Troubles at Home - Chasing Normal, Arc 7

Scene 40: Playing Hooky

When the alarm clock rang the next morning, Travis knocked it off the nightstand and pulled her blankets over her head. I can't face another day of this. She tried to convince herself to go back to sleep, but it didn't work. How does she live like this?

Travis threw off her blankets, set the alarm clock back on the nightstand, and planted her feet on the nubby carpet. And stared out the window. Her alarm clock started ringing again, and she shut it off with a heavy sigh. She threw together a quick outfit from what was clean in her closet and slung her bag across herself.

Breakfast in the form of waffle strips and a small pile of fruit was waiting for her on the counter, along with her lunch.

"I was starting to think you were sick," Lydia set a glass of milk down next to the plate.

Travis shrugged and grabbed her lunch.

"No breakfast? That's not healthy behavior for a girl your age."

Why? Why are you picking now to mother me? "I don't have time. I'm running really late."

"I can pack them to go. You really should eat something, Travis."

The teenager opened her mouth to say something. Don't take your annoyance at Mom out on poor Lydia. This isn't her fault. Travis closed her mouth and looked at her breakfast, cheerful and colorful on the white plate. "Sorry. You're right. Yes, can I have them to go, please?"

Lydia smiled and quickly wrapped up everything including the milk. Travis smiled sheepishly as she accepted them.

By the time she reached the street, Will had left more messages than she'd ever seen from him. They'd started calm, and then become more histrionic as they went. The last one threatened to call the police. I finally have that one true girlfriend. She chuckled and texted him back: I'm sick. For real this time. I'll message you later.

And then she stared at her screen. Why would I tell him I'm sick when I'm on my way to work?

She couldn't answer the question. The whole reason she dragged herself out of bed was to go to work, which she was now very late for. The longer she stared at the screen, the more she wanted to chuck her phone into the bushes and go hide.

The brilliance of the idea took quick root, and she turned off her phone, buried it in her bag, and snacked on waffle sticks on her way to the arcade. I'm going to play hooky from being Travis Ando today.

==

The arcade was just opening when Travis got there. The attendant waved at her as she passed on her way to her favorite pod. I'd better set my alarm so I can get home in time to make Mom think I went to work.

She settled in, and within moments was staring at her, actually Drea's, virtual living room. There was a package in the middle of the room. Travis scanned it and found it was left by Rose and Gloria: A little something to cheer you up.

She opened the package. Inside was the closest thing the virtual world had to a dog. She squealed as the animal yelped and jumped and prepared to pounce her feet. "I'll name you later, but for now how about a snack?" She scanned the creature to see what it needed, and then gave it some food from her inventory.

The creature seemed content to roll around her living space and jump on her furniture while she worked on quests she couldn't complete from her tablet. The alarm went off a few hours later, but by then Travis was playing with her new companion in a field not too far from her home.

It was an hour or so later when Travis noticed the time. I'm dead. She figured out how to leave supplies for the creature and secure it in the house, logged off, and all but ran home.

The screaming started when she walked in the door. The shrill tone obliterated any coherence, and without thinking Travis clamped her hands over her ears.

Her mother pulled her hands away. "Where have you been?"

"Work." She wrestled her arms free.

"That would be why that little crew friend I told you to ditch stopped by to see if you were feeling better?"

Oh, no. Will! "Sorry. I needed time off."

"Because your life is just so rough." Shiri stormed over to the common area and threw herself at the couch.

Travis slipped into her room and stayed there the rest of the night.