Vampire Weekend

Chapter 2

I woke myself up before the alarm could. Since I always do that, wake up at 6:20 sharp, I don’t even know why I turn it on every night. Habits, I guess.

 I got up and did everything a normal teenage girl does in the morning, before such an important thing as school, excluding make-up and making my skirt short. Showered, brushed my teeth, put on my uniform. Then I made my braids. I was born with them. Everybody says they make me look cute. That was good enough for me.

 Before I headed down stairs I noticed the radio’s off.

 A fairy must have came last night just when I was asleep enough I couldn’t hear her.

That’s what I thought all my life, anyways. But, 5 years after they told me Santa doesn’t exist, they told me it was always just aunt Penny. It was 5 times worse.

 Downstairs, she was already making bacon and eggs and Alex was already eating them.

- Hot, hot! - he yelled, dropping bacon back on the plate.

- I told you to wait, didn’t I? Oh, Anna, you’re up! Here, these are for you. Be careful, it’s hot… - she said putting two bacon and an egg in front of my chair, sniggering at Alex.

I looked at it. Caloric as hell. I could feel fat already merging with my hips. I can’t eat this.

- Thanks, but I think I’ll just have an apple, if that’s ok.

 I was already taking the green one.

- Still on that diet of yours? I told you, you’re don’t have to be model skinny, you’re way prettier like that!

 That’s what any good aunt would say.

- I don’t think she’s skinny at all! – Alex intervened viciously.

- Well, nobody asked for your opinion…

 Penny sat where I was supposed to and gave him a light spat, rolling the bacon on her fork. I picked up my converse backpack and went for the door.

- I think I’m gonna go a little earlier today. I have to….. check something in the library for my history assignment.

- Again? Oh well, have fun at school. – said Penny finishing my breakfast.

Just when I was about to exit, I stopped and turned around.

- Aunt Penny?

- Yes dear?

- Thanks for the best birthday ever.

That was actually the truth

- Oh… no problem dear.

As I was stepping out into our garden I could sense that smug smile still lingering on her lips. That one sentence made her the happiest aunt in the world. 

It took me a total of 5 minutes and 34 seconds of slow walk to get to school. It was too damn close sometimes. That fact was so depressing that I didn’t even bother to go back and start again. 

***

School day was passing slowly.

Nothing new.

 In my third class I discovered I got an A on the algebra test.

 Nothing new.

While the other people were socializing in the school yard I was eating my apple in the library, alone. My social suicide plan was working well. Too well.

Nothing new.

Finally the last bell rang and we were free. Alex had two less classes than me so he was already home, eating popcorn and watching WWE, I was sure. When I got out, the sun was already about to fall. I just stood there for a moment, enjoying the beautiful colors of sunset, believing that someone else, at this exact moment, is too.

 Beeping of my phone brought me back. A text. From Penny.

 She was asking me if I could go to the drugstore and buy some aspirin. Why couldn’t I? It’s not like I had something more exiting to do on Thursday night. I changed my direction and went towards the bus stop. It wasn’t far, you could see it from here. When I got there, bus 33 was just stopping. My bus.

***

When I exited the store with aspirin in my hand and no allowance in my pocket, the bus that drives straight to my house was just parking 50 meters away.

This is my lucky day.

I started to run through the park. Summer wind was lifting my skirt up. Good thing there was no one there.

For what followed I totally blame my mothers genes.

 A hole in the red asphalt came out of nowhere. Soon, it was making close contact, first with my foot and then with my face. And my backpack. Books and notebooks were everywhere. Even my pencil case opened, letting all twelve crayons, three pencils, two pens and one half of a rubber gum out. I didn’t even get up and the bus already left.

 Yeah, lucky day my ass.

 As I started to put things back to their places I heard a loud scream. It was coming from the nearby bush.

 I froze.

 Great, all I needed was some hungry wolf to emerge from the darkness and eat me alive.

From there, this is how everything went: Groan, groan, my scared look in that direction, groan, groan, me walking really fast, long moan, me running. Then silence.

Soon, it was broken by a loud Fuck from that direction.

 The next moment I remember something touched my neck. I heard a crack and right before my face kissed the hot asphalt, I passed out.