Sudden Departure

Chapter Four

Creak. Snap. Pop. My stairs groaned tiredly as I trudged down them later that morning.

I reached the bottom of the steps and stared at the wall. The pale green color was washed out in the morning light and shadows created strange shapes along the length of the wall.

"Sleep well?"

I flinched at the sound of my mom's voice and whipped around.

"Yes, mother."

"Well, it doesn't look like it to me," she said geturing to the empty bowl and residue covered counters.

I smiled and nodded, "I did after that. Infact, right there at the counter."

She tightly returned my smile. "Scrub," she said as she handed me a wet sponge.

I groaned and thrust the sponge onto the counter.

She sighed and leaned against the cabinet. "Alright, Shailene. We really need to talk about this curfew thing."

I let go of the sponge. "Yeah, I know," I grumbled.

"It's just that we, your father and I, set these rules for your safety. Would you like to be kidnapped by a creeper or in a car wreck from a drunken driver?!"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Mom, those things can happen during the day, too."

"Well, yeah, but... Nothing good ever happens after midnight."

I snorted and waved a loose spoon at her. "It's okay, I'll be home from now on. Those times were just flukes, never again."

Her face turned doubtful as I poured myself a hot mug of steamy black coffee.

"So," she began as she repositioned herself against that edge of the counter. "What do you have planned for today?"

"Sadly, the mall."

She twisted her face into a confused expression. "Why is that a bad thing?"

I huffed out a short breath and raised my arms. "Mom! You know I hate the mall, I've hated it since I was thirteen. There are too many people, the kiosk people are agitating with their test-runs. And, foreigners don't know which side to walk on, I'm like, 'This is America! If you are going to walk here, learn to do it the right way!'"

My mom snorted and waved me away. "Just go. Go. Have fun yelling at those foreigners!"

I laughed quickly and climbed the stairs.

After I went upstairs, showered, changed, and put on 'my face' I stood on the front porch. The noon sky was gray, but bright, and the frozen breeze reddened my cheeks.

My mom cracked the door to reveal a sliver of her image wrapped in a towel. "Hey, Shailene, remember that we have mass at five thirty. Don't be late."

I groaned made a mental note to slap myself for forgetting such a simple detail. It was sudden and we always went to church on Sundays.

"Yeah, mom. I'll get Cameron to bring me."

She smiled as his rusty blue truck pulled up. "Speak of the devil..."

I heard the door click shut as I bounded over to Cameron's truck.

"Get in loser, we're going shopping," Jane yelled from the cab of the truck.

Jane felt that she was the epitome of teenage punk angst (and also felt entitled to show it) so she had an array of changing hairstyles. Today, her hair had gone from bubblegum pink to neon green.

I flung the door open and plastered a shocked expression onto my face. "Oh my gosh, Cameron! What the heck is she doing here?!"

Cameron gripped the steering wheel tighter and then raised them into a mock surrender, "Um, uh... Shailene, it's not what it looks like."

I grinned and laughed, "Scoot over, cheaters."

I slid onto the seat of the truck and closed the door. Leaning across Jane's lap, I pecked Cameron's lips with my own. He smiled and kissed me back.

"Aah!" Jane yelped. "Teenage hormonal PDA. In my lap, none the less!" Jane groaned and pulled us away from each other. "Gross. Okay, let's just go."