Rich Re:grets

Chapter 3.1: Operation Bonbon

(OCTOBER 2010)

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RICH MUTATIO

THERE WAS THIS FAINT KNOCK ON MY DOOR.

I turned the TV down and squinted through the peephole to find Zoey patiently hugging a sketchbook on the other side.

She actually came?!

Bond and Mallory's instructions were obviously sarcastic, but since she was new, she probably couldn't tell the difference.

Luckily, I'd already changed so at least I looked ready.

I opened the door just enough to poke my head out. "Morning."

"Morning," she returned.

"Could you give me five more minutes?"

"Yeah, just pretend I'm not here."

"Thanks. I'll be quick."

Since there wouldn't be enough time to finish what I was watching, I simply shut the TV off. I brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag, and headed to the door.

My sketchbook!

Zoey said she wanted to show me hers and I promised to show mine. I grabbed it before heading outside and starting the walk to school with her.

"It's pretty rare for me to leave for school this early," I said, breaking the ice.

Zoey gave me a look as if I was insane. "This is early for you?"

"Yup. I usually don't leave until 8:05."

"Won't that only give you twenty-five minutes to get to school?"

"Yup. Sometimes we get there on time, sometimes we get there late."

"What do you even do that warrants you to leave late?" she asked.

"I wait for the episode on TV to finish."

"Are you stupid? You risk being late for that?"

"I don't like leaving things unfinished."

"Why don't you just use a DVR?"

"Because..." I looked away, "I never thought of it."

"See?" Zoey chuckled. "Stupid."

"Shut up."

We arrived at the playground and waited on the bench.

"Is that your sketchbook?"

"Um. Yeah."

I offered her mine. "Trade?"

"Sure."

The inside of her sketchbook looked like a crayon factory. In terms of sketching, hers was decent, but her colouring practically put us on even ground. It was something I couldn't compete with.

"You're pretty good at colouring. I'm gonna have to try harder to be the number one in class."

"Thanks. But I'll shoot for number two." She flipped through a couple of pages. "My sketches can't even compare to yours."

"I wasn't even trying."

We returned our sketchbooks to each other just as Bond and Mallory arrived. Zoey and I joined them in walking to school.

"Do you see this, Bond?" Mallory pointed at me. "Rich is earlier than us."

"Oh, I see it," Bond said. "Zoey, did you drop by his house?"