�I don�t know. Maybe she had a change of heart and came to find us and got intercepted by some fraternity jerk who persuaded her to have a drink.� Alyson said, thoughtfully.
�No. She didn�t. Not exactly.� Kennedi said, slowly.
�She didn�t what?� Alyson asked.
�She didn�t just come to the party to find us. She came because she wanted to have fun and forget about Maddi. That�s why she was drinking, I�m sure of it.� Kennedi said, adding the last part hastily as Tara opened her mouth to speak.
�But....Siobhan wouldn�t do that.� Alyson said, slowly.
�Not normally, but have you been paying attention? Two of her best friends died! That could cause anyone to go over the edge, and especially since Siobhan�s ego is so fragile, she just....� Kennedi trailed off, tears in her eyes, �I-I�m sorry, that was rude, I-I didn�t mean....�
Tara enveloped her into a hug, �It�s okay, Kenni, we�re all just tired. Let�s go to bed, okay, and talk in the morning.� she said, soothingly.
Kennedi nodded, �O-Okay. I love you, Tari, I love you Ally.� she said, and her friends returned the sentiment. They changed into their pajamas, and crawled into their beds. Tara and Alyson were asleep within minutes, but Kennedi lay awake for quite awhile.
1:40, 1:45, 1:50. Kennedi stared at the clock, watching the numbers tick by. She closed her eyes, but they kept opening again, looking back at the clock. 1:55, 2:00, 2:05. �If I�m not asleep by 2:20, I�m gonna get up and go online for awhile.� she thought to herself. 2:10, 2:15.
She never remembered seeing 2:20, but was suddenly jolted awake by a scream of �Kennedi!�
She shot up from her sleep, looking around frantically. The screams continued, kept calling out Kennedi�s name. She hurried down from her bunk, glancing at the clock, 3:48 AM. When she reached the bottom, the light was quickly turned on. Alyson was standing by the door, she�d flicked the switch, and was now hurrying back to the beds. Kennedi saw who was screaming then, it was Siobhan, tears streaming down her cheeks, calling out Kennedi�s name. Tara was trying to quiet her, but to no avail.
�Siobhan, honey? What happened?� Kennedi asked her friends, coming to the bed, too.
�I-I don�t know! She just woke up and started screaming!� Tara looked flustered.
�Kennedi! She�s dead! Kennedi!� Siobhan kept wailing.
�Honey. Honey, I�m right here. Kennedi�s right here.� Kennedi tried to soothe her, but she kept screaming. Kennedi pulled her into her arms and began rocking her back and forth, rubbing her back, �Siobhan, it�s okay, Kennedi�s here.�
Soon, Siobhan�s cries quieted down enough so she could talk, �Siobhan, what happened?� Alyson asked.
�I-I thought Kennedi was d-dead. We w-were at the park and all of a sudden all this blood came pouring out of her, and she died.� Siobhan said, in a soft voice.
�Oh, honey, I�m not dead, I�m right here.� Kennedi said, stroking her friend�s cheek.
�I-I know.� Siobhan�s voice sounded tired and still a bit drunk.
�You need your sleep, sweetie, come on, lie back down.� Kennedi instructed, patting Siobhan�s pillow. Siobhan lay down as she was told, and Kennedi planted a kiss on her forehead, �I love you.�
�I love you, too. And you, Tara and Ally.� Siobhan said, her gaze falling on her other friends for a moment. Then her eyes closed, and she was soon asleep again.
�Poor Syvanni-bean.� Tara whispered, looking up at her friends, who looked back at her with the same worried expressions.
�She�ll be okay. She just needs to sleep it off.� Alyson said, only half-convinced.
�I know.� Kennedi said, fatigue taking over, �I�m going back to bed guys, talk to you in the morning.� she said, climbing back onto her bed. Alyson flipped the light off, and all was quiet once again.
Kennedi slept fitfully the rest of the night. She kept waking up almost every 15 minutes. It was like her body expected another disturbance, but everything was completely quiet in the room. She finally drifted into a peaceful slumber sometime after 6:00, just as the first shreds of daylight came through the window shades.
Kennedi woke again just after 10:00. She peeked over the bed, and saw that Alyson and Siobhan were still fast asleep, but Tara�s bed was empty. She looked sideways and there she was, at the computer. Kennedi slipped out of bed, trying not to make a noise, and slipped her arms around Tara from behind. Tara startled but then relaxed, tipping her head back to look in Kennedi�s eyes, �Hey.� Kennedi said, quietly.
�Hey.� Tara said, just as quietly, and then she looked back at the monitor.
�Whatcha doing?� Kennedi asked.
�Getting mine and Siobhan�s assignment for today�s class. Ally doesn�t have a class today, and I can get your assignment, too, if you want me to.� Tara clicked the button, and then looked back at Kennedi.
�If you could, that would be great, sweetie. Hey, what do you say I go grab some donuts? We can have a little breakfast in here when Ally and Syvanni wake up.� Kennedi suggested.
�Absolutely. Be sure to get those strawberry-cinnamon ones Syvanni likes.� Tara said, smiling.
�I will.� Kennedi quickly slipped into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt for a quick walk to the cafeteria�s donut shop, �See you in 10.� she said, and Tara gave a half-wave and Kennedi slipped out the door.
Kennedi was back in a record 9 minutes, and as she entered, both Siobhan and Alyson were just waking up. Alyson sat up immediately, but Siobhan groaned and held her hands over her eyes, �Ohh, God, someone turn down the sun.� she moaned.
�Hey, honey, did you have a nice sleep?� Tara asked, turning from the computer.
Siobhan groaned, �No. Can I ask you guys a question?� she asked.
�Sure.� Kennedi said, putting the donut box down and sitting on Siobhan�s bed.
�Last night....I didn�t....� Siobhan trailed off.
�Go to the party, get drunk, and dance around in a bikini? Ohh, yes you did.� Alyson said, sitting on the edge of her own bed.
�Oh, God. I am so so embarrassed. I�m going to have to hide for a month.� Siobhan said, groaning, �And who made that sun so bright! Can someone please make it night again?� she asked.
�I�ll close the shades.� Tara said, doing so, and then sitting next to Alyson, �That better?� she asked.
�Yeah.� Siobhan said, quietly, and went to put her head down on Kennedi�s shoulder, but Kennedi stopped her.
�Siobhan, we need to talk.� Kennedi said, sternly.
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