Test Four

The Taste of Tea

As the bus pulls up to our house, I look at the ground as I walk and think of how I'm going to explain today to mum. Will runs a head of me but I don't even look up, I just open the door and walk in. I expect to hear mums 'hello' but I hear nothing. Nothing. Why nothing... Oh, crap.

"Um... hello?" says Jayce, I walked into the wrong house, I wasn't paying attention, what do I say?

"Uhhhhhh..... Um, I'm sorry... I... wasn't paying attention... Sorry," I turn around and run out the door; I bolt into my house and take a deep breath.

"Hello, El Bell!" sings my mum, she runs and wraps her arms around me, "This isn't a fairy tale for gosh sake, I paid big money for you" her face changes as she sees mine. "Honey I know you didn't want to go to a new school but cant you just fricken except it?" she snaps. A scream inside my head echoes through me "You idiots!" I scrunch my face and shake my head, that voice. Conclusion, I'm probably going mad. "Sorry honey, bad day, anyway, what was so bad."

"Oh nothing much just I uh... I embarrassed myself, big time, I just...-"

"Oh, Ella, we all got to embarrass ourselves some time, it's how we learn, I'm sure it wasn't that bad, now come and help me organise the dining room, we have guest this afternoon!" She pulls me to the dining room and puts some bits and bobs in my hands. "Find a place for these on the shelf, please." After the dining room is complete I change into my Layla hoodie and some leggings, tying my hair back, I plonk myself down on the dining tables seat. "Ella do you think you could set these on the table-"

I groan, "cant you ask Will?"

"Cant I ask you? Just this then you can rest, plus your brother is practising baseball."

"So?"

"So? He gets into the team this year, if you were doing homework then I wouldn't ask you, but anyway honey, I only want you to put this on the table, that's all!" I lift myself up, grabbing the plate of cookies and bits and placing them on the table, why couldn't have put them on the table when she was right there? "Now you can rest, unless you have homework."

--

My eyes jolt open as I hear the doorbell ring, I rub my eyes, and I must have fallen asleep. I feel a pillow beneath my head; mum must have put it there. Lifting my head I stretch out my arms,

"Awake just in time, the next door neighbours are here, could you go get Mila from upstairs?" The next door neighbours? Jayce? I run upstairs, I hear the door open and people talking, I don't want to see Jayce, I'm so embarrassed from earlier on.

"Hey Mi" I say lifting about her and kissing her on the forehead. I check myself in the mirror, all good. Quietly I walk down the stairs, as soon as I see him I freak, he must think I'm so weird, but what can I do, I have to go down. With my head down I put Mila in the baby seat next to mum, but I don't get far without being noticed,

"Ah, Ella, this is Mrs Jero,"

"Oh yes, I met her yesterday," says Mrs Jero,

"Oh, and this is her son, Jayce," I give them a quick smile before sliding into my seat beside Mila. I distract myself by feeding Mila a cookie, but mum quickly gets me into conversation. "Oh, don't these kids grow so fast," she says grabbing my shoulder, here we go parents and these talks. "Too general" I'm distracted by the voice. Are you my conscience? I look up. I freeze when I see everyone staring at me before Mrs Jero goes straight back into conversation. "Just zip it".

"Yes, I wish they would stop and be young forever," Mrs Jero wraps her arms around Jayce and squeezes him, the disgust on his face makes me giggle, "oh Jayce remember that time, when your legs were so small that you would cry when you couldn't go up the stairs! Oh and now look at you, so tall!" He grunts and his cheeks become red.

"Oh, I remember when Ella always came down the stairs late at night to try to sneak food out of the fridge, but she was so young and couldn't get the fridge open,"

"We had to put a gate at the top of the stairs after a while because sometimes she would fall, little darling," dad says ruffling my hair; I cover my face in embarrassment. "Seriously?"

"Honey, could you make us some tea," whispers mum, and I'm glad she does, because I need to get away. I flick the kettle on and grab the tea bags, placing them into some mugs.

"Is tea just like coffee, but a little less strong?" I jolt and quickly turn as Jayce appears behind me.

"Umm, yes, kind of... no, it tastes completely different... have you never tried it before?"

"No I haven't, but I would like to."

"Okay, well, I will make you one then," I pull out another cup and another tea bag, as the kettle finishes boiling I pour it into the cups, then I put some sugar in a container and some milk into a jug, before taking it all and putting it on the table.

"Thank you, dear," says mum grabbing one of the mugs, I wonder outside and sit on the edge of the patio, soon accompanied by Jayce.

"Oh... uh,"

"Could you please take a picture of me, drinking this tea...?" I stare.

"What?"

"Oh, I just like to document, everything I do..." his cheeks turn red and he ruffles his hair, before taking out his phone. "I mean this is a first time... so... ha ha..."

"Yeah, I can take a picture." He passes me a phone and I stand back, as he sips the tea I take a picture, capturing his face of disgust.

"Ugh yuck!" he yells placing the mug down an exaggerated distance away from him. "I'm sorry, it's not the way you made it, and it must be tea in general..."

"Ha ha well you either love it or hate it..."

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, I do... its actually quite tasty, and keeps you warm on cold days..." I try to think of more reasons to justify me liking tea, but I suddenly can't think of anything.

"Hey, its okay, I mean... you either love it or hate it." He smiles, and I return mine, before stepping onto the patio and suddenly falling flat on the wooden floor. I tripped. I pick myself up, and hesitate as Jayce grabs my arms; soon he is joined by Will who stands next to me laughing.

"Are you alright?" says Jayce, worriedly.

"Oh, yeah... I'm okay... ha ha silly me..." Please, ground, swallow me up when I fall next time! "Are you sure this was the girl to make it?" "Yes miss." "All the way through?" "Hopefully miss."