Walmart ⇒ L.H.

04-Venus

Chapter 4

Tuesday

I wake up with a smile tugging at my lips as last night's conversation rushes to me. Rolling over on my back, I grasp my phone from the nightstand; one new picture message the screen tells me along with the current time of 9:36 am. I slide the little bar and open the message from none other than Walmart Luke.

I gasp as I open the picture. It's a picture of a large Lava Java coffee settled in his hand, along with a message.

Walmart Luke: "Good morning Venus:-)".

Even though he's at work, I reply to him, fuming at his nerve.

Venus: "I cant believe u, thats not funny. its not even REAL coffee, its gross."

By the time I've sent it, it's more of a rant than a message though, so I quickly send a second message.

Venus: "oh, and good morning :)"

I force myself away from the comfort of the pillows, and stand up. My toes dig into the fuzzy carpet as I walk across my room to my bathroom. There are some benefits to my parents being scientists, I suppose. I wouldn't say we're rich exactly, but we're definitely not struggling with the whole finances thing, and we have food on the table every day.

And I definitely don't complain about having my own bathroom in my room.

I strip off my pajamas and step into the hot water, immediately waking up. The water pounds into my back and cascades around my shoulders as I work shampoo into my brunette hair and scrub the sweat and oils of yesterday from my skin.

The cold air hits me as I reluctantly step out and wrap myself in a towel. I reach for my phone as I walk back into my room, subconciously hoping for a reply from Luke.

Instead though, there's a message from Maisey.

Maisey: "heya, wanna go for brunch & catch up? miss you so much xo"

My heart leaps, I haven't seen Maisey in so long. I reply right away, excitement rushing through me.

Venus: "ofc M:) i miss u too, maybe walk around town after if we have time?"

We exchange a few more texts planning, and decide that she'll pick me up at 10:30. I have about 20 minutes.

I slip into my white shorts with the frayed hem, pull my loose maroon tank top with the black and white tribal pocket on left breast over my head, and pull on my black vans to top it off.

I quickly straighten my normally wavy brunette hair, and put on some light make up, all the while hoping for the short vibration in my back right pocket that just might be Luke.

Finally finished, I exit my room and quickly almost-run down the hardwood stairs, wondering if mom's home.

Lorrie Walker, or Dr. Walker to her co-workers, has a bit of a lenient schedule. She can be home for three days and then at the lab for the next two, arriving home again at 2 am. It's always different, depending on how busy she is discovering a new species of animal or creating humans that can breathe underwater.

Sebastian Walker, on the other hand, doesn't do things on as large of a scale. He happens to just teach kids about science. So he has summer off, he's probably still asleep actually.

I think Daren is at a friends, most likely. He goes to Penn State University, but he's home for the summer, which actually means he's at his friends or at parties 5/7 nights every week. We normally have a pretty close relationship, but college has kind of screwed that up a bit. I miss him.