Not My Type

7-Retired Permanently

When I woke up, I could have sworn that the world was ending. I was bouncing up and down in my bed and there was a lot of screaming. I couldn't see anything, was I blind? Did the gases already get to me? I was doomed. I started to scream along with the other voices. But soon the screams morphed into laughs and the covers were snatched off of my head.

Eventually, everything became clear. I frowned at my mother and sister, "That was not funny at all..." I crossed my arms and laid back down in bed. "Oh, come on PeniPie. We were just playing with you." My mother fell on top of me, followed by Sarah. "Yeah, PeniPie." I winced with the weight of both of them combined on top of me. "Yeah, yeah. Get off of me." I mumbled.

"You have to get up though, just because it's Sunday doesn't mean you get to sleep in." She laughed , climbing off of my bed. "Why?" I sat up and ran a hand through my tangled mess of hair. "We are going to my boss' house for dinner tonight. And yes, you have to come. It's not formal, but you have to look nice." My mom put her arm around Sarah's shoulders. "Why do we have to look nice for Mr. Jeffrey?"

Mr. Jeffrey was this sweet old man who mom worked for. Whenever he had gatherings for work at his house, we all basically sat around in his living room eating chips and dip and drinking soda. He was super casual and he absolutely loved mom. It was a weird father-daughter relationship, what they had. He was pretty much Sarah and I's grandfather. We never had a real grandfather. Dad's parents were never really in the picture. (The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, honestly) And mom's dad died when I was three.

"That's, uh, what I was gonna tell you girls... Mr. Jeffrey retired. I have a new boss, and she seems very nice. She has a son that's about your age, Peni. He's coming tonight, you might even know each other. I don't know though, I haven't met him. But you'll like my boss, she's got this big house out in the country. It's not far." She blabbed for a moment while I took in everything she was saying.

"Well, are we ever going to see Mr. Jeffrey again?" Sarah's eyebrows drew together. Mom looked at me like she was sending a message through her eyes. Suddenly the air was much thicker with curiosity and worry. "No, Sarah. I don't think so, Mr. Jeffrey retired permanently." I suddenly got it, and the way Sarah gasped made me think she did too. I sighed, "Oh. Umm, when's the... the funeral" I gulped. It was so odd to me how everything when from the world ending, to jokes and happy times, to tragedy.

" Next week. But, it's okay. It was just his time, you girls don't have to come." She said quickly, I assumed she was walking on eggshells around Sarah and I so we wouldn't cry. Sarah might have, but I was not going to cry. I was not going to cry. I suddenly, really didn't want to meet whoever this woman was who was going to replace Mr. Jeffrey. I felt like whoever it was, was going to be the kind of person who would step on kittens' tails and pluck out their whiskers one by one.

"No, I'm going. I need to get a shower, so uhh..." I got up and motioned to the door. "Yeah, I'll uh. I'll help Sarah pick something out." Mom was that type of person who thought no matter how old you were, you were still five. Sarah was a smart girl, she understood a lot more things at her age then I ever did. She can pick out her own outfits just fine, but that was sort of all mom ever had to go on, was helping me and Sarah.

I pulled open my closet and tried to find something decent to wear. I didn't dress up often, but I had a nice selection of things because I always let mom and Sarah pick out the fancy stuff. I finally pulled out a nice, long-sleeve, pinkish dress that came just to my knees. It was simple and I really liked it because it was very comfortable. I had worn it so many times before to events and things for school that I lost count. I laid the dress on my bed and jumped in a quick shower.

"Mom! When are we leaving?" I held my towel to my chest tightly and searched our small house for my mother. She was in Sarah's room, talking to her. "You have time, dinner's not until six, we are leaving at five though." I puffed loudly as I looked at the clock that read two o'clock. Yes, that means I woke up at like one thirty-something. Don't judge, it was a weekend. Passing time was not something I was good at, but give me some head phones and a good book, it would happen. So, I slipped on a T-shirt and shorts and did just that. Of course, not for a full three hours.

I watched a bit of Netflix and thought about Mr. Jeffrey. After, I finished reminiscing in the old fond memories of him, I decided to get dressed. It wouldn't take me long, things like that never did. I just slipped on the dress, put on some flats and brushed through my hair. I absolutely dreaded going to this person's house. Social activities were never my calling, I'm sort of that person who would go to a party or social gathering and leave five minutes in. At least this wouldn't be with a bunch of idiot teenagers. Maybe it won't be that bad.

Sarah ran into my room as soon as I finished fixing my hair. "Hey, mom said you could do my hair. I want you to braid it." She shuffled over and plopped down on my bed. "Okay, one or two?" I questioned as I checked my phone for any texts. I had a voicemail from Mrs. Holiday. Most likely about my next shift at the library. I hadn't worked the past week because all of the crazy first week back drama. "One please." She answered. I quickly grabbed a hair tie and braided her long, blond hair. Her hair was so much prettier than mine. She got it from our mom. I, of course, got my red hair and brown eyes from my dad.

If you were to see us walking on the street, you never would have thought we were sisters, the only trait we truly shared was how short we were, it honestly wasn't fair. "Hey, Peni." Sarah started to play with her fingers, "Yeah?" I raised an eyebrow as I slowly braided her hair. "I know what mom means by "retiring permanently.""I laughed a little, nodding. "I know, Sarah. I do too."