More Than Enough

Chapter 1: The Offer

The first thing Hallie did every morning was check the time.

The second thing she did was tell herself she had plenty of it.

The third thing was usually prove herself wrong.

Her alarm had gone off at 7:00, but she'd been awake for a few minutes before it, staring at the ceiling and listening to the faint noise of the house downstairs.

She reached for her phone.

7:07.

Hallie frowned.

Seven minutes.

She'd somehow managed to lose seven minutes without even getting out of bed.

She pushed the duvet back and sat up, her hair falling messily around her face. Her bedroom was quiet except for the hum of her phone charging beside her. For a moment, she simply sat there.

Then her brain remembered what day it was.

She was out of bed immediately.

Today was the day.

Not that anything was officially happening yet.

Not exactly.

But something was happening.

Something that could change everything.

Hallie pulled open her wardrobe and stared at it.

She had organised it perfectly three days ago.

In theory, everything had a place.

In practice, several hoodies had migrated onto the chair, two pairs of trousers were hanging over the edge of her bed, and one of her trainers was sitting underneath her desk for reasons she couldn't remember.

She reached for a pair of leggings, changed her mind, picked up jeans, then changed her mind again.

"Just get dressed," she muttered to herself.

She eventually settled on something comfortable and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

Then she noticed her school bag.

She'd forgotten to pack it.

Hallie sighed.

"Brilliant."

By the time she made it downstairs, her mum was already in the kitchen.

"You've been awake a while."

Hallie stopped halfway through opening the fridge.

"Have I?"

Her mum smiled.

"You're normally down here about now."

Hallie looked at the clock.

7:34.

She hadn't realised she'd spent nearly half an hour getting dressed.

"Oh."

Her mum slid a plate across the counter.

"Breakfast."

Hallie sat down.

For a few minutes, everything was normal.

Toast.

Tea.

Her mum asking whether she had everything for school.

Hallie checking her bag twice because she wasn't entirely convinced she did.

Then her dad walked into the kitchen.

He looked at Hallie.

Then at her mum.