~Naruto Kittens: The Re-Write~

Chapter Seven

~Melanie's POV~

I sat on the couch, watching some boring infomercial about a hair curler.

Megan was slumped against me on my right side, snoozing away while Savannah was on my left side doing the same. Sean was lying on the floor on my feet and everyone else was spread throughout the kitchen and living room. They were either lying on the ground or had a blanket underneath them. As far as I could tell, I was the only person still awake in the house. I would have gone upstairs and went on my laptop but I was trapped between my sister and friends. Not to mention that it would be like walking through a maze with everyone lying on the ground.

I sighed and switched the TV off. I guess I might as well try and get some sleep. But I just couldn't. Despite what had happened during the day, my mind wouldn't go to rest. Rubbing my eyes, I carefully slipped my feet from under Sean. I placed them in the space in front of him, so I was sitting slumped on the couch before gently pushing Megan and Savannah off of me. I stood up, wobbling slightly before regaining my balance. I maneuvered past the sleeping ninjas and to the stairs where I made my way up.

The stairs, which would normally creak and groan during the day, didn't make a noise as I went up to Megan and I's room. When I got there, I put on some socks and slipped a sweater over my t-shirt before putting my jacket on as well. Maybe a walk around the block would help ease my mind. Yeah, I'll do that. And while I'm at it, I could go over to the Tim Horton's that was open 24 hours and get myself a coffee.

I snorted. Coffee wasn't the best thing to drink when you wanted to sleep, but I don't think I will be sleeping at all tonight.

I grabbed my wallet, quickly scribbled a note explaining where I'll be in case anyone woke up and then made my way back down the stairs. I stepped over everyone once more before making it to the door. I grabbed my key off the coat rack and put on my leather boots, lacing them up quickly. I eased the front door open, slowly and quietly so no one would wake up. I slipped outside into the cold weather, closing and locking the door behind me. I sighed and began walking down the front walk that lead up to the front door to my house.

It was snowing lightly and I cursed when the bitter, cold wind made my eyes begin to water. I wiped them quickly before shoving my un-gloved hands into my pockets. I felt around my pockets for a bit and frowned when I didn't feel my gloves. I did, however, feel my phone and ear buds, to which I began to smile. I pulled them out of my pocket, plugged my ear buds into my ears and scrolled through my music. I ended up just hitting shuffle and listening to whatever songs came up.

I hummed along to the tune of the song as I walked down the snowy streets. The time on my phone said that it was 2:34, which meant that the snow plows would be making their rounds around town. However, I didn't see any on my street. I saw one about a few streets down but none came through mine. It was then I realized that the roads on my street were clear and I chuckled at my idiocy.

After walking for about ten minutes, I spotted the Tim Horton's in the distance. I breathed a sigh and my breath, that became visible in the cold, clouded my vision briefly. I walked a little faster to the Tim Horton's and reached there relatively quickly. I stomped my feet, ridding them of snow before pushing the door open.

The tinkling of bells announced my arrival and I smiled when I caught the smell of donuts and coffee. I turned my music off as I walked over to the ordering station. I pulled my ear buds out of my ears, looking around the Tim Horton's as I did. The only other people in here was a few police officers, who frowned when they caught sight of me. I hesitated briefly before giving them a little wave and turning to the cashier.

He smiled at me, as all Tim Horton's employee's do. He was quite charming, strong facial features with deep, blue eyes and shaggy black hair. "How may I help you?"

"Um..." I felt the twenty dollar bill in my pocket as my eyes gazed over the selections of bagels and donuts. "I'll have a medium French vanilla, a cream cheese bagel -toasted- and a vanilla dip donut, please and thank you."

He rang up my total to which I gave him the bill. As I moved over to the waiting area, he gave me my change and receipt. He bagged my vanilla dip donut before handing it over. He smiled apologetically at me. "It's going to take a while for the coffee. We're making a fresh batch."

I shook my head. "Oh, no, that's fine. I'm in no rush anyway."

"Oh, really?" He asked, smiling. "What's a pretty girl like you do out here this late anyway?"

"Flattery will get you no where." I said, laughing. "And I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk to Tim's."

"It's not flattery if it's true." He replied cheekily, grinning at me. "By the way, coffee isn't the best thing to have when you want to go to sleep."

"Who said I wanted to?" I shot back playfully.

"Touché." He nodded his head before tilting it to the side, looking me up and down. "Have I seen you before? I feel like we've met."

I held back the urge to roll my eyes. This guy -Derrick, according to his nametag- was a total flirt. It's way too late -or early, depending on how you looked at it- for this stuff. So I just politely smiled and shrugged my shoulders, settling on saying, "Who knows? We might have."

He handed me my coffee and bagel, leaning over the counter after he did. He flashed another smile "You know, we all sort of knew each other at one point or another."

I nodded my head as I listened to Derrick. I put my donut with my bagel, holding the bag in one hand and my coffee in another. I was thinking of just bolting out of the place without any warning but instead I waited for a break in the conversation. It never came. He kept on talking and talking, without missing a beat. I was starting to get annoyed but was relieved when I suddenly heard the front door open, signalling someone had entered. I looked behind me and saw a guy around my age. He was wearing all black; black hoodie, black shoes, black sweatpants, he even had black sunglasses covering his eyes.

Relieved at finally being able to leave, I smiled, somewhat forced, and said, "Looks like you have a customer. You should probably go back to work. It was nice talking to you. I'll see you around some other time, I guess."

Derrick just nodded his head, a bit disappointed if you ask me. I saw him look over at the guy, almost glaring, an I bit back a laugh. He turned back to me and smiled. "Oh yeah, that's fine. It was nice meeting you...?"

"Melanie." I replied. "My name is Melanie."

He smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Melanie I'll see you around."

I took that as my opportunity to get the fuck out of the place. I practically ran out. It was a it awkward walking past the police officers, especially since they had saw the whole ordeal with Derrick trying to hit on me. I was surprised they hadn't come up and intervened, but I guess it was fine. They weren't even watching me as I walked out the door. They all had their eyes on the guy that had just walked in. Not that it bothered me; I hated unwanted attention.

The walk home was quiet and peaceful. All the snowplows had rid the sidewalks and streets of snow, so the nosy trucks were no where to be seen. They had also done quiet a good job, for I didn't get any snow whatsoever on my boots as walked on the sidewalks. I almost slipped when a big gust of freezing wind came by, but I kept my footing. Shivering, I downed half of my French vanilla in one sip, sighing contentedly as the warm liquid travelled down my throat and into my stomach, warming me up.

I finally made it to my house. It looked the same as when I left it, except now I could see a dark figure looming through the window on the front porch. I sighed. I was caught. Drat.

I walked up the porch steps just as the front door opened, revealing Sean. His hair was mussed and his clothes were out of place, suggesting that he had jut woken up. He squinted is eyes at me and crossed his arms over his chest. "Where were you?"

I waved around the bag and cup of coffee that I had in my hands. "I went to Tim's. You can have some of my bagel?"

He grunted and went back inside with me tailing after him. I closed a locked the front door, kicking off my shoes as I did so. I walked into the kitchen, where Sean currently was, and placed my food onto the kitchen table. I took off my jacket, draped it over the back of one of the chairs before collapsing into said chair. I sipped my coffee once more and began to take the contents out of the bag. I took out the donut, to which I slid to Sean, before taking out the bagel. I removed the wrapping and began eating it. From across the table, Sean frowned at me. "I thought you said I could have the bagel."

"Are you saying that you don't want the donut?"

"..."

I grinned at Sean. He would never pass up on a donut. Especially a vanilla dip. He took it out of the bag and began eating it. As I chewed my bagel, I asked him, "Is anyone else awake?"

"Megan was, but she went back to sleep." Sean answered. "She was the one who realized you were gone. So she woke me so I could stay up and wait for you while she went back to sleep."

I laughed, but quietly. "Typical Megan, eh?"

Sean nodded. "That's also something you would do, you know."

"Yeah, but I haven't. Not to you, anyway." I replied.

"What took you so long anyway?" Sean asked. "Tim's is only just down the road. It would have only taken you 15 minutes, yet I ended up waiting for almost half an hour."

I sighed before telling him the story of Derrick the Flirt and how he had held up my order -like hell they were making a fresh batch of coffee- and then kept on talking and talking to me. Sean nodded, almost apologetically. "You know, if I had been there with you, I would have kicked his ass."

Megan and I have knows Sean since we were legit in diapers and we like to think of him as our brother, and vice versa. But some people often mistake us -me and Sean- as a couple when we're out in public. I laughed at his words. "Derrick wouldn't have even taken a second glance at me if you were with me, let alone would he try and start up a damn conversation with me."

Sean laughed and I glanced over at the time on the stove's clock. 3:15. My eyebrows shot up. I was gone for nearly 45 minutes. Next time, I'll just wake up Sean and bring him with me.

The two of us finished our snacks before heading down to the basement to watch TV. We didn't want to wake everyone up with the sound of the TV -and our sarcastic little comments that we would add in from time to time- which is why we didn't stay in the living room. We watched about an hour of the comedy channel before switching to some stupid Christmas movie about vampires. I only made it about halfway before I passed out, leaning heavily onto Sean.

I'm finally done this chapter! I'm so so so so so so so so so so so sorry for the very long wait! If you hadn't guessed, I've been procrastinating this chapter. But it's done now, so hopefully you guys can forgive me.

Hopefully.

Bye!