Apricity #Wattys2016

Chapter Five: Claudia

"Reality is frequently inaccurate." -Douglas Adams

I woke up to a pounding headache. I mumbled and rolled overthrowing back the covers. The sunlight washed over my face not much helping my headache so I pulled the covers back over my head. My door cracked open and feeling like a child I pretended I was asleep.

"Sweetie?" I heard my moms voice from the doorway. The door opened the rest of the way making a creaky noise. Her footsteps on the hardwood floor padded over to my bed. The covers were once again pulled back.

"Claudia its time to wake up." I mumbled and blocked my eyes from the sunshine.

"Ok." I said my voice husky I cleared my throat looked over at her. She smiled down at me.

"Well morning its about time you woke up theirs pancakes and coffee downstairs for you when you get up ok?"

"Ok what time is it?"

"Almost noon." Jeez I thought I haven't slept in this late in a long time. I threw the covers off of my letting the sunlight that was coming through my opened curtains warm my body.

My mom left but didn't completely close the door. She knew I hated that and I was forced to get up after a moment of trying to close it with my mind. I shut the door and headed to the bathroom to get a shower. I hadn't had one in a while and I felt like a greasy grimy mess.

As I stepped into the bathroom a dizziness washed over me and I fell to my knees. The room tilted and spun around me and black blotches blurred my vision.

I waited for it to go away but it didn't I sat on my butt leaning against the wall for support. It took at least five minutes for it to all go away and by the time my vision cleared up and the room stayed put I was on the verge of crying I was so scared.

I hurriedly turned on the shower striped and stepped into the hot stream letting it cover my body and warm me up before shampooing conditioning and washing my body with my favorite lavender soap.

I felt a lot better as I stepped out of the shower a faint lavender smell filled the bathroom and lingered on my skin as I got dressed in some jeans and a baggy hoodie I wasn't in the mood to impress today so I let my hair stay down and didn't bother to put makeup on.

I carefully went down the steps unlike my usual self who would skip a step and bound down the stairs I didn't want everything to get all spinney and black again while I was on the stairs. My mom was in the living room watching the news and sipping on a mug of coffee

Padding into the kitchen I grabbed my favorite striped mug out of the top cupboard making me have to get on my tip toes to reach. I poured some coffee in the mug and pulled it close to my face letting the steam warm my cheeks and tickle my nose.

"Your pancakes are in the microwave." A soft voice interrupted my trance making me jump a little and almost spill my coffee. I set the cup down and smiled over at my mom.

"Are you ok? you've been standing there for five minutes with the cup to your face." My mouth popped open a little forming an o. I snapped it shut and nodded quickly grabbing my plate out of the microwave piled high with pancakes.

I settled down in the seat closest to the window at the kitchen table glancing out at the huge backyard as I shoved a forkful of pancakes in my mouth. My mom sat down across from me watching me look outside. I swallowed and my eyes darted to her face feeling her stare.

"What?' I asked stabbing another piece of pancakes.She sighed dragging one hand down her face.

"Someone is going to be here in an hour to talk to you." She said and gave me a sad smile.

My heart picked up.

"Who?" I put my fork back down as it was halfway to my mouth but that was the last thing on my mind at that moment.

I grabbed my coffee feeling I would need it for what she was about to tell me next.

"Well this was a last minute thing I've been thinking about it and I thought it might help if he talke-"

"He?" I interrupted greatly curious to who this he was.

"Yes he." She mumbled clasping her hands tightly in front of her.

"May I ask who this he is" My pancakes completely forgotten I propped my elbows up on the table earning a dirty glare from my mom and rested my chin on my intertwined hands.

She had my full and undivided attention but I was dying inside from the suspense. who was this he? I asked my self.

"Uh...well he called last night and said he has been trying to reach you and your friends." She mumbled almost to her self. she was beating around the bush.

Why would he be trying to reach me. why would he be trying to reach my friends I asked my self again.

Then it clicked. My mouth fell open my jaw swinging in mid air my eyes felt like they were going to jump out of my head.

"No you didn't." I said once I had finally found my voice. She sighed running her hands down her face again and stared down at the table tracing the design on the mat.

There was a sharp knock on the door.

My heart leapt and I took a huge gulp of my coffee dreading what I thought was on the other side of that door.

My mom jumped a bit and and left to answer the door.

I sunk a little in my seat suddenly feeling self conscious of what I looked like.

There was conversation in the other room. My moms headed popped around the corner.

"Honey?" She said giving me another sad smile. I nodded knowing I would have to go out there and face him sooner or later.

Might as well get it over with.

I told myself finishing off my coffee and lazily pulling myself to my feet. My stomach turned into some kind of acrobat.. I could feel my heart racing as I lightly tiptoed down the hall to the living room. I was so over reacting. I turned the last corner peeking my head into the living room. My mom was sitting on the love seat and across from her was a man no much older than I was seated in my favorite chair. My stomach dropped to my feet when he glanced over at me.

His stare though was not the reason for the butterflies in my stomach it was the quiet thought that ran through my head unexpectedly which made me mentally slap myself.

He hot!