365 Days

359

359

On Friday morning I wake up with a surprise knock on the door. I roll over to look at my alarm clock, the green numbers telling me it is 7am. I know it isn't Olive, who only ever gets here at 7:30 at the absolute earliest. I don't bother getting the door because I know Mum is already up with Quentin, so I lay in bed and gaze out the window.

It's raining. Again. It isn't winter yet and it has already been raining/snowing for a week straight. I love the rain, but I don't enjoy having to be in it when I have the other option of snuggling in bed.

Downstairs, I hear Mum's voice, although I can't decipher the words. I try to listen for the tone of the surprise visitor's but they haven't spoken yet. Mum goes quiet and the other voice doesn't say anything, then the front door closes. I assume the visitor has left.

Now that I'm awake I decide to go downstairs to see what Mum is up to. I could even have breakfast before Olive gets here today; that would be a shock for all. I drag myself out of bed and pull my duvet tight around my shoulders, dragging it down the stairs with me.

I head straight for the kitchen, following the smell of bacon and eggs and the sounds of The Beatles, the music from Mum's teen days when she was wearing flowers in her hair and going from festival to festival with no shoes and tie-dyed skirts. I hum along with the radio as I enter the kitchen, smiling at my mother dancing around.

She isn't alone, and the person on the other side of the bench holding my baby brother is not my dad. I am suddenly conscious of my baggy sweatpants and too-big-for-me band t-shirt that make up my pajamas. What's worse is that my hair undoubtedly looks like a birds nest and I am still groggy with sleep.

"Good morning, honey." Mum's voice cuts through my cloud of confusion and I stare at her blankly. I blink, before turning away from my happy mother to the person on the stool.

I feel like face-palming. I didn't recognize Alex, but then again, what the hell is he doing in my house?

"Mum...?" I ask, looking between her and the smirking boy with even more confusion.

It takes her a moment until she finally understands what I am getting at. "Oh, right. Alexander came by and said he was in need of a ride to school."

"That's right," Alex nods, the mischief hidden deep in his eyes but not deep enough that I can't see it. "I texted Olive last night asking her for a lift and she said to meet her here. I guess I'm a little early though."

What a prick. And a liar. There is no way Olive would accept this. Then again, it could be part of her plan to get me to 'change the player'. I need to talk to Olive.

"Uh," I mumble, rubbing my eyes. "Excuse me." I turn and walk out of the kitchen, up the stairs and to my room. I get my phone off my beside table and collapse back into bed, pressing the phone to my ear.

It rings once, twice, and on the third one, picks up. "Hello?"

"Alex is at my house, right now. What the hell?" I get straight to the point, grumbling.

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you," she says. I can imagine her face-palming. "Hey Dakota. Alex will be at your house in the morning. We're giving him a lift to school."

"Ha. Funny."

"I know. But it's part of the plan, I'll explain it later. Just get your butt ready and I'll be there in 15."

The phone disconnects. I flip onto my back and lay down, looking at the dark blue of my roof. I am not good with mornings and I am even worse with them when people I do not like ruin them.