Gifted

Chapter 5

Rita woke up early the next morning, she rolled out of bed and stumbled across her room to her mirror. She grabbed a brush off of her dresser and watched as she worked out the knots of her hair until she could tie it up. She went to the restroom, dragging her feet with every step, she felt around for her toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed her teeth. She went to her closet and found an outfit to change into, a pair of shorts with a plain t-shirt. She pulled the shirt over her head and smoothed out her hair, she went over to the door and tripped over something. In the split second it took her to fall to the floor, Rita woke up completely, she looked up; wondering what could have made her stumble. She found a wooden box on her floor, it was on its sides, its contents spilled on the floor. Something clicked in Rita’s head and she remembered why it was there.

 

It’s moving day

Rita twisted around and sat up, she looked around in disbelief, how had she forgotten? She hurriedly shoved all of the box’s spilled contents back where they belonged. She shoved the lid back on and lifted it up. It was much heavier than she had expected, Rita carried it down the stairs and put it on the table where her parents were eating.

“Morning sweetie.”

“Hi dad.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Fine.”

“Your breakfast is on the stove.”

Rita walked up to the stove to see a small stack of pancakes waiting for her. She put them on a plate and grabbed silverware and a glass of water. Rita ate her pancakes quickly and put her plate away, she grabbed a jacket and her belongings and went outside. The air was cold and windy, Rita pulled her jacket tight around her after she put her supplies down. She waited in the center of her driveway. There was a buzz coming from her jacket pocket, Rita pulled out her phone to see a text from Robin.

When are you leaving?

Rita paused before responding.

Soon, are you going to come say goodbye?

Rita got an immediate response.

Yes.

Rita put her phone in her pocket and waited. She kept one eye on her front door and one on the street, for a while no one came. Then Rita saw a waving figure racing down the street, she waved back self-consciously. She looked at the door to make sure that her parents weren’t coming outside, they wouldn’t send her best friend home, but they wouldn’t approve of it. Rita walked up to meet him at the end of her driveway. He was smiling, but it was a sad smile, it was more of a: “I’m trying to be strong” kind of smile.