The game | Calum Hood

Sausages, Bacon and Soggy Lasagne

"Riley, it's 7, you need to get up for work." I was woken by my mum who popped her head around the door and whispered at my quietly. "I'll go and make you breakfast, see you downstairs?"

I smiled, this was my mum. In reality, I should be used to waking up to a completely different woman from the night before, but I knew she would do the exact same thing tonight.

Sighing, I pulled on my work jacket and my black skinny jeans, I pulled my hair up into a pony and I only put on a little foundation. Slowly, I pulled on my black converse and trudged downstairs, but I was automatically cheered up by the smell of cooking bacon.

"Riley, have things really gotten this bad?" Mum sounded concerned as she realised that she had nothing to feed her family on. She opened and closed the empty cupboards, only to be disappointed more each time. "I didn't even realise."

I sat down at the table and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl, leaving a brown apple and a mouldy orange, which mum threw straight into the bin.

"It's ok, I get payed today." Trying to sound chirpy, I tried to convince us both that we have some sort of plan, but my wages alone wouldn't pay for the groceries, let alone the bills. "I'll pick up something for dinner after work."

Mum smiled, "that's my gorgeous girl. I was thinking of inviting the new neighbours for dinner, seeing as they probably won't have the stuff to cook with, and we can get to know them, Karen says Michael knows the son. He went to your school I think, Charlie? Cameron? Uh, Kian?" She furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to think of who it was that my cousin Michael knew.

"What's his last name?" I questioned, grabbing my plate of bacon and sausages from the side.

"Hood. I know she said Hood. Yeah."

"Calum?"

"Yeah! That sounds right! Calum."

I shook my head, it couldn't be Calum Hood moving next door. He went to some sports college somewhere, and knowing Calum, he would not drop out of that kind if college. Calum Hood was the captain of the school football team, the team won every game that he played, he also played for our local team before he left. Before his family moved away last year anyway.

"It won't be Calum Hood." I mumbled, messing with my food on my plate. "They moved away last year so that Calum could go to some specialist sports college."

I stood up and placed my plate on the sink, grabbing my phone and slotting it into my pocket and grabbing my keys off the side.

"I'll text you if the neighbours are coming so you can get some food. We'll make it all from scratch."

"Mum, that costs a bomb!" I groaned as she walked me towards the front door.

"Exactly Riley, they can't know how we're living. Look, I'll sort it out, but for now please princess. Just this one time?" Mum pleaded.

"Fine. Text me what you want me to get." I said as I closed the door behind me and got into my car.
-
Mum: Get the stuff for a lasagna. It is Charlie Hood or whoever you said it was.
Riley: What colour hair?
Mum: Black. Mum's Kiwi, Dads Scottish. It is him isn't it?
Riley: Yep
Mum: He said he knew you.
Riley: What? You spoke to him?
Mum: Yes, he seemed like a nice boy.
Riley: Great.
-
Riley: YOU SOLD YOUR HOUSE TO THE HOODS AND YOU DIDNT BOTHER TO TELL ME?
Popsicle: Riley it's 1AM, and I did tell you.
Riley: I don't care what time it is across the other side of the world Poppy. Calum Hood is my new neighbour. The captain of the football team Calum Hood. The Calum Hood, and my mum has invited him round for TEA!
Popsicle: A new friend maybe?
Riley: Maybe not.
-
"Riley, is this right, you put the sauce in then..." Mum said as I walked into the kitchen, after getting ready for the Hoods' visit. I was wearing white denim high waisted skinny jeans, and a pink floral crop top, with cut off shoulders and short sleeves. I had my blonde hair twisted and braided into a complex updo, with my baby hair hanging in front of my ears. With my makeup, I had done a simple light smokey eye, with a slight cat eye eyeliner, and I had a light pink lipstick on.