Chapter 5 05

When I wake up, I'm in an unlikely position: both legs crossed and bent, and my arms around my head as if for protection. Yes, yes, I know, it's really VERY weird. When Jade opens her eyes, she remains forbidden for five seconds and bursts out laughing. I pretend to take it the wrong way, but she doesn't seem to mind, so I laugh with her. It's amazing how good it feels to laugh in the morning!

After we calm down, we both go down to the kitchen. She with her messy hair flying up, and me with my bun threatening to fall to the floor. I'm exaggerating, I know, but it runs in the family.

We were making breakfast when the boys walk in. I look over at Jade with a mischievous grin and we gently tease the boys."

- Can we find out what's so funny, asked Jordan who was by the looks of it, wide awake.

"But with Jade, it was impossible for us to stop laughing."

- Hello moon, this is Earth, Jordan repeated.

- Hey, that's my expression," I exclaimed.

- Ah well, you finally decided to get out of your torpor.

- Do you know the meaning of the word you used, "torpor"?

- No, but it doesn't matter.

- Pff! No way this guy...

- Don't "Pff" me!

- So what's going on, asked Jules.

- Well... Well, we'll say that you have your head up your ass, you didn't sleep well, explained Jade.

- That's why you've been laughing since a while ago?

- And you are soaked. From the head. To the feet, I added.

- We know, it turns out that the hut is not that waterproof," said Jules with a desperate look.

- Well, that's bad luck," exclaimed Jade with a touch of irony.

Can we go have breakfast," asked Louka.

- Ah, but you're waking up now, I said.

- I put time to wake me up Aline, to wake me up, answered Louka.

"I didn't add anything to that, and went into the living room with my yogurt. Everyone followed me, and when Jordan rushed past me to take his place, I let out a small, unobtrusive laugh."

- What's going on," my cousin asked. Oh, the company! I would love to laugh with you guys!

"The others had seen the same thing I had and they were laughing their asses off. I can't speak. When I open my mouth, it is only a more toned sound that comes out. So I take him by the shoulders and lead him to a mirror. I turn him around and show him the subject of our laughter: a hole in his underpants on his right buttock. This offence, lets appear a small white piece. Jordan turns red and hides his face in his hands. He immediately takes them away and explains himself."

What's the big deal," my cousin asked.

- The problem, as you put it so well, is that your underwear is not brand new anymore, as it looks," answered Jules.

- If that's the problem, I'll get dressed. You'll see me only at noon. Hi, guys," he exclaimed.

"And so he did. He went up to his room and barred our entrance. I was only lucky that he passed me some clothes. During the morning, we talked together, and I with Enora. I was taunting her with Oreos, and she with pineapples. I guess you could say we were evenly matched. At noon, Mr. Jordan finally made his long-awaited appearance. We spent the afternoon playing around the house and bickering. The next day was the same, except that the boys slept with us. All day long it did nothing but rain."

- What a hell of a time," Louka tossed out before turning back to his phone.

"A few days later, so it's Friday. It's been a week since my parents, brothers and I arrived. As usual, Max and Logan were at their consoles in a room. Jules and Jade were still there, because there was a red alert for thunderstorm and heavy rain. The authorities were recommending to stay dry, and it was starting to pump on our nervous system (NDA: an expression of my invention, if you use it, please pay me 5 euros per use.

But what!? I have to make some money!). My aunt and mother were in the kitchen preparing the meal and telling each other the latest gossip. My dad was taking a shower, and my uncle was tinkering with the pool table to make it more fun. We older kids would watch cartoons.

Then all of a sudden, the TV crackles and goes off. I heard my father complaining that he had no hot water, my cousin yelling that nothing was charging, and my aunt calling for help because the oven had stopped. My uncle, to our great displeasure, decided that the fuses had blown and that he couldn't put them back on immediately.

But then, what are we going to do with our days, if we can't watch TV," exclaimed Jordan.

- And if we can't go outside," added Jules.

- Well, you can play board games," my aunt suggested.

- Not with Max cheating," said my cousin.

- Read books," my mother tried.

- I haven't opened a book since middle school.

- Help your parents. Doing crafts with the men, or cooking with your mom," laughed Aunt Agnes.

- We'll all brainstorm and give you our opinion," Jordan announced with all seriousness.

"We talk and decide to sit by the fire. We tell each other about our lives, and the good times we've had, together, or not. When suddenly, I feel a heat in my back. I turn around and scream as I realize that my hair is burning! Jordan realizes first, and throws me into a shower in the nearest bathroom. He grabs the spray, and sprays my hair.

Once the fire stops, my heart rate returns to normal, and I slowly calm down. I get out of the shower, and observe my beautiful hair, here reduced to nothing. I begin to cry softly, the tears flowing little by little to form only a torrent in the following seconds."

- What's going on Aline," Jordan asked, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. Why are you crying?

"

-

- -

- My hair," I whispered as if to myself. I really care about my hair...

- I'm sorry, I'll cut your hair so it won't be damaged anymore. I'm so sorry for you. Forgive me.

"But these last sentences are spoken by Max, not by Jordan.

I feel then, like a hand grabbing a handful of my hair, and I hear the sound of hair being cut. I wake up with a start after this sensation, and realize that all this is only a dream. A horrible nightmare. I feel a smile appearing on my face which is very quickly replaced by the cry that I push. I scream extremely loudly because I see Max's face leaning over me. On his face, I can read the silent request for his forgiveness. He wants it because in his right hand, there is a scissors. In his left hand, there is my hair. My hair that he cut."

- Arghhh! I hate you, I screamed. Why did you do that! Why did you do it to me! I care about my hair more than anything else in the world, and it's hyper," I began.

- Aline," Max cut me off.

- What," I said angrily.

- It was a token!

- A pledge? And then... Wait, what? And who gave it to you!!? Huh! I have to take it apart !

- Well... I can't... I can't say, otherwise you'll hate it.

- The? So it's a boy?!

- It's me.

"I never thought Jordan would give that pledge."

- I spit on you you bastard," I threw at his head.

"I hear my brother giggling, I turn around and give him a fuck (sorry for the vulgarity in this passage ^^). After this gesture, I rush up the stairs, lock myself in the bathroom and take a scissors. I observe the cut strand."

- He cut the fucker short, I say to myself.

"I cut my hair, strand by strand. When I get the level I want, I stop and observe my new cut."

- You're pretty good with a scissor. Bravo," I congratulated myself.

"I don't dwell on my hair, even though I appreciate the novelty, and take a shower. I put on my pajamas, go downstairs to get a tub of ice cream, and go upstairs to settle down on my bed, with a movie. Jade joins me, but she accepts the silence that I pose. And it was a nice moment. I go to bed, and fall asleep immediately.

"