One...two...three...four... I mentally counted to myself, waiting.
I felt the already-familiar prodding of the wooden stick in my side.
"Five more minutes," I mumbled, turning away from the pool cue my uncle was holding, snuggling to the deepest corner of my bed where he couldn't reach me.
I heard my uncle's soft, cautious tread come closer to the bed. Just as he extended the pool cue to poke me again, I suddenly whipped upright to face him.
"RAWR!"
My uncle let out a blood-curdling scream and promptly fell to the ground, breaking the cue in half.
"Courtney, don't DO that," he said weakly from the floor, as I rolled around on my bed, laughing. I try to make my mornings more interesting.
I finally sat up. "Oh all right, I'm up," I said, still grinning as I swung my legs to the side of the bed.
My uncle picked himself up from the floor, wincing as he rubbed his tailbone.
"Okay... great... see you downstairs." He hobbled out of my room dramatically, leaning on the stick like a crutch and closed my door. I grinned and walked over to my laptop and plopped down, ignoring the time and opening my email.
I had a few from my family. I opened one email and managed to read, through many mistakes:
Dear Courtney,
Please come home before I die. I don't have very long to live because my birthday is coming up and then I'll be six and then I'll die. What does it feel like to die, Cor? I want to know. I also wish I could remember all the things that I forgot to tell you. But I forgot. Where do forgotten things go, Cor? I want to know. I have to go now because David says he will tie me up in a knot if I don't leave. What does it feel like to be tied up in a knot, Cor? I want to know. David says if I sit here longer, I'll find out. I wish you were here to tell me stuff, because everyone else tells me to stop talking. Why did you leave, Cor? I want to know.
From, Timmy
I grinned, but was still aware of the pang I felt. I missed Timmy so much! Five year-old Timothy always wanted to know stuff, and he used to ask me all the time. My mom had caught me messing with his little mind a few times, because whenever I didn't know the answer, I made one up. He asked why the sun was yellow once, and I said that's where God peed in the sky. My mom had asked what kind of a Christian I was, and I had to keep reminding Timmy that, in fact, the sun is a star and not a pee stain.
I remembered (true story, readers) one time when Timmy wouldn't stop sucking his thumb, I told him if he kept doing it, his tummy would get bigger and bigger and then he'd explode. The next Sunday, we had gone to Church. Timmy had caught sight of a pregnant lady and, marching up to her, looked her dead in the eye and said, "I know what you've been doing." I had laughed but my mom was horrified.
But in all seriousness, I have to send poor Timmy an email, assuring him he won't die when he's six. I wonder what David has been telling him.
I opened the email from David next.
Dear Courtney,
How are you? I am fine. How is California? Dad is sitting beside me right now and he says to tell you the guys here are much better-looking so don't get any ideas. Please don't get married, Cor, that would be gross. I heard you got in a food fight. Mom was angry. Dad laughed. I think you are awesome. It's too bad you left. I miss you. Guess what? Today my teacher Mr. Roy told our class that we can leave for recess early if someone could tell him what a butt muscle is called. I raised my hand and said "Gluteus maximus." He was impressed. Thank you for teaching me that, even if you always used it to say you would spank my gluteus maximus whenever I was annoying. Mr. Roy says he remembers you, but I think all he remembers is how you taped the frog to the ceiling and let it fall on the Principal's head. His wig came off. Do you remember that, Cor? I do. I hate Madame Los, though. She is horrible, and when she speaks in French it makes me want to barf. Do you have to learn French, Cor? I want to learn Spanish so I can come and live with you. I gotta go now. I don't have a reason why I'm going, but I just think I should. Bye. Write back.
From Dave dude.
I was laughing all the way through the email. There was one last one from my mom. I glanced up at the clock. I was going to be late, but I'll read this one quickly.
Dear Courtney,
How are you, honeycake? I hope you're doing fine. Your father and I are good, though the boys miss you and your influence. We all miss you. I think I should be proud that I haven't gotten a call of complaint about you in a whole five days. But I would like to hear your voice, sweetie-pie, so call us today when you get back from school. Isaac can afford it more than we can. is that how you make a smiley face in text speak? Is there an evil smiley face? I would need to know that one. Courtney, your mother is msn-illiterate. We're all looking forward to winter break to come see our special girl perform! We'll be waiting for your call.
Love, Mom and Dad.
Goodness but I love my family. And I miss them, too. Maybe this play will bring ONE good thing - my family's visit. I hurried to put on a navy blue V-neck and black yoga pants. I twisted my hair up into a messy bun and added some mascara. Then I bounced down the stairs where my uncle was waiting for me.
"Money," he said, tucking some money into my purple shoulder bag. I pulled on my shoes.
"Thanks!" I said, giving him a quick hug. He patted my back cheerfully, looking gleeful and like a little kid. I eyed him warily.
"What?" he asked, in a too-innocent voice, pushing me out the door. I stuck my tongue out at him, just in case he was up to something, and then hurried down the steps.
I stopped short as I caught sight of, not the Lexus I had been expecting, or the Mercedes, but a BMW. Jake was leaning against the hood of the gorgeous car, in a freaking TUX, holding a breath-taking bouquet of golden roses. He smiled when he saw me and my jaw, which were separate pieces of me by now.
"Hey, Courtney," he said slowly, holding out the roses to me. My heart melted.
He cleared his throat nervously, glancing down, then peered up at me from his lashes. I was suddenly reminded of how flipping cute he was.
"I'm sorry for being such a..."
"Jerk?" I couldn't help but say, but I smiled as I took the roses from him, burying my face in them.
"How did you know the yellow ones are my favourite?" I asked, inhaling deeply.
"I didn't," he said, grinning triumphantly. "Great minds think alike. So does this mean you forgive me?"
I eyed him, and he looked suddenly nervous again. I knew I had forgiven him a long time ago; besides, after kneeing him, I think he deserves a break.
I grinned at him and his answering grin blazed across his face. I turned to take the roses back to my house, and heard a snicker behind me.
Bounding through my front door, I caught my uncle, on his way upstairs. He froze, looking at me nervously too, which I didn't understand. But the huge smile on my face made him relax.
"Courtney, you're going to be la-ate!" he sang. I handed the flowers to a stunned Rebecca.
"I'm going, I'm going," I sang back. "Have a great day!"
I ran back to the BMW, where Jake was already at the wheel, engine idling. I slid in beside him and he turned with a smirk. I narrowed my eyes.
"What?"
"Are you aware that it says, "Jump me!" on your back?"
My eyes widened in horror and I frantically felt my back and ripped off the piece of paper that my uncle had stuck on when he had hugged me.
I lunged for my door, but Jake was faster. Reaching one muscular arm across, he cut off my escape route.
"Let me have a go at 'im!" I begged.
"No, Courtney. You've got to learn that you don't always have to get physical when someone crosses you. There are other ways," he said, grinning evilly as he backed out of my driveway and passed through the gates of the mansion, on our way to school.
"True," I agreed. "It's on!" I said, meaning my uncle. Beside me, Jake chuckled.
"Same old Courtney," he said, laughing.
"Same old Jake," I said, smirking. I liked it this way. Asking for my forgiveness hadn't made Jake humble at all; instead, he was as ready to laugh at me as ever.
I settled back; we were late but oh well. At least everything was going good.
**Two uploads in one day, to make up for the delay. One of my friends actually said that thing to her brother about sucking his thumb, and my brother's teacher really did ask him the name of the gluteus maximus and he got it right because of me. I love it when weird knowledge is useful in life! Anyways, hope you enjoyed it, have a fun-filled day! :)**