Under the Influence

Chapter Seventeen: The Girl with the D&D Tattoo

Chapter 17: The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo

Years and years of a careful, routine morning schedule to prevent this from happening, but it did anyway, and for a downright stupid reason at that: my alarm clock broke. Ever since kindergarten I maintained a perfect attendance record at school and now it was all just going to waste because of a clunky and annoying piece of plastic with a dead battery.

   Why was it that whenever you wake up late there’s not enough time to do anything? Not even pee. That was what I asked myself as I fished my phone out of yesterday’s jeans and finally checked the time—it was 8:27. School started at 8:30.

   For some reason (the same reason I knew I’d be late the moment I woke up) I had a feeling that Hunter wasn’t in class yet—probably not at school, for that matter—and so I decided to call him and ask for a ride. I wasn’t sure why I called exactly, since I would’ve been fine just walking (I was late anyway, so why not?), but I think it had something to do with my brain’s natural morning incompetence.

   After confirming the fact that he was not at school yet, Hunter agreed to give me a ride. Just before hanging up, he told me that he’d be here in about five minutes.

   Great. That gave me just enough time to do a whole lot of nothing.

   I did the minimum of my morning routine (which was practically my usual routine, just without showering or eating breakfast), but I wasn’t even quick enough because Hunter arrived while I was still in the bathroom, putting on substantial amounts of deodorant on my armpits to compensate for my lack of a proper shower this morning.

   I had unlocked the front door for Hunter as soon as our call ended, and now I could hear him rummaging through the kitchen cabinets downstairs. “Charlie, where are you?” he called loudly, his voice echoing throughout the house.

   “Upstairs!”

   I heard footsteps sound, gradually getting closer with each step, and the distinct creak of the third stair from the top. “Bathroom?”

   “Bathroom,” I confirmed.

   “I’ll just wait in your room, then.” How considerate of him.

   “Okay, just give me a minute!” I brushed my teeth quickly, but not too fast or I would lose my efficiency.

   When I finally returned to my room, Hunter was leaning against my desk reading something off a rainbow-coloured piece of paper. A smirk graced his features, and he made no point to try to hide it.

   I completely froze in my tracks and let a hand run down my face slowly. Oh no. There was only one thing I ever wrote on fancy rainbow stationery like that and it was—

   “Charlie’s Bucket List,” he read aloud, evidently attempting to conceal his sniggers by clearing his throat.

   It wasn’t a bucket list, exactly… Okay, fine, it was. After Mom and Dad died I had started to think about life a lot more. I compiled a bunch of things I wanted to do before I die in a list, and then shortened it to my top five. I didn’t know if I was actually going to do any of it in my lifetime, but it felt good writing it down. I had written that years ago, and honestly, I almost forgot about it. Well, until now, at least.

   “Hey, give that back!” I exclaimed, cheeks flushing. I bet Hunter thought everything on the list was stupid since I was sure he had already done at least two-fifths of what was catalogued there. “Hunter!” I rushed over to where he was standing and lunged for the paper, but he managed to sprint around me and over my bed until he was momentarily safe on the other side of my room. Our little game of cat and mouse went on until I finally backed him into a corner. Unfortunately, Hunter was much taller than me and had resorted to holding the list high above his head as I made fruitless attempts to jump and grab it.