Socially Awkward

Chapter Twenty One

It had been about an hour and after watching re-runs of whatever the heck I was watching, I decided to go upstairs.

My music was louder than I’d expected, but I didn’t really care. I was sat on my bed, leaning on the wall and scrolling through my twitter. My laptop flashed low battery and I walked over to where the charger was. I took a moment to look out of my window. My garden was quite beautiful at night. My house is average size – I think. I won’t lie and say we’re not rich, but we’re not… loaded I guess you’d say. But I’m definitely not spoilt, I work for my allowance. 

But anyway, back to the garden. The pond has a bridge, and this is lit with lilypad lights. It really is beautiful. My mother took up ‘gardening’ when my dad died, and swore that whatever house we live in, it will have a tribute to him. I get sad thinking about my father, how I don’t really remember him, seeing as I was only two. I think about the strain my mother would have faced. I wanted to ask her how he died, but I never found the right moment.

I sat back on my bed and got comfy, then realised that I still didn’t have my charger and my laptop was about half a minute from death.

Switch to ninja mode.

I ran back over to where my charger was and briefly glanced out of the window on my way back, mainly because I saw the shadow of a person near the gate. I continued to run to the other side of my room, before skidding to a halt. I did a backwards run to the window. A person was stood below my window.

Gulp.

*Switching to hibernation* my laptop blurted.

Oh balls.

I stood to the side of my window with my back to the wall. 

James Bond style.

All of a sudden, stones started to hit my window. This obviously meant that the suspicious person wanted my attention. It couldn’t have been Cody; he would have come to the front. Whoever it was didn’t want to be seen. Maybe it was Cody? Alli tells me he has a mysterious side that I’ve only seen snippets of so far.

I opened my window and glanced down. Whoever it was was surprised by my arrival because they sort of jumped when they looked up. Weird seeing as I live here and they were trying to get my attention with stones, I assume?

‘Hello?’ I said.

‘Um, hey.’ The person said.

‘Cody?’ I murmured. I don’t really know why, probably because at this point I was singing ‘Evenings in London’ in my head.

‘Ugh, I gotta go, bye.’ The person said before running off.

Is my life even normal? I’m going to class that as a rhetorical question because I know the answer.

I came to the conclusion that that wasn’t Cody, but it bugged me how I didn’t know who it was.

Should I text Cody? Jake? Alli? Madison? I’ve run out of people.

I sat on my bed for the next half an hour thinking intensively. I kind of forgot the importance of my mother’s outing. But it really was bugging me. I kept thinking back to the night we played hide and seek. Was it the same person, well, it could only be one person if it was.

Jake.

But why?

I heard the faint sound of the keys in the door. My mum was home.

Keep calm, be chill.

I walked down the stairs, trying not to look desperate for answers. I kept my chill face on. Even though on the inside I was completely freaking out.

‘Hello.’ Mum said. Smooth, keep me guessing why don’t you? She has no expression on her face, and I knew full well she was doing it on purpose.

‘So?’ I said, not being able to contain my excitement any longer.

‘I need to think about it more, I’ll tell you in the morning.’ She smiled.

‘Okay.’ I said, extremely frustrated. She was so calm.

Now’s the time to ask.

‘Hey mum, can I ask you a question please? You don’t have to answer it.’ I said.

‘Okay.’ She said, with a hesitant look on her face.

‘How did Dad die?’ I said, as nicely as I could put it.

‘I’ll tell you after you’ve been to Australia.’ She said.

WUUUUUUT?

She realised what she’d said. Probably because I was running towards her to give her a hug.

‘You mean it? Oh my gosh really, no way. I have to pack, I love you so much!’ I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

‘Well I was trying to keep it a secret. Damn, me and my big mouth.’ She said, hugging me back.

‘Me and mine morelike!’ I said, beaming.

Australia baby.