The Love Box

Chapter 7

“It’s almost lunch!” A girl who poked her head into the library said.

My friends and I stood up and walked to the cafeteria. Courtney let my hand go, so she could carry her book.

After we entered the cafeteria we got our food and sat at a table. I watched the other side. The boys who played in the library raced around the cafeteria. I laughed, I couldn’t help myself.

I didn’t care. Kai, my mom, his dad, and I would be out of here in two more days. All I had to worry about was getting my mom to leave.

That was a problem I hadn’t thought of. I had to get my mom to leave. The way Kai talked was as if his dad wanted to leave. My mom was fine with Prudent. She was going to need to be convinced.

I ate my food with my friends. Then we walked to the library and sat together again.

The best way to get my mom to leave was to not tell her until it happened. That way she couldn’t say no. I decided to do just that.

I would wait until the day came for us to leave and then lead her outside.

Outside; I wondered what wonders were beyond the walls of Prudent.

A book I read told me about pyramids; in Egypt. I hoped that one day I could visit them. The book didn’t have a picture, but I could imagine the stones and the structure of it.

I wanted to travel the world with Kai. I didn’t know how, but I knew I wanted to.

“Let’s play,” Courtney said as she grabbed the deck of cards. “Order.”

I smiled at her, “Are you sure you want to lose again?”

“I won’t be losing,” Courtney told me. Then she laughed. Her laugh was high pitched and loud.

She passed out seven cards to each of us and the game began.

They let me go first.

I played a six.

Lizzy played a five.

Sadie played a four.

Courtney played a five.

I played a four.

Lizzy played a three.

Sadie played a two.

Courtney played a one.

I didn’t have an ace or a two. That was the first time I hadn’t gotten the perfect hand.

I drew.

“Oh my gosh!” Lizzy said. “You drew!”

“Yeah,” I said as I looked at the card I picked up. It was an ace. I laid it on the pile.

“And of course it was the right card,” Sadie said.

Lizzy drew and said, “Skip.”

Sadie played a king.

Courtney played a queen.

I played a jack.

Lizzy played a ten.

Sadie played a nine.

Courtney drew then said, “Skip.”

I played an eight.

Lizzy played a seven.

Sadie drew. “Skip.” She said. We all had the same amount of cards again.