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Ugh, I hate mornings!
Dad is leaving today for his trip so he decided to wake me up early and help him pack because I'm his favourite daughter, his words, not mine. Well, I'm his only daughter so that's a given. Sighing, I get up from my bed and drag myself to my bathroom for a quick shower. After I'm done with my morning business, decide to wear a hoodie and some black leggings and put my hair in a messy bun. This hoodie belongs to my dad, so it smells like him and is warm too.
I make my way downstairs to see dad in the kitchen, making a cup of coffee for himself. "One for me too."
He lifts his head up when he hears my voice and gives me a big smile. "Hey honey, good morning. Same as always? No milk, no sugar?"
"You know it." I grin, jumping on the counter by the stove and let my legs dangle in the air.
My dad snaps his head towards me, his hands working with the coffee machine, but his eyes are on me. He looks at me with an uncertain expression, then starts speaking. "So.."
"What did you do now dad?"
He rolls his eyes at my question but continues anyway. "I know you say you are fine with being alone for a week, but I know you will not be so I have a surprise for you."
"Dad, seriously! I have Whis, I don't need a babysitter." I roll my eyes at him. The aroma of the coffee fills the kitchen making me close my eyes in pure bliss. I take a deep breath and smile in satisfaction.
"It's not a babysitter. It's something better than that." He mutters, pouring our coffee in the mugs and hands one to me. I cup the mug in my hands, letting it's warmth soak my hand.
"Okay, what is it? And when will I get it?" I ask, my eyes twinkling with excitement. Taking a sip from my coffee, I close my eyes savoring the bitter taste.
"Actually, it's gonna be here in-" He stops to take a look at his wristwatch, then looks back at me and finishes, "-a few seconds."
Before I can reply, the doorbell rings. I jump off the counter in hurry and run outside and throw open the door.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"
"Seriously, that's how you greet your best friends?" Emilia Jenner, my best friend comments, her hands on her tiny hips, her lips turning up in the biggest grin. Her blue-grey eyes twinkle in excitement, her brunette hair pulled up in a ponytail which is, new.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! It's you." I shriek in excitement, wrapping my arms around her in a tight grip. She chuckles loudly, but hugs me back with equal fervour, squeezing me tight in her tiny little arms. I squeal in delight, happy to see her here. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too." She mutters, letting me go after a few seconds.
"What about me? Should I go back to Washington?" A male voice calls from behind Em, stealing our attention. Then I see him, my other best friend, Tanner Leeds in all his glory.
I squeal in delight and run past Em, straight into his arms. He catches me before both of us fall and hugs me tight, laughing. "I know baby girl, I missed you too."
I wrap my arms around him tight and sigh in content. "I missed you so much. Both of you." With my left arm, I gesture Em to join in our hug, she grins and then runs towards us and wraps her arms around us and yells loudly. "The three musketeers are back, bitches!"
Tanner and I laugh loudly at her, but right now I don't care even if everyone in New York hears us, I have my best friends back. I have my brother and sister back!
Untangling myself from the hug I grin at them and open my mouth to speak but my dad's voice from the door beats me to it. "I see you've met your surprise."
I turn around and run towards him and tackle him in a big hug. "Thank you so much dad. This is the best surprise ever. I love you."
He chuckles and kisses my forehead softly. "I love you too honey. Now are we all going to stand here all day or do you guys plan on going inside?"
"Hey daddy dearest." Em greets my dad in her sweet voice. Oh no, she's at it again.
I snicker at her, but my dad just rolls his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's dad and not daddy. Seriously, you never learn anything, do you?"
She shakes her head, laughing, then comes towards us and pulls dad in a hug. "You know I had to say it dad."
"Hey. don't forget about me." Tanner mutters and then tackles my dad and Em in a hug pulling me in too. "I missed having cold beers with you, dad."
The thing is that Tanner and Em are my childhood friends. We have been together since we were three so they have a habit of calling my dad, dad because they had a very rough childhood. My dad was the one who insisted that they do so and it kinda stuck with them till date, not that my dad minds it one bit. He is happy with the fact that he has three children.
Dad chuckle and then breaks free from the hug. "Let's go inside now." He says, then heads inside when he hears his phone ringing.
"Wait, where's Whiskey?" Tanner asks, looking around.
"In my room maybe." I shrug my shoulders. "Come on, we have so much to talk about. Let's go." But then I stop and look around to see if they have any luggage.
As if reading my thoughts, Em informs me, "Our things are in Tanner's car. We are not leaving so soon."
"Okay, cool. Let's go." I turn around to head inside, but stop again to see that Tanner's nowhere to be found. "Where's Tanner now?"
Em rolls her eyes at me and then drags me inside. "You are such a worrywart. He's 18, not 8. He must me inside catching up with dad or looking for the bar cabinet. Let's go."
I just shake my head and laugh. Him looking for alcohol can be a possibility. Together we make our way inside to see Tanner playing with Whis on the floor. Well, that's better. At least he's not raiding the cabinet.
He looks up at us and grins, rubbing his hands together like an evil person "I saw you alcohol cabinet, Lyds. And damn I'm going to party every night."
I spoke too soon, I guess.
"Well, I'm going to play with Whiskey. Bye guys!" Em chirps from my side and runs towards Whis who starts barking in excitement on seeing her. They start playing, ignoring us. I look around to see that dad's nowhere to be found. He must've gone in his room to pack his bags.
Wait! Bags! Packing! Me helping!
Oops, I totally forgot!
"I'll be right back guys." I yell and without waiting for their reply run upstairs to my dad's rooms to see him busy on his phone. When he sees me entering his room, he drops his phone and looks at me with raised eyebrows. "What?"
"I totally forgot that I had to help you pack your bags. Come on, let's start now." I say and sit down on his bed.
He shakes his head as if to say no in response and says, "It's fine. I've already packed my bags. You don't have to worry about it."
"What? Then why did you wake me up in the morning to help you?" I whine in response, throwing a pillow at him which he catches swiftly in his hands.
He chuckles at me. "That was an excuse to wake you up early for once."
"LYDIA HERRINGTON, GET HERE RIGHT NOW!" Em's voice yells for me. I roll my eyes and get up and say bye to my dad and walk out of is room. I look in front of me too see Tanner, Em and Whis sprawled on my bed like it belongs to them, eating my Cheetos and using my phone. Shaking my head, I stroll inside and shut the door behind me with a bang.
"Jeez, woman. That burst my eardrums." Tanner frowns, shaking his head vigorously and then, nods. "Thank god, now I can listen."
"Stop acting like a a drama queen, you are not dead yet." I scowl at him, kicking his leg. I throw myself on the bed, my legs on Tanner's thighs and head on Em's lap. Whis lies by my side, putting his head on my stomach. My smile widens on sitting like this, huddled together "Ah, I missed this."
Em pats my head like I'm a dog and mumbles with mouth full of food. "Me too sis, me too."
"So, what are you guys doing here?" I start, before adding, "Not that I'm not happy to see you guys."
Em stops eating and then shares a look with Tanner, gesturing him to say whatever they had to say. Tanner shrugs his shoulders and says, "We got kicked out of our school."
"WHAT?!" I screech, sitting up straight. "Without me?"
Tanner doubles up in laughter, clutching his stomach, his eyes crinkling in amusement. When he recovers, he looks at Em and then says, "I told you that this would be her reaction when we tell her about us getting kicked out. Without her."
"Of course, I will react this way!" I exclaim, throwing my hands up in the air. "By the way, what the hell did you guys even do to make Weatherbee kick you out?" Weatherbee is the Principal of my old school and their curr-, wait their old school too.
"Well, we vandalized his room. With spray paint and water balloons." Em exclaims, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"And I drew a dick on his table." Tanner pipes in, smirking.
I start laughing loudly, clutching my stomach. "Oh my god, that's gold. I wish I was there to see that. God, I can imagine his face seething with anger, yelling at you guys. Damn, I missed so much."
"You know the best part about us getting kicked out? We are coming to Hillcrest Academy!" Em squeals, throwing her hands up in excitement.
"What?! Seriously? Tell me this is not a joke?" My eyes widen in shock on getting this new piece of information.
"Nope. We are not joking. This is real." Tanner adds, grinning.
"How? When?" I ask, too shocked to form coherent sentences.
"Dad was the one who suggested that we join you here for our senior year. We have been planning this from the past three or four days. He didn't tell you because we wanted it to be a surprise." Em tells me, her eyes twinkling with joy. "Also, we are moving in here with you guys!"
"Dad was the one who did all this?" I ask, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. I'm too astonished to say anything else.
"Yeah, isn't he the best?" Tanner whispers, his eyes turning glum but he recovers quickly, a smile back on his face. "Anyways, are you happy?"
"The happiest!" I take a mental note to thank my dad later on.
"So, now that we are back, how about we get to know what's been happening with you in our absence?" Em smirks, eyes holding a mischievous glint. Oh, she's onto something again. "Any new boy toys? Or a girl toy?"
"How about I show you?" I smirk right back at her, picking up my phone.
"What do you mean?" Tanner asks with raised eyebrows.
"It means that we are having a sleepover! With a few additions."
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Heyyy guys! Guess what? Friendships And Other Disasters has 1K views! You hear me? 1000 VIEWS! OH MY GOD, I'm so happy right now, I cannot even describe how I feel! It's like a dream come true. Thank you so much everyone for supporting my book and giving this amateur reader a chance. It means the world to me <33333333
You know what? Imma just get excited somewhere else, probably in my room, blasting my favourite songs through the speakers!
Next update soon!
Till then,
Stay happy!