Mission Stereotype

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

I slept fitfully that night, and woke up far from refreshed.

My eyes seemed like they were stuck together, and I spent a few minutes trying to unstick them.

Gross.

I blearily peered at my alarm clock, and it winked 07:00 at me. What woke me up?

I frowned as a lawnmower roared somewhere down the street. Oh. So that was what woke me up. But seriously, who mows their lawn at this time in the morning?

Peering out the window, a thunderous grey storm cloud loomed above me. Not good.

Two hours until I see Mr Keenes. I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep with that racket, so I got dressed and had a quick shower. I (quietly) went downstairs to have my breakfast, and I took my iPod with me.

I hummed as I poured milk into my cereal, and ate some Poptarts. Luke came down, no doubt because of the Poptarts. He's addicted to them, can't get enough.

I gave one to him, after much hand waving (not me, of course), and he chewed it slowly, looking sleepy. I left the house at eight-thirty.

On the way to there, I stopped for a quick muffin at Starbucks. I just had enough time to walk around the corner from the main street and get to the Pavilion before it was nine o'clock. 

I didn't think anyone would appreciate me walking in with food, so I stuffed the rest of the muffin -my favourite, double choc chip with fudge cubes; always the best- in my mouth before I stepped in.

--

I found myself at Mr Keenes' door all too soon. I knocked, and heard the familiar soft "Come in.".

I sat down in the same chair as last time, the same chair every time.

I passed him my portfolio and he put it in a folder with my name on it, into a cabinet. I had to sign some papers, and read through some documents but other than that, it was pretty quick. Three-quarters of an hour later, I was walking back down to Starbucks. I waited for the bus, and went home.

"I'm back!" I sang, locking the front door. Luke was watching TV in his dressing gown, and my Mom was making coffee. My Dad was reading a newspaper. It seemed like I was the only one wearing normal clothes, everyone else was still in their pyjama's.

"Morning," greeted my Mom. She glanced at the clock. "I can drive you to meet Hazel if you want," she said helpfully. "The only thing I need to do today is to go food shopping, and the nearest supermarket doesn't open until lunch. It's ten-fifteen now, so I'll take you to wherever you're meeting her and then go shopping?"

"Okay!" I agreed with a smile. It would save me lots of time taking the car instead of the bus.

I watched TV with Luke until it was time to go.

I skipped to the car and belted myself in, grinning. As my mum started the car, I cheerily hummed along to the radio.

**

"Hazel?"

I stopped behind a chair in ... . The girl sitting in the chair had her back facing me, and a curtain of caramel mahogany hair cascading down the back of it.

She turned around, and beamed at me.

"Poppy!" she exclaimed. "Ready to watch a movie and do some shopping?" 

She grinned and winked.

I pretended to think for a moment, then yelled at the top of my voice, and earning some glares my way,