Malediction

14 - An Address

"How was school?" Dad asked as we sat at the dinner table eating our lasagna and vegetables

Both Luke and I shrugged, almost at the exact same time as one another, both seemingly hiding a secret.

Dad looked between us, then at mum who took her turn.

"Emilia, did you have a bad day?" She directly asked, digging through her broccoli and beans to keep her fingers busy

I quickly perked up, faking it "No, no, I'm just overthinking, classes have taken over my brain, my life.." I dramatically sighed "Having a personal, fun, carefree life actually won't fit inside here anymore" I tapped on my temple with the end of my fork

She rolled her eyes and shook her head

"You have computers and google and technology at the tip of your fingertips at any given moment, we didn't have any of that back when we were young, how do you think our brains felt having to remember things without storing them on a hard-drive for later?" She began her tirade.

I didn't respond, I simply listened to the next ten minutes of her informative history lesson on the differences between my hardships and her own childhood difficulties.

What did she expect? For time not to have changed? For it to have become harder? I was well aware that when I would be in her position that hover cars and robotic humans would exist. Sure, they would make things easier on life, yet there would always remain something to complain about.

After dinner, dad and I helped one another clean the kitchen while mum helped Luke complete homework.

"Your birthday is coming up soon" Dad told me, handing me a wet dish to dry "Any thoughts on what you want?"

I internally groaned. Not because I disliked birthdays, but because I always struggled deciding on what to ask mum and dad for as a gift out of the million things I wanted.
My laptop was outdated by a few years, touch screens were now in, I could have done with one of those. Or an upgraded phone, with a set plan, or a friend for Mollie from the local shelter?

"It's still two months away" I told him, playing it cool "I haven't really thought about it"

"Well it's the one day a year you get to dive into our bank account emerging with a generous withdrawal, so start thinking so we can start saving" He laughed, flicking bubbles at me

I nodded, knowing I needed to actually start culling down my list.

Once done, I sauntered to my bedroom, collected some loose clothing, showered, readied my belongings for the next day of school and by 8pm, I had collapsed on my bed.

Mollie slowly dawdled in tow, sniffing the carpet with her noisy wet nose in search of crumbs from the packet of chocolate biscuits I had snuck into my bedside drawers.

"Don't you tell mum" I told her with a pointed finger, my laptop beeping from under my bed in notification of a message

Pulling it up onto my lap, I opened the cover, the screen springing to life, overpowering and bright.

As my eyes adjusted, I clicked open my messenger tab, flashing with 2 new chats.

Paisley:
Hey, meet me at the front of school b4 bell rings tmorro morning, got something 4 you.

I sat up straight, hoping, knowing that it would be the information I had asked her for on Danny's grandfather.
She worked fast.