"Pipes. Pipes, Pipes! Wake up." Mina nudges me awakes, lifting the blanket away from my shoulders. 

"Ugh, 30 more minutes," I grumbled.

"Piper! It's already noon! Get your lazy ass up from bed and take a shower." Mina said.

"What?! Noon? Wait, where are we?" I asked, suddenly aware of the king-sized mattress I was sleeping in. 

The room was enormous. There was a high ceiling with surrounding white walls. Huge glass windows overlooking a beautiful view of the city. The bed I laid on had white sheets and a black blanket with pillows taking up more than half of the bed. To the left of it, there was a door leading out to the terrace. 

"Are you done ogling at the room? I know it's beautiful but we can't spend the entire day here. The boys prepared breakfast for us. Well, Ace and Ax did most of the cooking. Brent made the table instead. Now enough chit-chat and get ready, or else the only thing you'd be eating are my leftovers. Now get a move on." Mina said, sashaying out the door.

I rolled my eyes and laugh. Sassy much? I quickly grab a change of clothes and head into the bathroom, not wanting to risk my breakfast. 

-:-

I head downstairs after finishing my shower with my boring wet hair in a braid. I remember we arrived at Preston's penthouse early in the morning. Maybe he inherited it from his parents; who knows. The only thing I'm sure of is that it's beautiful. There are high ceilings and brown hardwood floors with a flat-screen tv hanging off from it. Large glass windows making up a whole wall from top to bottom and three white sofas surrounded a small glass coffee table in the center. As I walk closer to the kitchen, I can hear Mina and Preston arguing. 

"No, you've had your fair share, this is for her," Preston says, annoyed.

"But she's taking forever. Can't I have it instead?? I'm still hungry." Mina whines, exasperatedly. 

"If you're so hungry, then go cook something yourself." Preston answers. 

"Ughh!" Mina groans, trudging away. 

"Why are you guys fighting?" I ask, curious to know to know what's going on.

"Ace here won't let me eat your breakfast," Mina shouts in the distance. 

Preston ignores Mina and faces me, "Just eat before the food gets any colder than it already is," handing me the plate and pulling out a chair for me. 

"When you're finished eating, we can head out for some coffee and to explore the city," Brent says.

"Alright I'll wait for you guys outside," Preston says. 

Mina and I ran up the stairs to get ready, taking the plate of food with me. I changed into a white flowy crop top and high waisted jean shorts. I paired it with a grey knitted cardigan in case it got a bit chilly and put on my white vans. 

I walk into Mina's room and just see a giant pile of clothes on the floor. 

"I don't know what to wear." She complains.

I chuckle a bit and help her get ready. "Just use those jeans you have on and that long sleeved crop you have over there." I must say I'm a genius when it comes to clothes.

"Ugh, you're a life saver, thanks." I nod at her and smile.

"Of course I am."

I grab my phone and run back down the stairs. 

"I'm ready boys. Now let's rock and roll."

-:-

"I'm hungry." Brent exclaims, "Can we eat already?"

"You've been saying that since we left the house. Plus, you just had some iced coffee at Starbucks not even an hour ago." Axel explains.

"I know, but that's liquid. Not solid. All that walking around burned off all the energy from breakfast." 

Axel shakes his head and continues on about a story he was telling to Preston.

After we left the house we all walked to the Starbucks around the corner and all got some sort of coffee. Adamina and I got tea, Winston (Axel) and Brent got iced coffee and Preston got a frappucino. We got a feel for our surroundings in our city. The penthouse is right in the middle of everything, there's a bookstore, a music store, a park, and so many other things. My favorite being, the pizzeria. 

Just the thought of the pizzeria made my stomach growl. A pie sounds so good right now.

"Actually, I'm hungry too."

"Finally, there's one sane person in this group."

I smile at Axel, "Pretty please. I'm really in the mood for some famous New York pizza right now."

"That sounds really good. I want some too." Adamina says.

"C'mon, let the girl have her pizza." Preston joins in.

Axel finally gives in causing a squeal from Mina and me. She smiles and gives Axel a kiss on the cheek then grabs my hand and we skip down the street. I look back at Axel and his now pink cheeks. Sometimes Mina doesn't know the effects of the things she does.

"Maybe you should be a little more aware of your actions." I chuckle, "Look," I said pointing towards the boys. 

Axel's face is getting redder by the second as the boys laugh at him. He gives Brent a hard glare but that just makes him laugh harder. "Poor boy."

"Oops." She shrugs, "It is kind of funny though."

"You're right" I chuckle, "Now let's go, I'm starved."

The boys catch up with us and we end up at the pizzeria 20 minutes later. Everyone orders a mini pie for themselves but as soon as we sit down to eat Brent was already gone. Apparently, the cute waitress' shift was about to end and he had to walk her home because he's a gentleman. 

Preston suggested we go to the park but halfway there Mina said she was tired and Axel offered to walk her home leaving just Preston and me. 

Ten minutes later or so we arrive at the now closed, children's park.

"We walked this far for a children's park?"

"Yep. You used to love this park." He mumbles.

"What?" I ask not sure exactly what he said.

"I used to love this park as a kid." He says more clearly this time.

"Oh. But how are we going to get in? It says it closes at 7 on weekdays."

"Up and over." Preston shrugs. He grabs onto the fence and starts to hoist himself up.

"What! No way in hell am I'm doing that."

He sighs and comes back down. "Why not, it's not even that tall."

"Well, for one it's against the rules. Plus, even if I wanted to, I don't know how to."

"How would you know that if you haven't tried. Trust me, it'll come naturally to you. As if you had done it hundreds of times before." He grabs onto my shoulder and looks me into my eyes. "I'll be right here to help you. I believe in you."

"So do I." I smile and grab onto the fence. I push off of the ground and start to climb. A couple seconds later I'm on the other side of the fence facing Preston, a giant grin on my face.

"I did it!" I laugh.

 He grabs onto the fence and jumps over and before I even realize, Preston is standing next to me his smile reaching both his ears. "Of course you did. Didn't I tell you?"

I give him a giant hug and jump around a bit before turning around a running off to the swings. "Well come on, what are you waiting for?"

-:-

It's an hour or two later from when we first jumped the fence and I think we've explored every inch of this park. Finally tired out I join Preston on the bench and rest my head on his shoulder. 

"We should probably go home. I'm tired and it's getting dark."

"No, let's stay just a bit more." He says. "I'm comfortable and I never get to come here."

"Alright."

We sit in a comfortable silence for a couple minutes before I speak again. 

"What do you think I was like?" I ask him. "Before the accident I mean. It's been on my mind for a while."

I feel him tense up a bit under me. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," I say immediately regretting what I said.

"No, it's okay." He takes a breath, "I think you were exactly who you are now but just different. Beautiful, independent, strong-willed, kind, and smart. A couple other things may have changed but I know those things haven't. All I know is I wouldn't trade you now for whoever you were before. No one would. You're perfect and you're you."

I smile and look up at him. "Thanks."

We sit back into the comfortable silence we were in before as I drift off to sleep.

--------------------------------------------

Finally, another chapter is up. Sorry we took so long, studying for midterms were a pain in the neck but we're back! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter,

Don't forget to vote, comment, or not.

QOTD: Have you taken your midterms yet?