DisPLACEd: Beginnings

Chapter Four

From the sounding of the first alarm at 6am, the house was a constant scene of movement. Orientation Week held many activities and get-togethers, with the festivities growing rowdier as the days wore on. With no dining table, the group congregated in the lounge-room for meals, or in the kitchen for snacks. A rhythm was starting to appear at times. But all it took was one incident, and the whole house descended into chaos.

***

Aadita sat under her desk light, in the otherwise dark room. She tapped her pen impatiently over her thick textbook, trying to stop herself from going and screaming at whoever was playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony at a deafening volume. She wasn't averse to listening to music while studying, she very much enjoyed to listen to instrumental pieces, but this was ridiculous. She cupped her hands over her ears, attempting to block it out but it didn't work.

Aadita knew who was playing the music.

Who else could it be? Reb!

It all became too much for her. Aadita stormed out of her room and across the hall, barging into Reb and Harley's room unannounced. Harley jumped from the sudden entrance. Reb took her eyes away from the book she was reading and stared in disbelief at Aadita's rudeness.

"Can you turn down the music!" Aadita yelled. As soon as the words left her mouth she realised that the music had stopped abruptly. Aadita shrunk in on herself as she met Reb's furious glare. She looked to Harley to see a confused look from her.

"There was no music," Harley said, quietly.

Aadita embarrassed and concerned, retreated without a word. She rushed back to her room and shut the door firmly behind her. Leaning back on the closed door, she put her hand to her head. 'Am I going crazy?' She thought to herself. She put her lapse of mental stability down to staring at a textbook for too long. Aadita moved to her desk and closed all her textbooks.

***

"What's the score?" Eric asked Ryan, who he'd overheard yelling at a football game he was watching on TV.

"20-2. My team's losing again," Ryan replied, angrily throwing a handful of potato chips at the screen.

"Huh. Why do you think they're in such bad form this season?"

Ryan looked away from the TV, happy that someone in the household seemed interested in sport.

"Well, man, they've got this new coach..."

***

Jake was chopping up carrots expertly, happy to have a break from his textbooks for a while. Harley and Aadita wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey, whatcha making?" Harley asked, taking a piece of carrot.

"Stir-fry. My specialty." It was the first time Harley had seen Jake smile all week. She thought he had a nice smile and she wished that he would do it more often. He was always so serious.

"Who taught you to make this?" Aadita asked, hovering over the pan taking in the smell.

"I taught myself," Jake said.

***

Harley sat on the front steps outside, leaning up against the wooden railing. She was sketching funny little characters in her art journal. She had drawn everyone from the house, even 'Stoner Steve the Superhero'.

Eric trudged up the path. His shoulders were slumped and his feet dragged along the ground. He was tired and miserable, just finishing his morning shift at 'The Unusual Brew'. He plonked himself down next to Harley. She smiled a hello so wide her eyes creased at the sides. Her happiness couldn't help but bring a small smile to Eric's face.