One Year Before High School

Chapter 12

Unlike today, the major event didn't happen during school, involving Stephany, or on a weekend where they all go out, ready for a leisurely day but instead wound up with one change or another. It was actually before school that this happened. Maci couldn't sleep, something rare for her. She had always been a sound sleeper, with no worries troubling her. But today was different.

She woke up blearily to see her bedside alarm clock read, in bright red numbers, 5:28. Two entire hours before the earlist of risers in their small dorm would wake up. She groaned tiredly and flipped over, sinking deeper into the covers for some more nap time.

This repeated ten more times before she sat up, irritated as she realized that she won't be getting any more sleep. Getting up reluctantly from her warm covers, she tip-toed through the chilly hallways, the morning light not yet filtering through. Normally, she'd go to the kitchen to grab a bite, or watch some television to while away the time. But, between the Stephany incident and some major pile-on of tests, none of them had remembered to pay the electric bills. Not even Ivy or Carla. So, they had to take out everything from the fridge and save up enough to scrape by. Easier said then done since only two of them have jobs. In fact, she was suprised that the water didn't turn from steamy to cold suddenly too.

She sat down on the couch, the movement strange since there was no company. It seemed so lonley, and she was tempted to back to bed. She sighed, loudly this time, and scrolled through her phone. That didn't last long.

No one was awake at this hour.

She stared at the wall for a while, then went back to scrolling. The alternation of activities finally started to wear on her, because she suddenly got up, and went to go out. Bored out of her mind, she put on her shoes and went out the door.

The cold and brisk air had a tang of heaviness to it as she walked, huffing as she tried to get some circulation going. Tinges of grey started to make their way over the clouds, but the streets were still barren. A few, minor stores were lit up, mostly 24/7 cafés and small, generic shops. In most of them were weary employees, all a smidge grade higher than her, undoubtedly finding a way to pay for their bills while earning enough to get by. Their faces said enough, bored and hoping for anyone to come through. Maci ignored most of them (except for one with a cute, vintage music box on display. She stared at that for a full ten minutes), deciding that it was too early for breakfast in the small diners that populated the area.

Meow

Maci stopped in her tracks, and turned around. There it was again, a high-pitched meow. She listened for it again, and was just about to turn around and leave when it came again.

Meow

She turned around, and followed the sound to a tree, where a brown-and-white cat was stuck. She shook her head. "Wow, and I thought this sort of stuff only happened in cartoons" she muttered under her breath. Careful not to lose her balance, she started making her way up the tree. She was halfway up before deciding to just reach out. She cautionsly extended a hand and started to make kissy noises.

"Here kitty kitty kitty!"

Meow

"Come on"

Hisss!

The cat hissed at her, tail going straight up. Maci didn't back down, though. She tried again, letting the cat sniff this time. It came up to her, took a few skittish sniffs before deciding that she was safe. It nuzzled up to her hand, and Maci felt the tension flow out

Oops

As soon as she relaxed, her hold on one of the ajacent branches loosened and both she and the cat tumbled down with a loud shout. The sound echoed through the empty, winding streets. She braced herself and held the cat tight...