Chapter 5
I awoke the next morning with a mixture of excitement and dread. Today was the big day for Free the Children, today was what weeks of preparation and advertising had gone towards: the International Banquet. This was going to be the fifth time this annual event had been organized, and I couldn't wait to be a part of it. I turned off my alarm and started to get ready quickly. I'd made a promise to Kadie and Tracy, and there was no way in hell I was going to be even a second late to help.
An hour later, I was showered and dressed, and finishing my breakfast. Suddenly Sid came hopping into the room carrying some contraption made of cardboard and plastic. "What the hell is that?" I asked, pointing at the thing in horror. "Heavy," he replied with a grin. "It's supposed to be a bottle rocket, can't you tell? We had to design one for Tech. class." He looked from it to me again. I shook my head. "I'm afraid all I see is a bunch of cardboard and plastic that's been taped together. But if it's heavy like you say, you better hurry. It may take longer to get to school today if you're carrying that." Our parents walked in to hear the end of my remark. Dad looked at me with a slight frown on his face. "Um actually Akash, we need you to drive Sid to school today." I stopped eating with my fork halfway to my mouth. "Say what?" I asked, not daring to look at the time, I knew right now I was just on schedule. Mom nodded almost apologetically.
I knew it would be no good arguing; it would only delay me more. I glanced at the clock and saw it was 9:25. Leaving my breakfast unfinished, I snatched up my phone, wallet and keys. "Let's go," I ordered, "now." I grabbed Sid's "rocket" and almost sprinted out to the car. As I unlocked it and sat in the driver's seat, I looked back and saw with anger that everyone else was leisurely walking to the car. "Will you get your asses in the car?" I bellowed. Dad looked at me angrily. "Language Akash! And it's such a nice day, take it eas-" I cut him off. "If you don't get in now, I'm leaving you all here and you can walk. You'll enjoy it too, seeing how it's such a great day," I muttered dangerously. "I have plans and promises to keep, and I'm not letting them be ruined by a hunk of cardboard." Dad and Sid glared at me, but all three of them clambered into the car quickly, as they could see I was completely serious.
As I started up the engine, I spoke again. "Fasten your seatbelts and hang on to your stuff, this is going to be one rollercoaster ride," I said loudly. I glanced at the rear-view mirror to see Dad looking warningly at me. "Akash, drive carefully! Or else I'll-" But what else he would have done we never found out, as I reversed quickly out of the driveway and was furiously steering the car towards Sid's school. "AKASH!" Dad roared but I barely heard him. Within three minutes I had pulled up in front of the school doors. My brother stepped out, clutching his prized project and looking like he had just survived the apocalypse. As I drove out of the school parking lot, I saw my parents exchange a look of pure terror through the mirror. "This is your own fault," I said calmly. "Don't spring last-minute changes to my plan, tell me in advance." I dropped them off at work - and I don't think I've ever seen them more relieved and happy in my life - and raced to Byerlin, not bothering to check the time, I already knew I must be late.
When I parked in the back parking lot, I was surprised that Kadie wasn't there and pissed off that I couldn't be bothered to show up on time. I looked around confused as I stepped out of the car, there was no sign of her or the SUV which was supposed to be carrying the cutlery and dishes. But for some reason there were still students wandering around the grounds. Bewildered, I suddenly swivelled on the spot as Kadie's voice rang behind me. "You're something else, you know that?" she said, looked at me with an amused smile. I braced myself for her anger, but her next words almost made me fall down. "I mean it's crazy enough that you agreed to help out with this, but you came 20 minutes early?" My eyes widened and I whipped out my phone, 9:40?! I wonder how many speed limits I crossed, if I'd managed to drop my whole family and reach school in fifteen minutes. The petrified faces of Sid and my parents appeared in my mind's eye again and I chuckled, no wonder they had looked like that! I'm shocked I wasn't pulled over! I laughed to myself and gave Kadie a small hug. "I told you I would come meet you early," I smiled. She smiled back and led me to the car.
