Opposites Attract

Chapter 8

--A/N

Hiii :) WARNING: This chapter contains a fair bit of swearing. It is starred out, but still! :o

-M

As always, just like every other morning, Sara slipped into her trainers and checked her reflection in the mirror. It didn't feel like every other morning, but she knew she had to keep it together. She had to stay strong - there was no other choice.

It had been a few days since her dad was admitted to the hospital and in Sara's eyes, those few days felt like years. She felt lifeless as she dragged herself out of bed every morning and forced herself to school and back.

Her mother was just the same - in a way, they had become like robots. They performed their daily duties as though everything was surreal - like it would all just disappear and fade away. Like nothing was real.

But of course, it was real. It was real for Sara. Real for her mother. Real for Jasper. Reality sucks, she thought to herself as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a rotting apple from the fruit bowl.

Huh, she found herself thinking as she saw the uncanny resemblance between the apple and herself.

"Morning," her mother greeted her from the living room as she rolled up the daily newspaper and stuffed it into a pouch that was hanging by the side of the fridge. "Hungry?"

"Not really," Sara said, pointing at the apple that she had taken a small bite of. It tasted foul and pulled a face.

"That's not a proper breakfast!" her mum called out as she fished a pan from one of the kitchen cupboards. "Do you want a fry up?"

Sara shook her head and stared out of the kitchen window. After what seemed like forvever, she spoke up again. "Did the doctors say anything?"

This time, her mum shook her head. "But you should go and see him anyway. You haven't been in..."

"3 days," Sara finished her mum's sentence. "I know. I just... I don't like hospitals."

Her mother gave her a quick nod and glanced a look at the clock. "School."

"I don't wanna' go," Sara whined as she grabbed her bag from the kitchen counter.

"Sara, please don't start this again. You know your father and I..." but she couldn't finish.

"Okay, okay, okay! I don't need another lecture! I'm going!" Sara hissed, holding her hands up and making her way towards the front door. "I have some work to do after school," Sara announced as she opened the door, letting her mother know that she wouldn't be home early that night.

"Okay," her mother called out as Sara was closing the door. "And don't forget to go and see your dad!" But Sara had already shut the door and was pacing down the street.

***

"Woah, woah!" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts as she stomped across the lane. She turned around to find Casey standing in front of her, his face soiled with grease and oil. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her as though she was hiding something. "Why are your knickers all in a twist?"

Sara shrugged a reply.

"Does someone need a hug?" he held his arms out and pulled a comical face. Pouting, he took a step closer towards her. "Can old Casey help make everything better?" To this, she rolled her eyes.

"Not really Case, not this time."

"But you still want a hug?"

She broke into a small smile and nodded feebly. "If it's a guy..." he began. "I can just go knock him out! No-one gets to mess around with my Sara," he pointed out as he engulfed her in a tight embrace.