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CHAPTER TWO january 2023 real life + social media + texting
MUSIC coming from her phone, softly playing songs to not wake up Cleo, Sabrina, James and Finn, Dawn sat down on one of the chairs in Cleo's dining table. A voice called out, startling her as she sat down. "Dawn, why are you awake, honey?" Cleo's mother, Emma, asked, "It's 6am, you had a long night. You should still be sleeping." "I know Em, I'm just hungry." she muttered as she rubbed her eyes. Mrs Simpson's eyes softened, "Oh you poor girl, I'll make some breakfast for you, and then we can talk." Dawn nodded even though Mrs Simpson couldn't see her do it. Mrs Simpson turned her head back towards Dawn, "Are you okay with that?" This time she could actually see Dawn nodding her head. Smiling at the girl, Mrs Simpson busied herself with the task of making breakfast for her—and the rest of them, in case they woke up before lunch.
Dawn always adored her relationship dynamic with Cleo's family. It was like they were actually family, since Emma and her mum, Cisca, were secondary school friends. So Cleo and she have known each other since birth and have been friends since then. Although they went to different kindergartens, Cleo and Dawn managed to stay close and eventually went to the same primary and secondary schools. During primary school, they met James and Sabrina. They got put into the same group for an English project and became friends there. Once Year 9 started, Dawn met Finn. He was new, and Dawn befriended him due to the number of classes they had together. After a month or so, she introduced Finn to Cleo, and they hit it off.
Sometime during Year 11, Dawn and Finn decided to skip their Science class and go into the music room instead. Conveniently, Cleo was there with James since they were having Music, and their music teacher hadn't really cared that Dawn and Finn were there and let them stay. After a good 15 minutes of being there, the four of them snuck out into another music room and started playing random instruments in the room. Accidentally startling them, Sabrina walked into the room to get a stack of music sheets, but saw that the lights were on and them playing in the process. Instead of going back to class, she joined them in whatever they were doing. And that was the start of Ego Trip.
Snapping out of her thoughts just as a plate was placed in front of her, Dawn looked up to see Emma smiling and saying, "Breakfast is ready!" Dawn smiled back at her, replying, "Thank you!" As they ate in comfortable silence, their silence was disrupted by a scream and a laugh coming from Cleo's bedroom. Along with the stomping of feet, the bang of doors and a loud hiss of pain. In the kitchen, Dawn looked at Emma with her lips pressed into a thin line. Mrs Simpson excused herself while she shook her head in disappointment due to the noise that was created by her daughter and her friends. Dawn laughed at Mrs Simpson's reaction as she helped set up the table for the rest of them to eat breakfast. "Take that, you loser! Haha, I got here first!" Cleo exclaimed loudly in Finn's face. Finn rolled his eyes as he accepted his defeat. "Can you guys lower it down?" Sabrina said groggily, entering the kitchen moments after Cleo and Finn, "It's too early for this shit." "Sorry for swearing, Ms S; they're really annoying." She continued as she groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Mrs Simpson did a small smile at her comment and replied, "I know, I was the one who raised her after all." Finn and Dawn started laughing at the comment, "Mum, I thought you were on my side." Cleo deadpanned. "I am! You are my daughter after all," Mrs Simpson rebutted, lifting her arms up to show a sign of innocence.
