17. How About No

I woke up still feeling tired, with a slight aching on my neck and my back. The warm air surrounding us making me sweat buckets. Chiori was sticking to me, I was being clamped in a tight embrace by her. I felt a little groggy from sleeping while being covered in sweat under the thick damp heat. I felt like I would dry up if I laid down any longer, but I couldn't find the energy to get out of bed. I closed my eyes again, hoping to fall asleep but the aching in my dry throat wouldn't let me. Relucantly, and very slowly, I got up from bed, followed up by almost falling into bed again after briefly losing my balance from dizziness.

After having regained my balance I stumbled to the door, almost falling over and knocking myself out. But I managed to hang in there, though my slightly blurred eyesight together with my sense of balance down the drain started to really create a problem for me, it made me bump into walls and furtinure when I really didn't want too make much noise.

"She should be gone at this point, right?"

I really hoped she hadn't forgot about it, rather not let my parents find out that I let a stranger stay the night. Or about what happened when I let her in.

Just in general this was a strange idea, but what else was I supposed to do?

I regained my balance overtime after finally being out of the boiling hot bedroom, being able to breathe in the much drier, cooler, and much less stuffy air. Just to see if the guest was still there, I took the time to peek into Chiori's room, here I was greeted with a strange odor, much unlike what I was used to. It felt unpleasant, like some part of this house has lost it's usual face, and was flaunting it's new misguided identity. It felt wrong, even to the point of me regretting not letting her sleep on the couch.

But luckily, the guest wasn't there anymore, making me heave a sigh of relief. She is a good listener, I'll have to give her that. A little weird though, I have to add.

I strugged it off for the time being and grabbed whatever drink I could find from the kitchen, and what do I find?

Ah yes, the guest is still here, watching tv and laughing at sitcom jokes. Looks like lots of fun.

My parents aren't awake yet, so i did the only thing I could think of.

"Good morning." I interruptred her show. She casually glanced back at me in a lazy posture, then smiled and waved.

"Good morning~~" She sung chirpily. She patted a spot beside her "wanna join?"

I stared at her in disbelief for a brief moment, and pointed toward the door while she stared at my with a puzzled puppy face. Slowly noticing her act doesn't work, her expression got the more sour which eventually turned to bitterness. A sadistic smile began to appear on her face.

"Hooh, I see..." without saying anything futher, she showed me her cellphone...

Cellphone? She had one on her? I can see where this is going, and I don't like it.

"Mind if I show the rest of the school what ha-"

But before she could finish, I already took the phone and deleted the photo. Afterward I got to enjoy the tantrum of a so called 'adult' and she punched my chest with the force of a feather.

I gave her a cup of water and a handkerchief and went on with getting ready for school.

I just about had it with her nonsense already, little did I know it was about to get worse...

Just kidding, of course it's only gonna get worse.

"Who am I talking to?" I asked myself as I put on my school uniform.