Bitter Reality

The Gathering

I slammed the door to my locker shut as I sighed. Even though I didn’t have much to do, it was as difficult as it could get. I was in all advanced classes, and the teachers handed out the hardest homework that they could find in the filing cabinets. Before I could get on to the next thing on my mental to-do list, I heard someone’s voice.

“JULIE!”

I turned around and caught my friend before she could tackle me. Agatha, more commonly known as Aggie, was wearing her usual bright smile. “Julie, you’ll never guess what!” I jokingly rolled my eyes. Her ‘guess what’ games were usually easy. “You got seated next to a cute guy in Biology.” She shook her head. I shrugged. “What?” She dragged me over to a not-so-populated corner of the hallways. Once we got there, she looked around. “Gah, it’s still too crowded. Tell you when we get home, ‘Kay?” I nodded.

She disappeared into the throng of people clogging the exit, leaving me to navigate the crowded hallways all by myself. I pushed through other students, and managed to get outside. The thick gray clouds threatened to rain on us.

After I got to the parking lot of the school, I met Aggie at my car. I raised an eyebrow. “Your brother not picking you up today?” She shook her head. “It’s not that; he just wanted to hang out with his football buddies and I didn’t. I don’t want to really be at school on a cloudy day.” I shrugged, and opened the door to my electric blue corvette. “Well, get in before I leave you behind, Aggie. I have to hurry up and get my homework done before we can go shopping.” She sighed as the engine purred to life. I pulled out of the parking lot, and glided down the street.

In five minutes, we were at my house. “You want to help with my homework? I can probably help you out with yours.” She sighed again, “Why must teachers give out work at all on Fridays when they know we can’t finish it?” I shrugged. “Beats me; maybe they like the terrified faces that students make when they haven’t finished.” We laughed at my joke, until I entered the house. The entire home was silent. I walked to the kitchen counter, and saw a note. Went out to get groceries and should be home at about 4:30. Love you, Mom. I turned back to Aggie. “They went to the store, so I say you’re welcome to stay for homework help.” She nodded, and closed the front door behind her. I led the way to my room, ignoring my older brother’s open door. Even though he wasn’t there, music played softly in his room.

I went past the bathroom to enter my bedroom. The walls were a deep red, and the carpet was dark-colored as well. I flung my backpack onto my bed, and collapsed onto the soft cloud of a mattress. “Thank you God for giving us Friday. It’s a day to go to school, come home, eat dinner, and go shopping until the mall closes.” Aggie chuckled at my statement, and sat down on the carpet. “So…what homework do you have?” I groaned. “Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra.” Aggie groaned with me. “Those are my worst subjects!” I nodded with her. “Hate those subjects too. They’re always annoying; with the unpredictable variables.” She murmured agreement. I shot up from my resting point. “What if I do the homework on Sunday?! Then we can go shopping today and tomorrow!”

I stood up just as Aggie did, and we high-fived so hard that my hand came back a little red. I suddenly stopped in the joy. “We have to wait until my parents get back though.” Aggie hung her head again. I shrugged. “Well hey; it’s almost 4:30, so they should be here soon.” A knock sounded at the door. I gave a pointed look at Aggie. “You won’t have to wait much longer, Agatha DuMatin.” She rolled her eyes. “Et vous n’avez pas besoin d’utiliser mon nom, prenom, Julie LeBeau.” And you didn’t have to use my full name, Julie LeBeau. I laughed. A voice echoed through the house, “Julie, are you here?” I stretched. “Coming, Mom!”

She was at the kitchen counter while Dad brought in the plastic bags of groceries. It took him about two trips, with five bags in each hand. I helped to put everything away while Mom explained what was going on. “I’m afraid you and Agatha cannot go shopping tonight, Julie. We have to go meet with the others. Agatha, I am sure your mother wants the same.” I hung my head with Aggie. Every month, I was dragged to a meeting with the other vampires in the community. Those old bats could argue about anything in the world. One time, I heard one arguing about time spans of showers. How in the name of fuzzy purple dragons did that subject come up? I don’t know. Aggie groaned. “But Mrs. LeBeau, we were going to get the hottest trends from France!” She faced us both with an upraised eyebrow and exasperated look. “Julie; we’re going. Agatha, you might want to check with your mother before you go shopping tonight.” Both of us frowned. “Mom, are you sure that I have to go?” She nodded. “Attendance is mandatory in this family.” My brother ran through the door. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late.” My dad looked to him sternly. “What was up that made you late?” He shuffled his feet.