Wishful Thinking

Chapter Three - Life Is Shit

I got home feeling, well I don’t really know what I’m feeling. Having to sit next to Jasper all the way home turned out to be… alright. We talked about the book all the way back, and laughed too. It was strange. “Hello my little author.” My mum greeted as I shut the door. I groaned, then put my bag down.

“Mum, do you have to call me that?” Athena scuttled up to me then, “Hey girl.” I scratched her ears and she wagged her tail like mad. “Mum, I’m going upstairs, no disturbances.”

“Fine, just don’t turn your music up really loud.”

“Would I ever do that?” I asked, covered in sarcasm. She rolled her eyes at me then walked into the kitchen. I rushed up the stairs with Athena trailing behind. “Not on the bed Athena!” I yelled as she galloped into my room. I heard her jump up and sighed, “Fine, make yourself at home.” I shut the door on her and put my ear to it. “Ha. Now you’ll think twice.” I walked back down the stairs and grabbed my bag, hauling it up the stairs I heard Athena howling quietly.

“Gwen, let the poor thing out!” my mum shouted up the stairs, I smiled. I opened the door and Athena rushed out, all the way down the stairs.

I lifted the bag onto the bed and unzipped it. Tipping everything out onto the floor I grabbed my phone. Two unread messages. Brilliant. I unlocked my phone and sat on the bed, Athena came in again and nuzzled my leg, “Hey girl, what you doing?” I spoke scratching between her ears, she loved that. Athena lay down on the ground, right on my feet. I sighed and opened up the texts. One was from John and the other from Izzy. I opened up John’s, Izzy can wait.

Check your email for once in your life.

John and I had become great friends since we first met and he was always making me write more stuff, it got a little annoying sometimes. I huffed and lifted my feet out from under the dog. I kicked my school shoes off and turned on my crappy laptop. John had made me start using again, but when I told him I was writing I would actually be playing Minecraft. Haha, why not? But I was writing more, mostly fan fictions but John didn’t mind. The laptop stopped loading and I opened Chrome, then Gmail. I had one unread email, John.

We’ve had an offer for something but I’m not going to tell you what it is over an email. Let’s meet up some time? Can you come to London during half term? I’ll be there doing a book signing at a local Waterstones, one close to my hotel. Maybe they could get two famous authors for one! But this offer is important so, I’ll be in London from the 24th so half term is probably best. I can book you a room if you want, you and a friend? Etc. Email me back soon as you get this email.

-          JG

That’s like weeks away, great. I replied to his email straight away.

Hello. You know, once in a while, you could actually start your emails with a greeting, you never do. I could probably hook something up, might be going away though. I’ll persuade mum. Book signing?! I haven’t actually been to one of those yet, be fun. What hotel you staying at? I’ll see if a friend wants to come. What offer?! If it involves Ripped Apart I wanna know now. I don’t care if you want to tell me face to face, I wanna know immediately.

Gwen Oswald, famous author (apparently).

I hit the send button and looked at the dog. “What’re you staring at?”, she gave me those big dark eyes and waggled her eyebrows. She was so cute, I couldn’t take it. “Love you, you know? I hope you do. Where’s mum?” Athena barked and stood up. “Come on then.” She trotted out my door and looked back to check I was following. “You’re going to wait until I’m half way down the stairs before barging past aren’t you?” I sighed, her ears were up and she wagged her tail.