Diane Young [Camp NaNoWriMo July 2014]

Diane Young [10]

10

The day after the four o clock desserts show, Elijah West came knocking on my door early in the morning with much more force than usual. He was standing at the door with a flustered look on his face. I was immediately alarmed for the safety of Dukey.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looked at his hair. "Is Duke okay?"

He nodded. I gave a slight sigh of relief. "There's another problem, although."

"What is it? Have you run out of chameleon food?"

"No, there's no sugar in my house!"

"You what?"

He started shaking his hands, and I noticed that he was holding a container which was labeled in italics 'sugar'. Once he noticed me staring, he prised open it and showed me that save for a sugar spoon, it was completely empty.

"What are you going to do?"

He folded his arms and gave me an exasperated look. I rubbed my eyes, not understanding what was going on fully. Especially since it was seven in the morning and I wasn't accustomed to being up that early out of school time.

"Diane Young, don't make me question your intellect." He replied when he saw I was no closer to understanding his motives. "I am your neighbour. I tell you I don't have any sugar at my house. You're my neighbour."

"... Do you want some sugar?" I asked. He started clapping with a sarcastic expression on his face and I gave him a wry look.

"Of course I'd like some sugar, thanks for asking!" Elijah barged in before I could even say any more. I didn't try to kick him out, however, because he'd just sit at the door until I let him in.

He made his way to the kitchen, looking through the cupboards as of he owned the place. I checked the clock - it was before seven, which meant my mom wouldn't even be out of the house yet.

"Stasia, are you awake?!" Think of the devil ..

Mom made her way to the kitchen and met me standing by the door watching Elijah ransacking our cupboard just for the sake of some sugar.

"What is going on?" She asked, eyeing me dangerously.

"Elijah West wanted sugar."

"Hello Miss Young! Your daughter is quite something." He called from inside the cupboard. He looked like he wanted to climb into it, but I didn't understand why; the sugar was right in the front on the top shelf to the left side.

"Why is he - you know what, Stasia, I don't have time for this, I have to get to work in an hour and a half!" She gave me a slight hug and a peck on the forehead (strange behaviour) before bustling out of the house.

"Bye Ma!" I hollered after her.

Elijah yelped with joy and finally found the bag of sugar. He started to pour a little bit into the container. Once he stopped, he gave me a bright smile, possibly the brightest smile I've ever seen in my life.

"Sugar! Thank you ever so much."

"Okay?"

"Goodbye, Diane Young. See you later!"

I walked him to the door, the bright smile still on his face as he marvelled at the sugar in his hands. He didn't even look up when he left for his apartment across the hall.

Odd boy.

Since I was pretty much awake after this event, I decided to go and shower and start my day. I ate cocoa puffs in front of the TV and waited for Elijah to come and pick me up for the day. It hit me as I was waiting that I had hardly spent my summer alone, and practically depended on his company as well as Duke's.