The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains as I stirred awake, the lingering warmth of sleep still clinging to my limbs. Stretching languidly, I pushed the covers aside and got out of bed.
"Morning," I said to Harper, who was sat scrolling through TikTok
"Morning Stas" she replied
"I'm going on a run, wanna join?" I smiled, already knowing the answer
"Nope, Ill stay here till you get back" She smiled, snuggling herself back into bed.
With a yawn, I made my way to the bathroom, the cool tiles soothing beneath my bare feet. I turned on the shower, letting the warm water cascade over me, washing away the remnants of sleep.
After my shower, I slipped into a comfortable activewear set, the fabric snug against my skin as I prepared for my morning jog. I laced up my running shoes and headed out into the crisp morning air.
The rhythmic pounding of my feet against the pavement filled my ears as I jogged through the quiet streets, the cool breeze brushing against my skin. The world seemed to slow down around me, the worries and chaos of the past days fading into the background.
When I returned home, my mum was in the kitchen with Harper, blending a vibrant smoothie.
"Hi Mum," I greeted her with a smile, the scent of fresh fruit filling the air.
"Anastasia, darling," she replied, turning around to face me.
I rummaged in the pantry, pulling out a box of cereal, but I could feel my mum's gaze on me.
"What?" I asked, catching her sidelong glance.
"Anastasia, is that really what you want? A load of calories?" she commented, her eyes flicking to the cereal box. "Here, have a smoothie. It's better for your figure."
I could feel Harper's gaze on me
She placed the smoothie down in front of me, and I sighed, feeling a pang of hunger.
"Yeah, okay, thanks mum," I said, accepting the smoothie and putting the box of cereal back.
"Me and Dad are going on a business trip, we won't see you for a week, darling," she informed me, a hint of sadness in her voice.
Her phone rang, interrupting our conversation with its shrill tone. My mum's expression shifted, a fleeting look of panic crossing her features as she hastily reached for her phone.
"Excuse me, sweetheart," she said, her voice strained as she answered the call. But as soon as she picked up, her demeanour changed, her voice taking on a playful tone as she giggled and spoke in hushed tones.
"Oh, okay. Have a safe flight," I replied, the usual exchange feeling almost automatic as Harper and I made our way up to my room.
"Stas, you should go back down and grab some cereal" She said
"No, she's right, I wasn't that hungry anyway," I said smiling
I spent the rest of the day lounging in bed, the weight of the morning jog leaving me pleasantly tired. The hours slipped by in a haze of relaxation, until my phone rang, jolting me out of my reverie.
I answered the call, hearing Spider's familiar voice on the other end.
"Stassy, did you want me to pick you up later? You're down the road from Dusty's?" he asked.
I smiled "I don't know if I'm even going Spencer, and I'm with Harps" I replied.
"Both be ready in 1 hour," he said, hanging up the call.
