Unexpected

• Chapter Thirty-Nine •

"Treat yo' self." ~Tom and Donna, Parks and Recreation

• • •

Every year on Boxing Day, I go shopping in the centre not too far from here to get the best sales. It used to be me and my parents but since most of my friends can drive now, we go together instead.

Last year, it was me, Rani, Ana and Rolo but this time, Rolo has adamantly refused to come with us. He says that we're too crazy for him to handle; he's just being dramatic though. Although, Rani did get into a fight with another girl over a leather jacket resulting in security intervening. It was a very nice jacket.

Instead, we're bringing Evelyn; we've started to grow a lot closer to her this year. I'm not sure if that's because of her relationship with Israel and how well he fits in or if it's because she lost a friend in Eliza because of her behaviour. Either way, I'm glad to have her.

Anyway, we have to leave early to get there early so that we're close to the front of the line to enter inside first. This means that I'm currently awake at 4:30am to get dressed before Rani arrives. Add the fact that I stayed up till half 1 last night talking to Abel and that makes me a very very tired girl.

I sluggishly lug myself to the bathroom to freshen up before getting changed into a pair of black jeans and an oversized sweater. While I gather all my necessary belongings, I take a moment to enjoy the beautiful silence in my house; it's very rare that someone isn't making some sort of noise through either arguments, a conversation on the phone or from playing a video game. It'll probably be another year before I experience this kind of feeling again. Sigh.

Rani: I'm outside! Hurry up otherwise I'll start beeping.

I quickly rush down the stairs, foregoing any breakfast since I know she'll follow through with her threat. If she wakes my family up, I'll get all the blame and who needs that kind of stress this early in the morning?

I open the front door and start making my way down the driveway to where Rani has parked. From where I am, I can already see that she's picked Ana up who is currently sitting in the front seat and Evelyn in the back.

As I get closer, Rani rolls down her window, "Get in loser, we're going shopping."

I jump into the back and give her a dry look, "Mean girls? Really?"

"It was appropriate, wasn't it Ana?" Rani nudges her arm slightly before driving off.

Ana mumbles a few words quietly before falling asleep again.

"I found it pretty funny." Evelyn says.

"Thank you Evelyn, I knew you'd be on my side." Rani says triumphantly.

"There are no sides Rani. And you realise you made me skip breakfast, right? If you didn't threaten me with your ridiculous beeping, then I would have had some cereal." I cross my arms and throw her a glare through the mirror.

"Relax, don't get your panties in a twist." She quickly passes back a McDonalds bag with a sausage McMuffin, a hash brown and some orange juice inside it. "I know how you get all grumpy without food."

Like it's my fault we need food to survive. I'm merely following through with my biological needs.

Instead of responding to her, I start munching away at the delicacies in front of me and end up finishing it under five minutes. What? I was hungry.

Rani drives the rest of the way in mostly silence except from the light sounds of the radio playing in the background.

Unfortunately for me, once I'm awake I struggle to go back to sleep which means I just sit there watching the trees go past through the window.