Slow Me Down

Chapter 8

It's finally the weekend, I think to myself. Time for me to get this whole project done by myself. Why, of all people, did Mr. Rennet have to pair me with that lug nut. Did I piss him off that much in class? I don't think this is a fair punishment.

I crack open the books and get started. I make it a quarter of the way through the project before I decide a break is well deserved. I stand up, stretch my arms and back, and walk down to the kitchen. The café only opens in the afternoon on weekends, so my mom is busy figuring out what ingredients she needs to get and all the other things she needs to stock up on to make it through next week. I grab an apple and head out to the dining area to sit. It's still pretty early so there aren't many people out and about yet. I gnaw away at my apple and continue to stare out the window to entertain myself.

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L runs into the room, midway through, launching himself in the direction of my bed. Before I fully realize what is happening, he lands directly on my head. He decides this is the perfect bed to sleep on and gets comfy. I scooch him off of my face and onto the nearest pillow. This is followed by a few mews of protest, but he gives up and accepts it once he realizes how much more comfy a pillow is than a human head.

I spit the cat hair from my mouth and try to breathe heavily to push it out of my nose. After a few attempts, I clear my airways of the stuff and decide now is a good time to start the day. I sit in my desk chair and open up my laptop. While sitting, I start to remember the events of the previous night. Foster invited me over. We watched scary movies. I got to meet his lovely cat. We had dinner and Foster tried to show me how to 'appropriately' store the books that you are currently reading. Apparently, bookmarks are capitalist propaganda. 

After that, he walked me home and I waved him off. It was a fun night. I wonder if he is busy today. I close my laptop, deciding that there is nothing for me to do on there. I get dressed and check the time. Ten a.m., not too early to go bother someone on a Saturday. I exit my room and see my mom in the kitchen making lunch. Man, we really need to go grocery shopping. The only 'food' we have in this place is the leftover pizza from the other night and some stale cereal. We don't even have milk.

I give my mom a quick hug before skipping out the door, a slice of cold pizza in hand, ready to take on whatever the day throws at me.

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I spot Claudia walking down the sidewalk towards the café. Do I have time to hang out with her today? If I ask her nicely, will she help me with this stupid project? Or at least keep me company while I suffer. I stand up to unlock the front doors to let her in.

"Hi! I hope it isn't too too early. I was wondering what your plans were today and if you wanted to hang out? I still don't know much about this city and was thinking we could possibly walk around together?"

"Hey C, I would love to spend the day showing you every stinky alleyway and pompous asshole that lives here, but unfortunately, I'm stuck working on this stupid project that Mr. Rennet assigned. I am only a little bit of the way through and my brain is already melting and falling out of my ears," I complain.

"Oh no! We are doing the same project, why is it taking you so long to work on?" C questions, a worried look spreads across her cute face. Cute? What am I thinking?