The Natural

Chapter 4

I woke up and got dressed early because today was the day. The day that I was anticipating for the last couple of weeks– my first day at Rider's Camp. Lany and I facetimed each other for a very long time last night. We talked about the clothes that we were going to wear, and our plans when we arrived at the destination. Basically, our conversation covered up most of our actual plans on the day itself. We even thought things that were beyond our minds – unexpected things like what would happen if we were not partners or roommates. So we came up to a solution that we would visit each other's penthouses, eat together, and play the activities together.

Before, Lany wasn't really siked about going to Rider's Camp, but when we looked up on the internet on to how Rider's Camp really look like, Lany didn't regret coming with me. Then the whole night ended up talking something about the past that made us laughed so hard. Lany promised me that she picked me up at seven in the morning. Of all the things that she loved to do, it was driving that would be on the top of her list. But I found this fact quite funny. She used to complaint a lot about her driving instructor who was training her to drive. She said that she was being scolded all the time for not driving properly. I really thought that her driving instructor was just being mean but when she passed for her driver's license, I was her first friend that she had given a ride to around the campus. And I remembered really well on to how I was really afraid to be in her car. I kept wishing that this ride will end, wishing that I will touch the ground again. She drove so fast and most of her parking were asymmetrical. She had also gotten into a minor accident and I was so glad that nothing had happened to her and the other driver, although, both cars got bent. But well, at least she had learned her lesson. Yet, she still drove fast.

"I am a really impatient driver, Elle. Soon when you get your driver's license, you will understand what I'm saying right now," she said to me while she was driving, and I was in her car.

"Well...probably. Maybe, although, I kinda doubt that," I responded, smiling.

"I don't know...I find it really relaxing to drive fast. It made my life stress free," she expressed. "It felt so good to have a driver's license, Elle. You get to go anywhere you wanted to go and feeling like an adult," she sighed. What was so good of becoming an adult? Sometimes I wished I could be a child again. Being a child meant that I wouldn't have much to think about; there wouldn't be any responsibility.

"Lany, I think you should drive late at night, where there wouldn't be a lot of cars around," I advised to keep her stay safe on the road. Road was the most deadly place I knew, other than the ocean or anywhere else. Got bitten by a shark or drowning in the sea didn't kill thousands of people every year like being on the road surprisingly did.

I heard a knock on my door. It was Eleanor. Eleanor was a nanny and a housekeeper that my mom hired to clean our house and look after me and my sister back when we were young. Now, she wouldn't stay at our house during the night since she had a family in her home, which needed to be taken care of as well. So she would return to work at our house first thing in the morning. She had been doing this same routine for thirteen years now; she watched me and my sister grew. We gave her one of our home key because it would be easier for her to resume her work when we were not currently at home. And mostly because we trusted her since there wasn't any issue on losing our things or things got damaged by her. Besides, we were like a family already.

My parents and my sister would not be around for about three months. My parents were away to Bangkok to help my sister got settled in to her university's condominium, where I should've joined in with them if it weren't because of my exams. Honestly speaking, I felt lonely living alone with only Eleanor keeping me company before and after school. But during the night, I truly understand what pure loneliness felt like. It actually gave me the chill.

"Darling, you look absolutely stunning," she praised. My outfit was actually casual, but stylish. I wore a pair of blue jeans and I topped it up with my new white t-shirt that I proudly designed by myself together with a pink unstructured jacket. And I spiced up my look with a blue patterned scarf that I wrapped around my neck. I even took the time to style my hair in a bun. I had to look presentable on my first day at Rider's Camp because first impression meant everything, even though, it would be quite impractical on wearing a scarf in such a hot season of the year.

I smiled and thought to myself that I was pulling this off pretty impressively. "Thank you, Mrs Eleanor," I replied. In our family, it was really important to show your respect to the elderly, without judging their jobs or positions, race and religions.

"Do you need help carrying your suitcase downstairs, dear?" she asked.

I was actually planning to do that by myself. And it would be such an inhuman thing to do to overwork Mrs Eleanor. Mrs Eleanor had always been like my second mother that I equally cared about. "No, it's okay, Mrs Eleanor. I can manage," I assured her.

"Okay, dear. If you need anything else, tell me, okay?" She walked away from my room then returned back and told me that she had made breakfast for me downstairs that were readily served in the dining room. Then she walked away again – to resume her cleaning I assumed.

"Thank you, Mrs Eleanor," I shouted so she could hear me wherever she was. I brought my suitcase along with my backpack that I slung on my shoulders downstairs and put them beside our front door.

I went to the dining room to have my breakfast. The dining room smelt good. It smelt like melted butter and the sweetness of milky chocolate. Mrs Eleanor had made my breakfast more special than any other days. She made heart-shaped pancakes drizzled with chocolate and melted butter topped with strawberries and blueberries. She made fried eggs under a piece of bread with sausages and baked beans on the sides of the plate. She was really putting her effort on making all of these. I wanted to cry and hug her so tight. She was the best!

I ate quickly and even brought some with me, where I put it in a plastic container. Then, I drank green tea. I looked at the clock hanging on the wall of the dining room, it was 6:45 am. I decided to facetime my parents and my sister but realized that they would probably be sleeping by now. And they would probably had to train their eyes according to the time in Bangkok. It would be morning here and night there where my parents and my sister were.

"I am leaving home. Going to Rider's Camp with Lany," I texted my mom to inform her.

Then, not long after that, Lany texted me, "I am outside at your house. Do u want me to wait outside or help u carry ur bags?"

"Wait outside. I'll come out just a minute," I texted her back.

"Okay," she replied.

"Mrs Eleanor!" I shouted.

"Yes?!"

"Lany's here to pick me up," I shouted again. She was upstairs. The steps on the staircase thumped and sooner later, Mrs Eleanor appeared to say goodbye. I hugged her and she hugged me back with motherly affection. She cupped my face, and softly rubbed my cheek. "Have fun, alright? Be safe and be healthy. Remember to eat and drink plenty of water. Break your leg, my darling. Win that competition for me," she spoke with a gleam of hope and excitement in her eyes. I smiled, holding back myself from crying. 

I looked at her with true determination and said, "I will!"