grab it.  I tell the barista thank you and head out the door.

Taking a sip of my drink, I sigh in content.
Ain't nothing like that first sip.

I unlock my car and get in. I push the button, then pull out the parking lot and head back home.

When I get home, I pull up in the garage and press the button for off. Grabbing my purse and cup, I get out of the car.

I open up the door and walk through the kitchen. I hear the tv on, so I go the living room.

My brother is sitting on the couch, watching a movie.

"I'm back."

"Hey. You didn't bring me anything back?" He looks at the one cup in my hand.

"I mean you didn't ask so.." I shrug.

He rolls his eyes at me. "My typical sister. Always thinking about herself."

I scoff at him. "That's a lie."

"You sure?" Raising his eyebrows.

"Yes I'm sure. I'm very sure."

He gives a small chuckle. "Whatever you say."

"Whatever you say." I mock.

I go upstairs to my room and put my down on my dresser. I sit my cup down and FaceTime the group chat.

The first one that answers is Alaysiah.

"Hey girl." She smiles in the screen.

"Heyy, wassup."

"Girl babysitting my little brother."

"Tell him I said hi."

"LIYAH SAID HI RHYS." She yells.

I can't hear if he said anything or not.

"He said hi."

Suddenly  Kalijah joins the call.

"Hey bitches wassup."

"Hey Kali."

"Hey girl. I've missed you so much."

"Me too girl. I miss both of y'all."

"Yea it's not the same without you."

"I agree."

Where's Jake?"

"I don't know. He should be on here."

"He's probably busy or something."

"Oh he is definitely not busy. We literally just texted like ten minutes ago and he said he was playing video games."

"Wow. So that's why he didn't answer."

Kalijah shakes her head. "Boys and their video games."

"Girl my brother is the same way. He's down in the living room doing the exact same thing."

"Why am I not surprised."

"Guys I rung Jake like three times and he did not answer."

"Girl just give up. He's not gonna answer."

"Yeah he's not."

All of a sudden a someone joins the call and Jake's face pops up.

"Well well well. Look who it is."

"Sorry guys. I didn't know y'all had called."

"We know. You were busy playing video games."

He chuckles lightly. "Yeah I was."

"Well we are all here now and I'm so glad to see your faces. I miss y'all so much."

"We miss you too Liyah."

"Cali still treating you well?"

"Yeah it is."

"That's good."

"How's things back there?"

"The same old, same old."

"I got a cat," Jake exclaims.

"I thought you hated cats?"

"Yeah I did but when I went to the animal shelter last week, I saw this adorable cat and we bonded immediately."

"Wow, I'm shocked."

"Yeah I didn't believe him at first either but the cat is really adorable." Alaysiah tells me.

"Is it a female or male?"

"Female."

"Awww. What's her name?"

"Kit-Kat," he says proudly.

I immediately burst out laughing.

"Kit Kat? You named her Kit-Kat?"

"Yeah? Why? What's wrong with it?" He frowns.

I laugh even harder and it's hard for me to stop.

"Who names their cat Kit-Kat?"

"Um me."

"Jake your terrible at names."

"No I'm not." He argues.

"Yeah you are Jake." Alaysiah laughs with me.

"Kalijah it's not a bad name right?"

"I mean...," Kalijah trails off, looking anywhere but at the camera.

"Wow you guys are terrible friends." He pouts.

"Oh shut up. You love us."

"Yeah yeah." Jake rolls his eyes.

Alaysiah and I laugh again and Kalijah even joins in.

God I love these people so much. They're like family to me and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

******

A/N:

Don't you just love Aaliyah's friends? They are so funny and they really care about her.

Also do you guys think Aaliyah's handling her emotions well? She kinda tends to keep things to herself doesn't she?

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and sorry it took me so long to publish it. I'm going to try to get the next one out faster.

Don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE.

Xoxo, Kennedi444