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The next day rolled in and Penny woke up at her usual time. Sitting up, a short hum escaped her and she realized she wasn’t in her room.
“Where…?” Penny gazed at her right and then at her left. She blinked a few times before her round eyes went wider. Why am I sleeping between them?”
Penny froze in horror, staring at Allison and then at Charles. When her eyes fell to the mattresses on the floor, she saw Slater hugging his pillow. Hugo was sleeping on his back without moving an inch. Atlas slept on his side, but surprisingly, he wasn’t snoring.
For her, this sight was an abomination.
Penny slapped her cheeks mildly, trying to wake herself up. How could her family sleep in the family room? She would understand if Allison and Charles slept with her because they always treated their children as babies. But her brothers?! Especially Atlas. Impossible.
“Mhm…” Penny’s movements stopped when Allison’s moan caressed her ears. “Penny, you’re awake?”
Slowly, Penny met her mother’s eyes and smiled awkwardly, “Good… morning?”
“Good morning, sweetheart” Allison smiled and touched her checks. She then glanced to her side, only to realize the bedside table wasn’t there.
“It’s still six, Mom, Penny murmured, carning her mother’s attention.
At the same time, Charles began stretching. When his eyes cracked open, a smile spread across his face at the sight of the little angel looking down at him.
“Good morning, princess-!” Charles quickly sat up to avoid falling asleep more. “Ahh… that’s a nice sleep!
Penny watched her father stretch with his eyes closed. She rarely sees him before breakfast. So, watching him stretch and how he got up the moment he woke up was a bit surprising for her. Allison, on the other hand, idled on the bed.
“What’s going on?‘ Penny wondered, thinking of what happened last night. ‘Oh. I fell asleep. But why didn’t they carry me back to my room?”
The answer she came up with made her face twitch. Was it because they couldn’t lift her?!
‘Ouch!‘
Around this time, Atlas and Hugo also showed signs of regaining consciousness. Just like their father, Hugo sat up even before he could think of anything. He was like a robot in auto mode. As for Atlas, he leisurely reached out to his side out of habit for his alarm clock but ended up touching the cold marble tile.
‘Is he already looking for his book? she wondered, watching Atlas open his eyes ever so slowly. Ah. Not a book, but an alarm clock?”
Her nose scrunched up, thinking why would Atlas try to turn off his alarm when it didn’t even ring? It wasn’t like there was an alarm clock on his side in the first place!
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“Nom nom nom, Slater, still fast asleep, chewed happily. “Tasty… choco… choco–ah, Penny… you thief… those are mine… oh no, what?”
Penny’s expression died completely as she glossed her eyes over everyone in the family room. She spent her first lifetime trying to please them, studying their habits and routines, and knowing their likes, favorites, and dislikes. But only now did she find out her family has a weird morning habit!
“Morning, Penny, Hugo’s gentle greeting snapped Penny back from her trance. “Did you sleep well?”
“Uh, oh… hmm.” Penny sported a smile. Surprising, I did.”
“Please ask me if I did sleep well too, Atlas slowly sat up, touching his back as he stretched his spine.
Hugo glanced at him but didn’t bother. His eyes then fell on Slater, shaking him.
“Slater, wake up Hugo barely moved Slater, but the latter was fast asleep and was
s still dreaming.
Watching everyone wake themselves up, Penny couldn’t help but think of last night. She pursed her lips, but she couldn’t stop a smile from turning up on her face.
This is my first sleepover without Yugi and Yuri,‘ she thought, slowly believing last night wasn’t just a dream. I don’t think it’s that bad at all. I got to see their morning quirks.”
The morning was spent like usual and since it was Friday, the kids still had to go to school. In the van, Penny stared out the window with a cheerful smile.
The thought of how different her family was the moment they woke up was a sight to behold. However, despite their efforts last night, she didn’t want to get ahead of herself and think she could be chummy with her brothers.
“Won’t she going to say something? Slater frowned, thinking they were back to the usual routine. After what they had done last night, he was expecting her to be a lot more active and talkative.
Wasn’t their efforts not enough for her to feel comfortable around them?
“Penny. Suddenly, Atlas’s calm voice pierced through the silence in the van. “I think Slater is smarter than you now.”
“Huh?” Penny looked back at Atlas and nodded. “Okay.”
“First brother, are you trying to tease her?” Hugo frowned, but his question made Slater more devastated.
“Second brother, what kind of question is that? You’re hurting my feelings!”
“I’m just saying Slater might be the smartest among us, Atlas commented with a shrug, now
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earning everyone’s undivided attention. “If Penny used to be the smartest, but Slater outsmarted her, doesn’t that make Slater smarter?”
The other three were rendered speechless.
How did that make sense to Atlas?!
“I’m not the smartest,” Penny corrected, a little taken aback that the prideful Atlas even thought
of that.
Atlas nodded. “Mhm. Not anymore.”
… Penny opened her mouth, but she closed them again. “First Brother, are you… complimenting me or teasing the third brother?”
“The former.
““Oh. Penny nodded. “Thanks?”
“Welcome.”
After saying his plece, Atlas looked away and pretended nothing ever happened. The rest of his siblings could only stare at him, dumbfounded.
Slater and Hugo weren’t surprised because Atlas rarely strikes conversations, let alone praise someone else. But they were simply baffled as to how Atlas thought his terrible way of complimenting Penny would suffice.
Penny, on the other hand, had something else in mind. Did he just call me smart? Did I do something wrong?”
‘If she’s not smart, then she wouldn’t recommend that book indirectly,‘ thought Atlas, ignoring the eyes on him. But her mind seemed to malfunction if food was involved. I’m concerned.‘ a
Meanwhile, Penny stared at Atlas innocently before she grinned.
‘First Brother doesn’t have any change of reaction when trying to say something kind. This was another fun discovery!
Soon, their van reached the gates of the school. Her brothers walked a step behind her. She would usually start creating distance from them at this point, but Penny idled.
When they reached the circle, her brows rose at the students flocking around the main school bulletin. Curious, the four of them approached the bulletin to see what the fuss was about. [Notice: Bullying in or outside of the school premises is not and will never be tolerated…]
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