Run Rabbit Run

Run Rabbit Run 6

Only after her dream was sufficiently steamed away, did she rise from her tub, and get dressed. Hair damp, but clean, she headed into the kitchen. Her stomach had started to growl at her so she whipped up a quick sandwich, and wolfed it down. Then she sighed, best get to it. Picking up her pencil, she opened her math book and started to read problem number one. Her eraser tapped the page as she fought to break it down, writing and re-writing her answers, which annoyingly seemed to constantly change as she worked. After a couple of hours and a slight headache, she closed her book in satisfaction. So much for Trig, she thought. I deserve a reward.

One fat shiny chocolate bar later, Lara checked her notebook to see what else was due. Unfortunately, her fingers lefts chocolate swirls on the page as she studied the page. Lara peered a little harder, trying to see past the marks she'd just made. She smiled. Each subject had a tiny checkmark next to it. Study hall had actually been useful on Friday. She was free for the rest of the weekend. But that didn't mean it wasn't going to cost her. Reaching for the phone, she called the auto repair shop. Better to pay the piper now, she sighed, then her mother later.

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"How much?"

The mechanic's voice was unperturbed. "Like I said, you want it done fast. You want it done right. It'll be about fifty bucks cheaper, if you wait till Tuesday."

Tuesday, oh no. Her mother would be back by tomorrow night. That meant the car had to be perfect by Monday morning.

"Will you take a check?"

"Long as its good." He eyed the teenager up in front of him. "It's good, isn't it?"

Coming from her mother's account it better be. I'll put the money in on Monday, Lara reassured herself. This is just a short-term loan. "It's good," she said firmly. "How long is it gonna be?"

"'Bout an hour, give or take. You can wait over there." He gestured to a room from where a TV was blaring loudly, then turned his back on her.

Lara shrugged. What choice did she have? She went and sat down in the waiting room. It took all of six minutes before she was bored stiff of the Game show on the TV, but when she went to change it, an elderly woman glared at her. She reached into her pocket for her phone, but in the chaos of last night she'd forgotten to charge it. Resigned, she picked up a magazine on the latest sports cars. Why hadn't she brought a book? Five minutes of boys and their toys did her in. There had to be something else to read? But the only other thing around was the newspaper and the older woman had a death grip on it.

It's not fair, Lara sulked. She's watching her stupid show, she doesn't need a paper too. She got up and forced a smile on her face.

"Excuse me," she asked. "Could I maybe borrow your paper?"

The woman glared at her. The seats were hard and cracked. Her legs were aching and now this young chit was interrupting her just when she was about to find out the capital of Thailand. A thing like that could be useful to a person.

"It's my paper. I bought it," she responded, hoping Lara would go away, but she didn't. Lara continued to hover.

"Do you mind?" the woman made a point of craning her neck around to see the TV, which would have been a lot easier if the girl hadn't been standing in the way. She noticed she had a candy bar in her pocket. Sugar! she thought to herself, that's the problem with kids these days, that and those fast-food places. The younger generation needs more fiber and less sweets. She folded the newspaper more firmly in half and then sat on it. She felt vaguely disturbed. Capitals of countries shouldn't sound so, so well, indecent. Bangkok, Thailand, indeed.