First Impression II: At Second Glance

Chapter Six - Where is Victoria?

Chapter Six – Where is Victoria?

It was a truth universally acknowledged, that a normal teenager in possession of a comfortable bed, must always be in want of sleep on a weekend morning. Therefore, I did not appreciate being woken up before, well, whatever time I wanted to be waking up at.

“It’s 7 am, waking up in the morning! Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs. Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal,” my sister slammed the door of my room open and began singing loudly and horribly. I groaned and rolled over, burrowing under my pillow in hopes of shutting her voice out. No use.

“It’s Saturday, Saturday, gotta get down to Saturday!” Anna continued singing as she fell onto the bed beside me.

“Go away,” I mumbled and snuggled deeper into my covers.

“Nope, I don’t feel like it,” Anna said cheerfully as she snatched my bolster. Why do I bother saying anything? Eventually, Anna quietened down and the both of us fell right back into dreamland. Well, I had one comfortable bed…

“Chop, chop, girls, wake up now,” Dad clapped his hands loudly. “Get up and eat breakfast.”

Anna and I lay on bed, torn between sleep and food, our hearts’ two desires. Finally, I reluctantly crawled out of bed and to the bathroom.

I soon finished cleaning myself up and headed to the kitchen counter for breakfast – the dining table cluttered with the various models for my parents’ current architecture project.

I hopped up on a stool and Dad handed my omelette – he always made omelette on weekend mornings.

“What’s the project, Mom?” I asked.

“The new art gallery in town,” Mom replied, setting the coffee pot down. She looked at me in concern. “Does your eye hurt? It looks…” Here, she paused. “Rather…”

“Like an unholy lovechild between an eggplant and a beetroot?” Anna offered. I shoved my sister.

“It looks worse than it actually is,” I reassured my mom. “Will heal by next week. I’ll put some concealer on it. You still have some right, Sis?”

Sis snorted. “Honey, my concealer is for light blemishes. You will need something stronger, like the new one made by René. Or try the one by Kirsten.”

I nodded.

“What exactly happened anyway?” Anna asked. “Didn’t get the story last night.”

“Tried to stop a fight the wrong way,” I replied. “Pass the salad.”

Anna shook her head and tsk-ed. “What do you learn in karate? Told you aikido’s better.”

“Is not.”

“Is.”

Dad interrupted our childish squabbling. “Dolores and James are holding a housewarming party tonight. Are you two coming?”

Anna snorted, “And hang out with the little bitty kids?”

I laughed with her. Anna and I were the oldest kids – if we still could be called kids – at those gatherings. There was always the moment when you’re not sure whether to sit at the kids’ table or the adult one. I say awkwaaaaaaard.

“I’ll pass,” Anna said. “Going for a movie with my friends.”

I present to you my dear sister, the social bee.

“How about you, Lennie?” Dad asked.

“Mrs Maria’s coming back today with Victoria,” I replied. Victoria was Mrs Maria’s granddaughter who came for the holidays. “I’ll have dinner with them.”