Egbert

A good Egg?

Breakfast is more awkward than usual this morning. My parents sit hands entwined, both of them on their phones. The maid sets down the food on the table then shuffles off to start the housework, avoiding any eye contact. Maybe if she tries hard enough she might actually turn invisible. The third one this month; a mousy brown haired woman with a large nose and acne covering her face. Mother's not happy. She specifically requested the most beautiful woman they What she doesn't know is that I called the agency up after and requested they ignore her request and do the complete opposite. The very fact that the agency actually complied with my request is worrying and reflection of how shallow our society has become. I'm not doing it to be callous, the opposite actually. This maid should last much longer than any of the others. The more symmetrical they are the more likely they are to disappear in the middle of the night. It's heinous. Not to mention completely disruptive to my schedule. Not knowing if my room is going to be cleaned for me when I get home really sets me on edge. But I made sure it was spotless today, I'd like to avoid anyone going in there. The amulets have been stashed away safely where no one will find them. If mother knew that I used them she would be furious.

But that's not why this morning is awkward. I'm trying to desperately figure out a way to ask father why he went to see my Principal or why he didn't tell me about it. Or more importantly, how did he manage not to slaughter anyone. Logic gets the best of me. I can't ask him when he's around mother. Maybe he went alone secretly specifically so she wouldn't know. There's a warm glow in my chest, it's nice that he's on my side.

My mother looks up from her phone for a split second to appraise me. For a minute, I think she's going to ask me what's wrong, but she doesn't.

"That Indian lady isn't dropping you to school today so you'll be walking."

"What? Mother it's more than a mile away."

She looks at me vindictively. "Who was the idiotic child insisting that he be sent to school with the peasants? This is your fault. Why should I aid you?"

I cast my eyes down at the table. "Could I at least ask the maid to drop me?"

"She has chores." My mother goes back to her phone, doing who knows what. Actually, she's probably just playing a game.

I know there's no point arguing, unless I want to get them riled up. Bad things happen then, and I'd like to avoid any 'bad things'.

So, I hop on my bike.

"You should have stolen the car." Vikram says when he sees me outside his house. He's frowning at my bike. Like his mother, he was probably expecting mine to drop us. It's a perfectly good bike though. It even has a basket so I can hold things and this cool bell that lets people know I'm a force to be reckoned with.

"I thought about it, but I don't think father would be happy to take my bike to work. I doubt he'd be happy to do anything."

"Unless it was your mother"

"You're an asshole."

"You're a dick"

We both stand staring at each other before Vikram slaps a hand on his head.

"My bike is being used by Preets." Vikram's sister, Preeti, is only a year younger than us, but being the youngest she can get away with stealing most of his things.

I motion to the back of my bike.

"Hop on."

We ride to school, me driving the bike with Vikram standing on the back. I have to admit, it's quite nice. It is cold for Vikram though, he's got goose bumps. The sun isn't getting through the thick clouds in the sky to warm him up and slow me down too much. Unfortunately the faster I go the colder he gets but we're getting late.