Proceed With Caution

Chapter 13

Connor's POV

The alarm rang. I turned over and checked the time. 3.15 a.m. There was nothing worse than having to wake up extremely early on a Monday.

As I got out of bed, someone knocked on my bedroom door loudly, causing my headache to amplify.

"Connor! Get out of bed!" my mother yelled. I sighed in irritation.

"I'm already out!" I shouted back.

I stumbled to the bathroom and did what I needed to. My eyes were bleary. For the past three months, I was forced to wake up three hours earlier than usual, three times a week. And I had not gotten used to it at all.

"Connor! Grandma's already here! Hurry up!" Mom screamed again.

"Wait! I'm coming!" I fumed, not bothering to hide my annoyance. I hope she had not forgotten that I was doing her a favour.

I raced downstairs. I was a mess. I had thrown on my uniform in a hurry, and I had buttoned my shirt wrongly. My hair was still a mess, and my shirt was untidily hanging loose. I shrugged on my blazer in an attempt to look presentable.

"Hey, Grams." I said groggily. Grandma smiled at me.

"Have you eaten, Connor?" she asked. I shook my head. I literally woke up five minutes ago. "Take a cookie from my purse, dear."

I opened her purse and the smell of lavender and mothballs made me cough. I took out the cookie from her purse. On the plastic wrapper, it was printed that the cookie had expired two years ago, and grey fur had carpeted its circumference. My appetite was ruined immediately.

"Uh... I'll eat in school." I said. "Ready to go?" I asked her. She nodded.

We walked out the door and I stuffed my feet into my scuffed school shoes, while she slid on her beige-coloured sandals that seemed to be the fashion trend amongst the geriatrics.

We walked along the pavement to the bus stop. Streetlamps lit the way as the sky was still dark.

"How's school?" Grandma asked. I shrugged.

"It's alright, I guess. I like all my classes." I replied monotonously. She asked me the same question every time. And I gave the same response every time.

We reached the bus stop and sat down. There was a chill in the air. The first signs of fall were appearing. Leaves rustled in the wind and floated off the branches. Fall was my favourite season of the year; it has been since I was three years old. But now, the atmosphere seemed very depressing.

The bus arrived, and I helped Grandma on board before boarding myself. We took our usual spot at the seats next to the door. The bus drove along the bumpy road, passing by the deserted streets.

I looked at Grandma. Her makeup was stuck in the 70s, with her bright blue eyeshadow and red lips.

"Grams, tell me again why we have to go there so early? Why couldn't they just, you know, set your appointments in the afternoon?" I asked.

"Because the afternoon and night sessions are already full, and they other centres are a ten hour drive away. The only available slot is at 4 a.m." she replied calmly.