Petal by Petal

first petal

"We're home, dad!"

Dad turns around and give us a smile in which I've seen for the past seventeen years of my life, instead of the smiles he offered to strangers on a cruise or the hotel when the host addresses him as the cook of their meals they had that day. Or the smile when he went on stage and accepted his first Cook of the Year award. 

(Yes there is a competition going on between chefs that we are not aware of.)

"There are my girls." Dad proceeds into giving Meaghan and I a hug. 

"How many books did you get today?" He asks, staring down at my books.

"Just. . a couple," I say, biting my lower lip.

"Honey," he says, sighing. "You know, you can buy however amount of books you want, as long as it's what you wanted, I can even buy you the whole bookstore!"

"It's okay, Dad," I say, putting my hand on his arm and guides him back to the position he was in before. "Don't worry, I got everything I wanted." 

"Annabel." He looks at me, scowling.

"I swear, Dad." 

"Mister Frampton, Miss Meaghan, Miss Annabel," Mary addresses all three of us. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but dinner is ready." 

"Wonderful!" Dad exhales, putting his arm around my shoulder and Meaghan looping her arm around his free one. "What's for dinner today, Mary?"

I smile a little as he leads me inside, away from all the questions that will come pouring if Mary didn't come to my rescue. 

                                                                            *       *      *

I was looking through my bag that I've realized that I left the book I'm reading, The Spectacular Now, at the bookstore earlier today. No, I'm doomed. I'm so close to finishing it, I knew I shouldn't have sneak a look at it when I'm waiting for the guy to give me back my change!

But he was taking a long time. 

I cover my face with both my hands and groan. Great. Just great. Now what the hell am I supposed to do at school tomorrow? Stare at people and pretend to like them? Pretend like I'm enjoying every moment of it? 

It's the first day of school tomorrow, and I'm having mixed feelings about it. I mean, it's refreshing that I get to go to school and meet up with my girls and I can bury myself in homeworks whenever. 

That also means baring with people's stupidity every five seconds and fake a smile all the damn time to random strangers that comes up to me. 

I don't know which to prefer. 

Now, here I sit on my bed after dinner, sorting through the books I bought today. I collect it and make my way to my study room, which is just next door where only I can access. Actually this study room didn't come along with the house plan, my dad built it for me after he discovered my love for reading. 

It's kinda simple actually, just the way I like it. 

There's a comfortable couch which I picked and a fireplace that matches the color of the couch and walls, and of course, four huge book shelves that's nailed onto the wall, there are all of my collection of books. 

I love spending time here as it blocks away all the noise, not that it's noisy here but it calms me down. I love cuddling here with my blanket at the fireplace during winter, it's my best way to kill time. 

I organize the books accroding to the height on the shelf as I come up with a plan for tomorrow. 

"Annabel?"