Who Am I

Sick Of You - Saturday

     Apparently Ms. Chistein had assigned some work, so luckily when I came bursting into the classroom I didn't interrupt anything.
     Slightly hunching my shoulder and tilting my head down I drew my eyebrows down and approached Ms. Chistein slowly scuffling my feet, I placed one hand of her desk lowered my voice and make it sound a bit rougher,"Ms. Chistein?" I asked and she looked up from the stack of papers she was marking with her glasses perched on the edge of her nose," um I'm not feeling very well, I was wondering if I could call my aunt to pick me up?" I continued hoping I sounded convincing.
      I guess it worked because her eyes softened,"Yes! Of course dear, I'll just need to know what your feeling so I can write the note."
     Panic started coursing through me- I hadn't thought this far ahead, I'll go with cramps." I...uhm... well I have some really bad cramps, you know that time of month," I attempted a weak smile which I'm guessing was quite realistic considering my nerves. She gave me a knowing smile and handed me the pink note so I could call Aunt Sage.
     I turned around and held in a sigh of relief and practically sprinted to my bag and ran out the other door down the office. Once inside the office lady with her gray hair pinned back so tightly it stretched out her eyebrows-maybe she was trying to get a free facelift. I passed the pink note to her on the old wooden counter. She looked up at me suspectingly through her half moon spectacles attached to a chain around her neck then nodded to the phone in the corner. I smiled at her then rushed over the the phone. 
     Quickly dialing Aunt Sage's number I held the receiver to my ear an listening to it ring. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up. Please don't be gardening pick up. I tapped my foot listening to the dial tone. Finally after what felt like the millionth dial tone she picked up and answered somewhat breathlessly," Hello this is Sage, Saturday's aunt, is something wrong?"
     "I-uh-no nothings wrong. Um can you pick me up?...its Saturday," I added hastily.
     "Of course I'll be on my way I just need to get changed." She answered sympathetically. That's odd usually she'd reprimand me for 'skipping' and lecture me on how a young lady such as myself needed a good education.
     "Thanks," I managed to say as k was slamming the receiver down. I silently thanked God for the brake. Sighing and pushing back my unruly frizz only to have it bounce back. I collapsed onto one of the foamy office chairs.
     I looked around but quickly grew bored of the office scenery, or lack of. I began tapping my foot impatiently which earned me quite a few withering glares from the grumpy old office lady which I ignored. Finally I felt a rush of the cold winter Newfoundland air and whipped my head around to look at the door.
     My aunt walked in wrapped in a parka and mittens; her cheeks slightly flushed from the cold air. I jumped off my chair, grabbed my bag and nearly ran out of the office to see her. "Hi honey! Are you okay?" She asked concern drawing her perfect eyebrows down.
     I looked at her at almost felt bad about lying but then I remembered October and his stupid lying face," I just don't feel well, can we go home? I think I need a nap."
     She looked down at me and frowned her featured concerned," of course. Come on, do you need anything; tissues, cough syrup, Halls?"
     "No I'll be fine. I just need a nap I think," I replied unable to look her in the eyes.
     We walked over to the truck, and I hauled myself into the passenger seat and picked at the ripped vinyl. Aunt Sage climbed in after me, though a bit more gracefully. She started the truck and the engine sputtered to life. "Good thing in saving up for a new car, I don't think this old pig would last another winter!" She chuckled to herself. I grunted in agreement. "How about when we get home I'll make us some hot cocoa and we can watch the little mermaid together," she asked glancing over at me. Nodding my head in agreement I turned and looked out the window noticing a shiny black Sedan in the Brindlehoppers' driveway. "That's new," I thought to myself.
     We pulled up into our gravel driveway and the car shuttered to a stop. I hopped out and walked slowly to the front door trying to appear sick. I flopped down on the old scratched up leather sofa in front of the T. V. and curled up with my favorite blanket with some fictional character from when I was a little kid printed on the worn fleece. My parents gave it to me for my fourth birthday.
     Aunt Sage walked in and headed over to the kettle and flipped it on. Then she walked over to the T. V. patting my head on the way and pulled out the old Little Mermaid VCR and pushed it in the whirring machine. Once the movie started playing she handed me a mug of Cocoa and we sat curled up on the couch together until I drifted off.