When I Met Alysa

6. Cleaning up the Mayden Household

At four a.m. sharp my alarm blares, and I jolt upwards, eyes full of sleep dust. Through my window I can see all the lights in the Mayden household are on, and shadows are bustling about in the windows. There's a knock at my door. It's Mum, in her nightie. 'Come on, darling, get dressed. Daddy's making breakfast.' 

I slip into my jeans and t-shirt, rake a hand through my unruly ginger hair, and follow Mum downstairs to where the sweet smell of bacon is wafting around. 

'Full English Breakfast,' grins Dad, slopping the scrambled eggs everywhere except my plate, 'Mel, get the toast on, won't you?' 

Mum, who has the iron out, moves to put the bread in the toaster, knocking the ironing board in the process. The iron, the blouse and the ironing board all come tumbling down, and Mum hops out of the way, dislodging the frying pan. Bacon flies all over the place, and Mum squeals - a red-hot piece has landed on her foot. 

By luck or coincidence, a low-flying piece of bacon lands square on my plate. I feel like that girl Matilda in the film, where there's chaos everywhere and cakes going all over the place, and one just randomly lands in her bowl. I grin, and tuck in. 

'Maddi,' says Mum, once she's got an ice-pack on her foot, and order is regained, 'what time is it?' 

'Four fifty-seven,' I say, glancing at my watch. 'Oh, no! I have to be across the road in three minutes, and I haven't brushed my hair, or gone to the loo, or done anything!' I've now gone into Full-Panic Mode, and Mum spends two of the three minutes attempting to calm me down. 

When finally she's suceeded, I follow her to the front door, combing my hair. 'You can go to the loo at Ally's house,' she soothes, and I cast one last regretful glance at the hall mirror What a mess! before stepping out of the front door with Mum and Dad in tow. 

The road is silent, and the streetlamps cast an eerie glow over the cemented paving-stones. The Maydens' front foor is open, but there's no noise coming from the house. The Maydens are WAAAY better at avoiding chaos than we are. 

Alysa appears at the doorway, wearing shorts, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of sunglasses. 'Hi,' she says anxiously. 'Come on in.' 

Charlotte Mayden is sitting on a neon-pink suitcase, while Daniel attempts to do it up. The living room is almost completely bare, apart from the TV, the sofas and the coffee table. Upstairs, it's much the same - the bedrooms have only a bed and a wardrobe in them, and the shelf in the bathroom has been cleared of trashy magazines. 'We're having people rent the house,' says Alysa, by way of explanation. 'Everything has to be perfect.' 

'What are they called?' I ask. If I've got people staying in the house opposite, I want to know who they are.

'Twins our age,' says Alysa, 'Lilac and Azalea... a boy, Rory, about seven... their mum and dad, of course. Yeah, I think that's it.' She tears down the last One Direction poster off the wall of her room. 'Hope they're nice. Check them out when you come back and update me, right?' 

'Sure,' I say. 

'Come on. Mum's gonna go into orbit if we're not done soon.' We parade through the rooms, taking anything belonging to the Maydens out except for the basics. Then, when the rooms are clear, we rush down the stairs. My mum and dad are standing in the hall, clearly at a loss for what to do. It's five-twenty-nine. 

'Mu-um!' hollers Ally, and Charlotte rushes into the hall. 

'Oh, yes, Melissa, Jonathan. Lovely to see you. Please do make yourselves at home - at least until we leave. DANIEL!' she screams. 'OUR PLANE IS LEAVING IN FOUR HOURS AND WE'RE NOT READY!'

Daniel speeds into the hall, grabs the pink suitcase and carries it out to the car. 'Ally, get yours!' he calls. 'Quick!' 

Alysa rushes upstairs and comes back down with a 1D suitcase. I grimace. I've never liked One Direction. 

'Madison, have you got yours?' asks Charlotte. I nod, showing her my Minion Deluxe suitcase with the adorable picture of the minion with the loudspeaker, pretending to be a fireman. 'Good. Get it in the car.' Her voice is high-pitched with anxiety. 'Daniel!' she calls again. 'Come and get yours!'

Daniel Mayden's suitcase is a camo one, decorated with shades of green and brown. He reappears and grabs Alysa's, his and mine, and lugs them out to the car. 

Alysa glances around the house, as if she can't quite believe she's not going to see it again for five months. 'Come on, Ally,' says Charlotte gently. 'Shall we get in the car now?' Alysa nods, biting her lip, and disappears through the doorway. 

'Madison? Hurry up,' says Charlotte, more firmly, and follows her daughter through the front door. I'm left with my mum and dad in the hall. 

'We love you, kiddo,' says Dad, and I rush to give them a hug. 

'Miss you,' says Mum. 'We'll email every day. Promise.' 

'Goodbye,' I choke, turn away, and walk through the door. I look back one last time. 'Come on, Maddi!' squeals Alysa's voice, and then Charlotte's - 

'Shush, Alysa, she's just saying goodbye. It's understandable.' 

Daniel revs the engine, and I run to hug my parents one more time. 'Brush your teeth every day,' whispers Mum, and I roll my eyes at her. More typical Mum behaviour. 'Love you,' I say, and Alysa calls again,

'Come ON, MADISON BELL!' I shout, 'Coming!' and blow a kiss to Mum and Dad, climbing into the back seat beside my best friend. 

I watch my parents through the back windscreen. They wave us round the corner, hugging each other and blowing kisses to me, and, knowing my mum and dad, they're probably still waving.