The Vault

4 - Start of a New Day

I awoke with the sound of annoying birds chirping at the window sill. I flung a nearby pillow at the window and the birds flew away. So the birds totally ruined my deep sleep and by now I was wide awake. I got out of bed and drew the curtains. I glanced around at the room I spent the night in and sighed as I saw the laptop. I missed writing my stories.

I freshened up and headed downstairs to the kitchen to find everyone there.

Alexis looked surprised to see me. "Oh Freya we didn't want to disturb your sleep. I hope you don't mind us starting without you?"

Do I have something weird on my face, I thought, because that would be so embarrassing. "No it's all right Mrs Croft." Great now I have to eat faster as everyone seems to have finished.

I sat next to Ryder, who looked disgusted with his oat meal. "Jeez do these people eat puke?" he whispered. "Man I miss eating Coco Pops in the morning."

I laughed silently at that. Alexis caught me and asked, "What would you like to have for breakfast." She ushered Squires forward to the table.

I ordered. "Scrambled eggs on toast with a glass of orange juice please."

Squires bowed before departing. I glanced at William who sipped his cup of tea before glancing over at me. I coughed slightly and put my attention towards what Dad and Benjamin were talking about.

William got my divided attention. "So Freya did you sleep well? I hope the birds didn't disturb you."

"I slept well thank you for asking. And I would have preferred the sound of an annoying alarm clock than birds chirping away at the window sill."

"I'm sorry to have disappointed you." He replied with compassion.

I pretended to blush. "Oh, there's no need to apologies William."

There was another awkward silence where Alexis couldn't find anything annoying to say to me. They all went about busy to finish their breakfast and as mine had arrived, the rest were beginning to leave apart from William who continued to slowly sip his smelly tea.

Great I'll be having breakfast with him.

"Freya," said Dad. "When you've finished eating, start packing your bag. We've got a long day ahead of us at Ashford."

I nodded as he and the rest of them left the room.

I thanked Squires and started to eat, well trying to avoid talking to William. I mean I gave him a hint, 'the ignoring, no eye contact' one but he still wouldn't budge.

"So did you find how to get to Ryder's new school?" he asked.

I gulped my orange juice. "Yeah I did. Thanks for the laptop."

"Do you still insist on me not to give your brother a ride to school?"

"I've got to learn to do this by myself and I don't want to trouble you with it."

He scoffed. "It wouldn't be trouble for me Freya, it would be my pleasure."

"Maybe some other time. I've got a lot on my mind."

Ok that last sentence was meant to be 'end of conversation, now leave me alone by joining your crazy family' but it seemed that it opened up more doors.

"And that would be." He strolled on his words.

I put the cutlery down and used my fingers to list the points. "Well my parents got divorced, then my house burnt down, everything that I've ever owned is gone, ended up in hospital, found out Uncle Jonny died, then ended up with the Ashford Estate. You know that's a lot to go through in three months. Happy to hear that. Now you can run off to your mother and gossip like old women around a well."