**(2nd Place in The Chillin' Awards General Fiction Category)**
Hero's don't have to come in shining armour. They don't have to come with gleaming swords, or muscular sidekicks. They also don't have to be fearless and brave, although it helps to be...
"So, did you have fun today?" Asks Mathilda as we walk along the road home from school. She insisted on not leaving me even though we had been together all day at the beach. Usually I would mind this and be really uncomfortable, but not with Mathilda. Huh.... Oh, right, she just asked me a question. "Of coarse! Who doesn't like the beach? What was your favourite part?" "Duh....watching John and Allen's little mishap! And floating with you for an hour telling jokes." I can't deny, I was chuckling about the duo's mishap even, like, 2 hours after it happened!
"Hey Elise, what are you doing this evening?" Mathilda questions. I can see she had a little hopeful gleem in her bright hazel eyes. "Uh, well, my dad is working late tonight and my mom has a dinner date set up with her new friend, so I've got tonight free! Probably I'll find some leftover popcorn in the freezer for dinner and spend my time reading!" "Why don't you come on over to my place? You can meet my fam, hang out, eat dinner and then you can borrow a bike and I'll ride home with you! I think I only live about 3 blocks from your house, so it'll be perfect!" I think the proposition over in my head. That means I will have to talk to a few more people, but i would be spending more time with Mathilda, which I kinda like. Still on the fence about it, I think up a quick answer. "You know what? Let me call my mom and check if that's fine with her, and if so, I'll come!" She nods and I take a few steps away from her, then press 'call' under Mom's profile. "'Lise! What's up? Are you headed home now? Or do you need me to pick you up? Oh gosh, was I supposed to pick you up today?" That is her first reaction when she answers the phone. "No, mom, we didn't plan on you picking me up today," I hear her let out a relived breath. "But, I called because this girl I've kinda known since the first day of school, Mathilda, asked me over to her house tonight for dinner. I was thinking of saying no, but..." "No? 'Lise, YES! This is what we've been waiting for! Go on, have some fun, let me know if I have to pick you up after dinner! Love you!" Beep. I look down at my phone. Call ended. Oh brother....here goes nothin!
"Dinner it is!" I tell Mathilda, who stood waiting patiently for me. "Great! Oh, come on, let's go! Only a few streets more!" With that she practically drags me down the street, onto another street and to a beachy style cabin surrounded by tall Southern Red Cedar trees. "My mom's home, let's go see her first!" Mathilda squeels, jabbing her finger in the direction of a white Hilux pickup parked a few feet from the house. Whatever you say, ma'am!
Inside the house is beautifully modern, with a fair bit of typical coastal themes. In front of the entrance is a staircase leading to the second floor. To the right of it sits a small sitting room with two single seater wicker couches and a larger two seater pushed against the stairs. On the right wall is a black sofa table with modern white decor scattered across it, and above that, a large camvas of turquoise, aqua and white waves. To the left of the stairs is a galley style kitchen and dining area. Long white counter tops order two sides of the kitchen as well as high and low cabinets. At the end of the kitchen is a round wooden dining table surrounded by five tall back chairs. From the ceiling hangs a metal light fixture, hung to shed light upon many meals. The house is gorgeous to say the least.
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