The little Luna

Chapter four - Shopping

I must have fallen asleep eventually because the next thing I remembered was Belle gently shaking me awake at about nine o'clock."Wake up sleepy head, the day's running away!" I got out of bed and went into the bathroom to put on my clothes from yesterday while Belle drew the curtains. I was wearing a flowy white blouse with ripped Jean shorts and a pair of red sneakers; it was the only outfit that I had here and I couldn't wait to get into some clean clothes on. I brushed my hair with a brush I found in the bathroom and ran my tongue over my teeth to feel how furry the were from not brushing them yesterday.

I couldn't wait to get a toothbrush either.

I went downstairs into the kitchen and got myself a glass of water; I didn't want any breakfast because of the pancakes I ate earlier - unlike the other three people in the room who were wolfing down their toast. Aaron, Daniel and Thomas were all sitting at one of the islands stuffing themselves until Daniel looked up, grunted at me and pulled a face. Aaron and Thomas both saw him and poked him in the ribs while he cried "really?!" Even though they didn't poke him that hard.

"Hey, good morning Grace.I found you a room to sleep in last night" Thomas said "You can go up and see it now before we go; and you can choose some new bedcovers and things to put in it when we go shopping." He gave me directions to my new room and then went back to eating his toast.

I trotted up the stairs, trying to find the room. What had he said? Up the stairs, turn left, third door on the right? I went in that direction, counting the doors as I went along. One, two, three - there it was; it even had a cardboard door hanger on the handle saying 'Grace's room'. I opened the door and stepped inside. The room had white walls covered with bright watercolour paintings and a beautiful old fireplace sitting in the middle; light came through and filled the room from the massive window at the far side and a white, curved metal bed with no duvet or pillows was pressed against the wall with a matching desk,cupboard and book shelf opposite.

The room was so pretty, but so bare. It didn't look like it belonged to anyone; least of all me. What I wanted right then was my own room at my own home with my own family.
Not this. I didn't want this. I never asked for this.

I brushed away the little tear gathered in my eye - I was NOT going to cry today. I closed the door and headed back downstairs to the front door, waiting for Thomas. He came a few minutes later, followed by Belle and Annie ( who both looked a lot better when they were out of their pyjamas ).

We got into the car and Thomas started driving while Belle tried to talk to me and Annie. In about ten minutes we had arrived at a shopping centre full of clothes shops. First, however, we went into a super market and got me my own toothbrush, hairbrush and all the other stuff that I needed.

Once we had done that we hit the rest of the shops; we got new shorts, new dresses, new jeans, new shirts , new everything. As well as pretty cushions and blankets and duvets and some books to fill the shelf. We got back to the house hours later exhausted, feet hurting and we still needed to put everything away.

I hung up the new clothes in the cupboard while Belle and Annie did the duvet and blankets; Thomas had disappeared off somewhere but to be honest I was kinda glad - being around him was awkward. When everything was done we went downstairs together for dinner. We'd already had lunch at a cafe earlier but that was hours ago and we were all still really hungry from  walking round the shops all day. When I got downstairs I could immediately smell the wonderful scent of bacon and came rushing in to be given the very British bacon butty that they were making.

It looked delicious and I was about to tuck in when I noticed the ten other people sat round the table. I already knew half of them but the others where staring at me strangely, like I was some rare animal at a zoo. It was now pretty obvious where Thomas ( who had now reappeared at the table ) had been - telling the others he'd found his mate. I gulped nervously and stepped back from the table, not really wanting to face their questions. Thomas looked up at me concerned and was about to say something when I disappeared back upstairs with my bacon dinner in my hands.
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