The Darkest Minds

Chapter 2

Mum was staring at me when I looked up, wearing confusion, optimism and curiosity openly on her face.
"So?" She asked "how did it go?"
"Fine." I said, slowly sliding myself towards the stairs to avoid a long girly conversation about parties and boys and dresses and shoes.
"You got a dress then?" She asked, her sunstone eyes wide.
"Yeah." Mum frowned so I added "It's turquoise" and carefully removed it from my large 'Chica's' paper bag.
"It's beautiful." Mum smiled "Did you get shoes?"
"No." I replied, "we're going back soon 'cause Amber said it could take hours to find the right ones." Mum made an approving noise and took a sip of my coffee. "You should try something new" She said and wandered off into the living room.
I found Dad in the kitchen, with a creased brow and scratching his head.
"Hey Dad" I said, peering over his shoulder and looking at the recipe he had on his phone.
"Hey, honey can you help me make dinner? Your mum wants me to make a meal that I can't even say, the country or the dish."
"Sure, Dad" I agreed, giggling "What needs doing?"
"A roux" he said, pronouncing it wrong.
I got to work making the roux in a pan of flour, melted butter and cheese and watched Dad try to cut a wonky vegetable with spikes. Mum was the cook in the house, although dad did try, but Mum did give him some difficult recipes sometimes. I wasn't too bad at cooking, I knew a lot of basics but no where near pro level.
Dad and I got the complicated dinner out by half- seven, later than usual but earlier than if we hadn't watched tutorials on how to cook plaice.
We didn't eat as a family as none of us really knew what to say to break the awkwardness. Instead, Mum and Dad were in the dining room and Jake and I in our rooms.

I plodded up the stairs, taking my time to drag up my bags and dinner and plonked myself on my single bed, sighing at my bright, messy room. I quickly ate then reluctantly started to gather any clothes and sorted them out either into the wardrobe or my washing basket and cleared the floor for any used face wipes. It took a lot less time than I thought it would as the mess looked bigger than my small room. Mum and I had decorated my room to look quite crazy and wacky with two turquoise and two orange walls, a turquoise, pink and orange lamp, a yellow bed with multicoloured cushions and throws. Zany photos were framed in white and yellow and all my clothes were inside white bedside tables and draws. A turquoise spin chair sat up my small desk and my turquoise feather boa draped across a 45" tv that Amber got me for a party in year four. My collection of cacti sat proudly on my windowsill and my ratty fifteen year-old teddy, Mr Bear sat at the end of my single bed.
It sounds crazy, right?
Thing is it worked, all the colours went together without an ugly clash and it gave the room a comforting mood. My room was very different to Amber and Zoe's who went a bit more contemporary.
The group chat Amber, Zoe and I had was crazily extensive by the time I finally checked it, by scrolling up for what felt like ages I managed to de- code their babbling messages. Apparently the school party just before we went back in September was moved forward a day and that there was now a uniform. I had no idea why the school would suddenly change to uniform but I knew Zoe and Amber wouldn't be happy.
I messaged back
Have you seen it yet?
and got an immediate reply from a stressing Amber.
No, why would they leave it this late to tell us?
I didn't know how to reply, Zoe beat me to it saying:
It's here!!!!
I clicked the link Zoe had sent to our school website, the theme colour had changed from blue to red and the new layout threw me so I spent ages just trying to figure out where the search bar was.
I eventually found the uniform and breathed an audible sigh of relief, I knew even Amber couldn't complain too much. It was a choice of black skirts or trousers; white shirts; baggy, fitted or sleeveless jumpers and any black shoes.
I glanced at my old grey and white tie-dye school backpack hanging on the back of my door and sighed, it was looking a bit too well-used for another year.
Bag shopping didn't take me very long, I managed to find a black backpack with daisies on with next day delivery which I'd happily settle on. I already knew Amber and Zoe had ordered their bags weeks ago. Amber a ridiculously expensive white branded handbag and Zoe a grey ribbed tote. Sighing, I realised the new uniform meant I needed new shoes too so I just chose some simple black flats with bows.
Checking the chat again, Amber didn't seem as annoyed as she was before, I assumed she'd approved the uniform and Zoe didn't seem too bothered.
It got late and I was super tired from the long day; the last message I saw was:
Meet tomorrow?
Before falling fast asleep.

I was thrown awake by the clatter of my phone falling off my bed in the morning. I shot up with the shock and clutched my head as the dizziness took over. I retrieved my phone and carefully inspected it for damage which luckily I couldn't see, and relaxed.

I looked over to the end of my bed and noticed a brown parcel box with my name on it. Opening it, I realised it was my new bag, it must of been way too early for it to come. I hastily jumped out of bed and checked the time, it was way past eleven. I snatched up my towel, random clothes and had an intensive ninety- second shower to save time.
My wet hair left damp blooms of water on my t-shirt shoulders as i got ready, giving my room a quick tidy scraping my hair into a low ponytail and grabbing a breakfast bar before hastily leaving the house whilst still pulling the backs of my trainers on.
I checked the group chat, grateful I had remembered to ask Dad to top up my data before and scrolled through the messages I hadn't seen.
Amber and Zoe were at the gym already, training and drinking caramel iced coffee.
I self- consciously jogged to the gym, stopping to pant every so often and I was probably beetroot-red by the time I arrived.
"Overslept Kenny?" Zoe asked, giggling, I nodded, still out if breath and accepted the iced coffee Amber passed to me. As soon as I took the first cold sip I felt my energy instantly go up, encouraging me to start the workout. Luckily I'd put on my gym shorts before I'd left instead of jeans. Amber and Zoe were on the treadmills , going at an impressive paces and Amber was holding down her skort to prevent it from riding up.
I just wished I could look as good as them.