I hear my phone buzz on the kitchen counter. I pick it up and read a message from Dina.
'Café at 6. Josh is coming. See you in 20. Don't be late. Love you.'
I don't feel like going but I really need to be around people right now. I change into a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a grey strappy top. I let my hair down and put on a little make-up. I'm not in the mood to wear heels so I grab my grey pumps and slip them on. I open the garage and sit in the blue car that I was told once belonged to my parents. The thought of them comforts me.
I park the car in the lot and walk towards the Centrum for the second time today. It's still brightly lit and full of people talking and laughing. I get into the lift and go to the second floor where the café is.
The café is hard to miss because of the screen above the doorway flashing 'Bean Café' and right under it in smaller letters the words 'Best coffee and cake in Hershell' appear and disappear.
I can't help but look around suspiciously. They're most probably already watching you. The warning from earlier still rings in my head like an alarm going off. I ignore my unnecessary paranoia and paste a smile on my face.
I walk in and spot Josh and Dina. They're so busy in a debate about donuts that they don't even notice me walk in.
"Well I prefer chocolate cake over everything if anyone is interested" I say as I sit down and we all laugh together.
"Hey! Sorry I didn't see you coming in. Unfortunately Josh seems to have other plans more important than us so he's leaving" Dina says and points with her eyes to a girl sitting alone in the corner.
"It's the first girl who's agreed to go on a date with me Dina so you can't hold this against me" Josh snorts back.
"She's 2 years younger than you! Obviously she agreed to go on a date with an older guy! Emphasis on older!" Dina attacks back.
"Oh is that jealousy I smell?" he asks grinning.
Dina's face turns bright pink.
"No... Uhm... Jealous me? I'm not... Just go..."
With his invisible crown of victory Josh grins then with a slight blush walks towards his date.
Dina and I order and then pass just over an hour with our usual girly banter and boy talk. She spent a lot of the time glaring at Josh and his date. And every time his date so much as smiled she made some sort of a snorty remark.
She tried to bring Jason and his mother into the conversation a few times but I brushed it off ever so slightly. I really am not in the mood to tell her what happened earlier today but I realize at some point I will have to tell her. She is my best friend after all but... Just not today.
After saying my goodbyes to Dina, Josh and his date I drive home slowly and try my best to not notice the time.
19:48. 19:51. 19:53. 19:56. 19:58.
I finally get home and try my best to calm myself in the remaining 2 minutes I have to myself.
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YOU ARE READING
The System
Science FictionAlannah finds out the life she's been living is a complete lie. She's trapped in one of many biological programmes and her memories have been replaced with a life she thinks is hers. The programmes are controlled by The System. They are a small team...
