Ticking Clock

αʹ (𝑜𝓃𝑒)

Chapter 1

Waking up early was not an easy task for Desirae Moore-Williams. Part of it was due to her ADHD, but the other part of it was that she simply was not a morning person. She has no problem staying up the whole night and continuing on the next day like nothing, although she did tend to be more tired than normal on those particular days. So when her alarm went off at 7:00 am on a Saturday, she was most seriously displeased. However, the second she prepared to snooze her alarm, she remembered the plans she made with her friend Grover. She had promised him that she would meet him as well as his other friends in the local Cracker Barrel. It was a 15-minute walk from the small house she lived in. She was debating whether or not she should cancel when his name displayed on her phone screen accompanied by the ringtone set by the G-man himself.

'And they whirl and they twirl and they tango
Singin' and jinglin' a jangle
Float like the heavens above
Looks like Muskrat Love'

Muskrat Love by Captain & Tennille was not something Desirae wanted to hear this early in the morning. With a huff, she closed her eyes and answered the call.

"Hm?" Desirae hummed groggily into the phone.

"Good morning starshine," Grover teased. "The Earth says 'Hello!'."

"Well, tell the Earth that Desirae is currently questioning her existence and wants to go back to sleep," she grunted.

"Oh, c'mon Dez! I know it's early and you were probably going to try to cancel through text. However, I refuse to beg you to come. So, I'll make you a deal instead," he baited.

Desirae paused. What could he possibly say to persuade her into getting out of bed a.k.a the 2nd love of her life?

"Hello? Dez? You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here G," she sighed. "Alright, what's this deal you speak of?"

"I'll tell you where I've been going these past 2 summers?" he attempted.

This piqued Desirae's interest. Grover usually disappeared a week or 2 after school finished for the year. Whenever she brought it up, he would distract her by starting another topic. Their final year had ended about a week ago and she was afraid that this time he wouldn't come back. He was 1 of her 2 friends.

"Hmmm. I don't know. Extra sleep is sounding real nice right now."

At this point, her eyes were already open and she was sitting up in bed. Unlike Beyoncé, Desirae does not wake up flawless. Her hair was akin to a rat's nest and her cute donut pajama set was pretty disheveled, probably because of her tossing and turning throughout the night.

"Um, you and I both know that you won't be falling back asleep. I bet you're already sitting up in bed. The other part of the deal is that I'll pay for your breakfast," he chuckles.

"Biscuits n' gravy with bacon, a side of hashbrowns, and half-and-half iced tea?" she inquired excitedly.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll even throw in a half-pound gummy bear."

"Sounds like we've got ourselves a deal, friend," she smirked, letting her southern drawl seep into her phrase.

"Sounds like it! I'll send you a message when we get there. If you get there before us, get a table for 4. I gotta get these two up, so it'll take a while."

"I hear you loud and clear. Anything you want me to order in case you're mad late?"

"Yeah, mind getting a Grandma's sampler, blueberry pancakes, and eggs in a basket? All of them with orange juice."