Game Changer

TWENTY- SIX

I groan as I turn over in my sleep, trying to get comfortable. I turn onto my stomach and hug my pillow tightly before I hear my door open and my bed dip. My mom skims her hand through my hair and I open my eyes, the light seeping through the curtains causing me to squint.

I turn to face her while rubbing my eyes, still feeling groggy with sleep.
"Morning sweetheart, how'd you sleep?" My mom asks.

"Well and yourself?" I ask, my one eye still shut closed.

"Amazing." She chuckles.

I look at the time on my bedside table and groan again, "It's already ten thirty?" I ask.
My mom chuckles again, "Yep. That party really tired you out huh?" She asks. Suddenly the night's events come crashing into me and my eyes widen, sleep no longer clouding my mind. My eyes immediately open wide and suddenly I'm smiling.

"Woah. What happened at the party to make you smile like a Cheshire cat?" My mom asks suspiciously.

"Nothing... That you have to worry about" I answer quickly. My mom casts me a curious glance and I smile innocently. My mom does allow me to go to some parties if she knows who I'm going with and where. I'm not allowed to drink and my curfew is one but you can imagine how difficult it is to stick to those rules while being an Elite. That's why lying was easier and I did more frequent. I couldn't exactly tell my mom what really went on...

"Anyways, I met this lovely lady at work. She's currently wanting to study journalism and she invited us over for lunch today. I was wondering if you wanted to come along? She's being dying to meet you." She asks me, I nod.

"I remember you mentioning something about her the other night and of course I'll come with." I smile causing my mom to grin like a maniac.

"What time do we have to be there?"

"Eleven thirty, so hurry your butt up honey before we're late." She says, smacking my bum playfully. I laugh at my mother's playfullness. She walks towards my door but turns around before exiting, "Oh, and she has children, one your age too." And with that she closes my door. I feel a little deflated at that because I don't particularly feel like socializing with anyone my age today, Unless it was Rachel or Alex, of course, because I am exhausted from the party and am only going with for my mother's sake.

Secondly, I feel a little cranky that I slept in so late. Now my day is basically wasted.

I sit up in bed, running a hand through my very disgusting hair before standing up and heading to my closet. I pick out a soft blue beach dress- one of the few dresses I actually like- with a pair of white Stan Smiths. I lay my outfit out on my bed and turn my iPod on before opening my curtains and gazing at the blue sky with a new found happiness now that I'm out of the Elite. I smile to myself.

After grabbing a towel, I head to my shower while humming to the music I play on my iPod.

****

"How far are you with that art assignment?" My mom asks, not removing her eyes from the road.

"I've done two of the models, so I just need to do the other one and then I'm done." I answer in relief. The models have taken me a not of time which I've become quite limited on.

"When's it due?"

"Next week." I respond absentmindedly while staring out the window.

She nods and then a comfortable silences fills the car, the soft music from the radio being the only noise.

'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' by Pat Benatar plays and I hum along too it, knowing the words by heart. My mom does too and soon we're both singing quietly to ourselves. I put it on louder and my mom and I immediately start to sing louder, too.