It was the Monday after the dance, and I still was going with Plan B. So as my alarm blared in the background, I lied in bed, not getting up to turn it off. It had been going off for about fifteen minutes. My door swung open and Kristen's cat scurried out of my room. Light from the hallway blinded me.
"Lennox, what are you doing? Get up!" My dad shouted at me from my doorway.
"I can't," I groaned as I rolled on my side away from him, "I'm sick."
"Sick? That's crazy! You were fine yesterday..." He walked up beside me, leaned over my bed, and pressed the back of his hand against my forehead. I had purposely left one of those hot packs on my forehead all night - I'd been sweating all night and my forehead was warm. My nose was also running like crazy. I'm allergic to cats, so I purposely left my door open so Kristen's cat would walk in and sleep on my bed. My eyes itched too. "Eh...you'll be fine," He concluded.
"What?" I shrieked as I shot up in bed, actually falling off the bed and onto the floor. I jumped back up and said, "No, I'm sick, dad!"
"You need to go to school," He told me sternly as he stood in my doorway, "If you need to go to the nurse during the day, then go to the nurse. But you're going to school." And with that, he turned around and walked away. I rolled my eyes and walked into the bathroom to do my daily routine.
I didn't get the chance to eat breakfast because the second I stepped foot into the kitchen, Kristen got up from the barstool she was sitting in and dragged me to the garage to get in her car that mom and dad bought her for her sixteenth birthday. It was a Ferrari F-12. I didn't get a car for my sixteenth birthday, well, a brand new one at least. I got my mom's old 1998 Subaru, and that was when I passed my test. I passed my test three months ago - I still haven't gotten the keys to it, in fact, she's still driving it.
"Get in," Kristen demanded as she hopped in the driver's side. I walked around to the passenger's side and opened the door, only to see her backpack in the seat. "In the back, you idiot." She clarified. I put my hands up in innocence and closed the door, getting in the backseat. The garage door opened and she sped out.
"Why are you driving me to school?" I asked her as we drove down the roads.
"I'm not," She answered, keeping her eyes on the road, "You and I are going to the mall today."
My eyes widened, "That's truancy, Kristen!"
"Look, you and I both need this day off," She looked back at me in the rearview mirror, "I mean, do you really want to face Quinn today?" I shook my head no, "Exactly. And I don't want to see Anthony and that slut together, so...we're going to have some fun today."
"I don't think they'll be together, but whatever..." I commented, remembering what happened at the dance. Silence and awkward tension fell over the car. I cleared my throat and asked, "But won't our teachers notice we're not there?"
"One step ahead of you," She remarked as she came to a stop at the red light. She pivoted her torso so she was looking back at me and continued, "I already sent all our teachers emails this morning from mom saying that we have some family issues to deal with and you and I won't be in school today."
"You're so evil," I remarked, crossing my arms.
She smirked, "You don't even know the half of it." The light turned green and we were off again.
We pulled into the mall's parking lot for JCPenney's. Kristen opened her backpack and pulled out her purse, getting out of the car and starting to make her way into the mall. I scrambled out of the car and ran up to her side.
"I hope you know I don't have any money," I told her.
"It's okay," She opened her purse and continued walking. She pulled out a credit card and waved it in the air, "I've got this." She smiled at me before putting it back in her purse. "Brand new too," She added as I grabbed the door handle and opened the door for her. She nodded her head in appreciation and walked through. I followed in behind her. The two of us walked through JCPenney's to get to the main part of the mall. "Where to first?" She inquired.
"I...I don't know," I stuttered, "I wasn't planning on going to the mall today."
"Ugh, fine, how about we get some coffee first?" She suggested. I nodded my head in agreement and we made out way to the heart of the mall, where the Starbucks kiosk was. There was already a pretty long line, and it was only what, eight in the morning? We got to the front of the line and Kristen ordered two small Caffe Espresso Frappuccinos. She gave them her credit card to pay and they gave her the drinks. She turned around and handed one to me.
"Thanks," I said as I took it into my possession. We found a table for two and sat down. My sister and I sat in silence for a little before I cleared my throat and said, "What gives, Kristen?"
"What do you mean?" She retorted as she sipped her drink.
"You've never done this before," I commented as I stirred mine with the green plastic straw.
"So?"
"So...it's weird!" I exclaimed, looking up at her, "You're actually being like...a sister to me."
"Well, we are sisters..."
"That's not my point, Kristen," I set my drink down, "My point is that we've never liked each other. What's with all of the sudden niceness? I mean, you've never bought me a coffee before. Let alone help me avoid someone and skip school."
She bit her lip and looked up at me, "You want to know why? Because you're the only person in that damn school who doesn't hate me for doing what I did." I stared at her blankly. "You know, sometimes it sucks being popular."
I raised my eyebrow in confusion, "What? Why?"
"Because everyone's watching your every move!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms, "And when you make a mistake like I did, they alienate you and treat you like you're a piece of shit. Just for slipping up once!" I gave her a look of disbelief, "Okay, maybe more than once," She admitted, "But still..."
I placed my hand over hers and said softly, "You're not a piece of shit. If anything, you're my piece of shit." She laughed and shook her head.
"I'm really sorry, Len. For everything," She apologized.
I took in a deep breath and said, "Apology accepted, Kalel."
