The Literary Misadventures of Juniper Rosewood

26- Pearls of Wisdom

Dalton walked me home, and we arrived at about eleven o'clock. He waved at me as he retreated into the darkness, and I waved back with a huge smile on my face, my cheeks burning red. He was such an idiot. So was I.

I fished my house key from my pocket and unlocked the door, making sure to be as quiet as possible. I took my shoes off as I stepped into the house, glad to be free from the cold winter air.

The lights were on in the kitchen, and I stepped tentatively into the glaring white brightness.

"Did you have fun?" My dad asked, sipping a mug of steaming tea, "You're back awfully late."

"Sorry. Dalton was owed a favour by old Joe McKinnon. He took me to see the Concorde that's being unveiled next week." My dad looked up from his drink in surprise.

"If you don't marry this boy, kiddo, I will," He said. I laughed.

"I don't think he'd want to marry either of us, dad," I said. "Where's mum?"

"Your grandparents are sleeping in our bed, and so your mother is sleeping in yours. I'm afraid you and I are taking the couches tonight."

"Did she tell them?" My dad shook his head.

"She didn't want to wreck a perfect day for them. She's going to tell them over breakfast tomorrow. Will you stay home?"

"I don't have any plans," I said.

"Good. Would you like some tea?" I nodded, sitting down at the table while my dad stood up to make another mug.

Sleeping on the couch was rarely a comfortable affair, but that night was a little different. I had been so nervous to play the winter festival, but I had aced it. It was hard to believe quite how much had happened in just one day. I checked my phone absently but found my notifications clogged up with texts from Circe from more than two hours ago. She wasn't worried or anything, she was just wondering where Dalton had taken me, and that I should text her back right away before Ingrid got too excited. I laughed and put my phone down, telling myself I would text her back in the morning.

Barley was curled up between my feet, and with the help of his soothing purrs, I managed to fall asleep. When I awoke early the next morning, my neck was stiff and my back ached, and I had still more texts from Circe asking if Dalton had murdered me. I texted her back, informing her that I was, in fact, still alive. She wasn't going to get rid of me that easily. I had also received a message from Ingrid.

Ingrid

7:34 am: I thought you should see this. Stella sent it to the whole school.

I opened the video attached, to find a crudely edited version of my performance yesterday, in which it seemed that I was doing a rather abysmal job. She had pieced the clips together so that I was singing about how much of a loser I was. I laughed. Sure, it stung a little, but anybody who had actually heard me play knew better than to trust that stupid video. She would have to do better than that to actually get to me.

Me

8:06 am: Hilarious.

I had to say, I was quite impressed that she had managed to put it together in such a short time, although it was rather sad that she had gone to all that trouble instead of just having a nice time at the fair.

I slugged my weary body over to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. My granny came down the stairs in a frilly nightgown and lavender dressing gown not five minutes later. I put my finger to my lips in a shushing gesture, since my father was still asleep in the lounge.