Reincarnated

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"Wow, someone's jumpy." The figure replies haughtily. I continue to stare at them in disbelief. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is my face really that misshapen?"

I blink several times. "Hazel?"

"Yes, 'tis I. Hello Kiara." The figure jumps up off the bed and steps into the light, revealing the grinning face of my best friend. "Why are you still looking at me like I'm a serial killer?"

"Why are you sitting in my room? In the dark?" I ask, finally managing to find my voice.

"I'm here as a surprise. For you. From your father. For the holidays. Surprise!" She throws her hands up, wriggling her fingers around in the air.

I burst out laughing and throw my arms around her. "Don't lie to me Hayz. You're here for you."

"What? No! How could you possibly think that? I am offended and hurt. Hurt to the nth degree." She declares, holding her hands up in the air and refusing to return my hug. I pull back just so she can see the dry look I'm giving her. Hazel cracks a sheepish grin. "Okay, so it may have been my suggestion for me to join you here over summer, but that's beside the point!"

I chuckle, shaking my head as I switch on my bedroom light. "That still doesn't explain why you were sitting in my room in the dark."

"Because I'm creepy and the darkness is my friend." Hazel shrugs, pushing her round wire-frame glasses further up her nose. She falls back on my bed and leans back on her elbows. "Why were you so freaked out?"

"Because your face really is that misshapen." I shoot back, collapsing next to her with a sigh.

"Okay Keeks, I love you, I really do, but that was incredibly racist. How dare you call my face misshapen? You know, just because I'm Chinese does not mean you get to call my face misshapen. That is racism at it's most hurtful." She berates, smacking me in the face with one of my pillows. I roll away with a giggle as she continues her assault. "And laughing about it doesn't make me or my misshapen face feel any better!"

"You're a hypocrite, do you know that? A hypocrite." I tell her, kicking her off my bed. Hazel hits the floor with a thump and a loud yelp. After a few seconds her head pops up again, beaming at me contritely.

"I think we can both agree that you love my hypocrisy." She retorts. I shrug non-committedly. Hazel narrows her eyes and grabs my wrist, yanking me over the edge of the bed. She stares down at me, her short black hair tickling my face. "Why were you so freaked out?"

"Why are you so weird?" I shoot back, wincing at my twinging muscles as I push myself up to my feet. "Also, ow."

"Oh quit whining, you big baby. The floor is covered in shag carpet, it's as soft as a cloud." Hazel rolls her eyes, leaning back against the edge of my bed. "You're also trying to distract me from my questions, which is literally impossible, because questions are basically all I live on, and I can't be distracted from them. So why were you freaked?"

I wrinkle up my nose at her. She's unrelenting. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I'm an archaeologist in training, Keeks. I believe everything is possible unless materialistically proven otherwise." She responds dryly. "Hit me with your impossibility."

I sigh in defeat, avoiding eye contact as I mumble, "I woke up Dad's mummy."

"What?"

I huff and meet her gaze. "I woke up Dad's mummy."

Hazel bursts out laughing. "You what?"

"I—I woke him up!" I exclaim. She roars with laughter. "Stop laughing! I'm not kidding!"