“You want to read the guidelines so you can make sure I accomplish what the professor wants?” I added, hoping Shelly was right, and it would save me. I was a drowning man grasping at straws.
“That’s alright. Remember, I’m just checking grammar. The content is up to you.”
I sat upright in my bed. It was dark outside, the only light coming from my laptop which sat open on my bed. It was twelve twenty-six in the morning, and by now mom must have finished reading my paper. I was expecting her to burst in at any minute, ready to skin me alive. Sleep wouldn’t come. Somehow knowing my life was about to end had me wide awake. I would rather die in my sleep, but it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen.
I nearly leapt out of bed when I heard a soft knock on my door. I wasn’t about to hasten my death so I closed my laptop, and slid down pulling the blanket over my head. I was hoping that maybe if she thought I was asleep she would let me live just a little longer.
I heard the door open, and then quietly close. There was the sound of footsteps, and then my bed shifted, as someone sat down. I faked a snore, hoping to convince her I was sleeping.
“It’s just me.” I heard my sister whisper, her hand pulling back the covers.
“God, I thought I was about to die.” I whispered.
“I think you’ll be fine.”
“What, I mean…” I started.
“Shhh!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed. “Come on!”
She dragged me to the door and out into the hallway. Her hand still gripping mine, she led me to the end of the hall, to mom’s bedroom door.
“Listen.” she whispered, pulling me forward until I was almost against the door.
I stood there motionless straining to hear anything above my pounding heart. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. I stood there for what seemed like forever, suddenly I heard it, a soft moan, then another, and they were definitely not moans of pain. I held my ear almost against the door. I heard the rustle of papers, and another series of moans, and then, something in the background. It was a, it was a …
I looked at my sister, her face little more than a shadow in the dimly lit hall.
“Is she…” I started.
Shelly placed her fingers to my lips, stopping me.
Grabbing my hand she pulled me back to my room, as silently as possible.
Once in my room, she rushed over to my bed and grabbed my laptop. Flipping it open she looked up at me.
“So, you changed it?” she said, her voice little more than a whisper.
She started typing, entering my password.
“How’d you know…” I started then quickly glanced back at the door, afraid I might have spoken too loud.
She just smiled and flipped my laptop over. I had forgotten to take the tape with my password off the bottom of the computer.
“Sorry.” she shrugged.
“So, this is the final edition.” she said, as the screen filled with page one of my paper.
I nodded, and she held the laptop in the air and patted the bed beside her.
“Okay if I…”
I nodded, still glued to the spot at the foot of the bed.
“Wanna read it with me?”
I blushed, and she leaned toward me, holding out her hand. I let her take my hand, guiding me into the bed beside her. She slid her arm around my shoulders, guiding my head to rest on her chest.