The Secrets We Share

TWO

noah

I slammed my stack of untouched (well now they were touched but it was the first time today) stack of textbooks down onto my desk and switched on my light. The sky was already darkening and it was Saturday- meaning that as long as I focused tonight I would have Sunday free tomorrow. Maybe me and my friend Jason could go out to a cafe or we could just hang around a park in the city. Or something. 

My dad poked his head in. "Starting your studying now?"

"Uh, yeah. If you want me to do the dishes I'll do them afterwards."

He nodded. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to go out tonight to go for a night walk? I was cleaning the garden all day and I need to stretch my legs."

"Uh..." Crap. I valued the time I spent with my parents, I really did. Ever since my mother had gotten sick, I'd noticed the fact that my time with them was, in fact, limited, and that I should be around with them more often. Even when she had gotten better, I didn't stop thinking about it.

"Um... for fifteen minutes? A jog around the block?"

My dad raised his eyebrow. "That seems rather short. And I'm not jogging, I'm too old for that. I'm fifty-two."

"That's young." I roll my eyes. "Fine, thirty minutes."

"How much studying do you have to do?"

This was a question I would've liked to have not answered. He didn't need to know that I hadn't done any homework at all today. 

"Not too much." I knew that I could finish it quickly if I focused, but it was really hard to, considering the fact that there was a whole lot of other stuff I could be doing.

My dad disappeared, yelling a second later, "I'll give you a minute to get ready!"

I wasn't bothered to change; we would be walking in the dark, so I just shoved my feet into shoes and pulled the door open. 

*

Dawn

When I opened my eyes, the first thought that came into my mind was that I'd be going to dad's. The second was that since I was going to his place, there wouldn't be a lot of time to spend at the library. 

"Dawn! You have to go to Dad's at nine because I've got to go shopping and I don't like doing shopping after twelve because there's always so many people and so little car spaces-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." I yawned, stretching. The morning light was already shining brightly into my room; I liked the blinds up because it made the start of the day more... happier I guess?
I smiled at my own silly thoughts, stumbling out of bed.

After I'd put on a t-shirt, cardigan, and a small skirt, brushed my hair and left it out, I padded down the stairs to meet a very rushed mum dashing around. "Where are my keys?" She barely paused for breath as she continued, "And have breakfast now because you've got fifteen minutes to get ready for dad's."

"Okay, okay," I mumbled.

"What?"

"Never mind." I shuffled towards the kitchen, heading for the fridge. As I poured out milk, I suddenly remembered that I had to remember my library books. Groaning, I abandoned my breakfast and rushed upstairs. 

My room at my mum's place was small, but neat. Study books in drawers, desk almost bare save for a small white lamp, pencils lined up, clothes neatly stacked. Bed covers made. 

This was why it was easy to locate the neat pile of library books on the floor next to my desk, with the library bag hanging on the door knob. I began shoving the books in, flicking my eyes over the covers. I'd read them all in three days, but that didn't mean I disliked them. On the contrary, they were rather good, with the exception of the science handbook my mum had forced me to borrow. I'd read five pages and given up.