Crazy but Sweet, Sweet but Crazy

38: persuasion

Like most people my age, the first thing I did waking up from bed, was checking of my messages, then Instagram.

I didn't need to scroll too long to come across a suggested post.

It was Jessica sitting at an outdoors cafe with Sonia and Michael, a paparazzi photo that had been taken just this morning.

Michael was in a plain black and white suit, looking visibly tired.

Sonia was in the simple blue dress she wore to church service. Jessica was in a blue tweed dress, drinking coffee.

The photo- taken by a paparazzi or a curious passer-by- kindly zoomed in on their breakfast menu of croissant, coffee and orange juice.

I checked a message from Jessica.

Sonia and I have been summoned by the police for an interview too. Michael's going with us.

Breakfast is on the table. Have a lovely day at school. Or anywhere else, if you decide to skip. Kisses, Jess

There was no message or missed call from Elliot. I dropped my phone onto my bed.

"Wow. I seriously need to know how on earth these people manage to identify the brand, size and color of the clothes celebrities are wearing so bloody fast."

Bianca said with genuine amazement, emerging from my bathroom brushing her teeth.

She showed me her phone screen.

It was an Instagram post detailing the pricing and brand of everything Jessica had on, from her stud earrings, sunglasses, tweed dress to even her plain black loafers.

"Thanks, fits okay." Ester looked at herself in the mirror in one of my school uniforms.

Bianca pointed to her attire of my pajamas. "The three of us are really, really going to school today?"

"No one did anything wrong." Ester said plainly, tying up her hair into a ponytail.

"Very true! Even those who did anything wrong go to school. Like a couple of the kids in Homeroom 6C who did drugs.

"Oh, there was one that bribed a teacher for exam results too," remarked Bianca cheerily, picking up the other school uniform that I'd given to her.

Sonia, Michael and Jessica had chosen to eat out, chosen to be seen in plain sight by passers-by and paparazzi.

They wanted to show they'd done nothing wrong.

Unlike three years ago, when we'd chosen to hide.

Three plates of French toast with scrambled eggs had already been set down on the dining table.

"Lovely day for driving," mused Bianca through a mouthful, looking out at the clear blue sky.

"Sonia is an angel, honestly. This French toast is bloody amazing. I still don't know how to properly toast a plain piece of bread without making it black and crispy."

"By the way, I'm driving," I said strongly.

"No, it's okay." Joyfully sipping her cup of coffee, Bianca swatted her hand as if there was a fly. "I look least like the zombie among the three of us right now. And I love driving."

I didn't exactly look the most awake, that I had to agree with.

Dark circles that had formed on my skin stood out sharply against the green of my eyes. I'd had to use some concealer in a long time.

Distractedly, I glanced at my phone. No missed calls, and no unread messages.

"You drive, and there's a chance none of us will be awake- permanently," Ester said with composure. "I'll drive."