The Signing

Dial Tones

        For me, it was a typical Friday night. I was absentmindedly staring at my honors precalc textbook in hopes I would suddenly gain a photographic memory. I sat at my desk listening to my radio alarm clock. Of course, I was stuck waiting through a thousand more commercials before they finally put more music back on. If math and commercials weren't enough to make you zone out, I don't know what could.

        I continued daydreaming about my birthday, which happened to be on Monday, not only the worst day of the week, but the same day as my precalc test. What a party, am I right?

        I suddenly snapped out of my visions when I heard the opening chord to She Looks So Perfect. I could even feel my ears perk up at the tone of it. Then I heard the radio announcer: "5SOS are coming near you and only Fresh 98.2 is hooking you up with tickets for a meet and greet! Win your only way to meet and hang with the boys by calling at 7:40! We are looking for caller number 98! Good luck!" I looked over at my clock, my heart beating faster than normal. 7:28. Twelve minutes began to sound like a decade. Oh well, I guess it gives me time to calm down, anyway. It's not like I'm actually going to win, I thought to myself.

        I decided to set an alarm on my old-fashioned slidey phone. My parents didn't feel that I needed to have a smartphone since my phone works just fine, and I didn't have enough money to pay for my own and a contract, so I took what I could get. I decided to give up on studying, since I still had time to procrastinate. I shut my book and laid my head on top of it, waiting for 7:40.

        I wound up dozing off, but my alarm went off just in time for me to hear the announcer wish everyone good luck again. My heart sped up again as I picked up my phone and began repeatedly speed-dialing the radio station. First try: Line in use. Second try: Line in use. Third try: Line in use. Fourth try: It rang. And rang. And rang. I waited for a minute and a half before deciding there was no hope to that phone call. Fifth try: Line in use. Sixth try: It rang. And rang. Someone picked up the line and my palms began to sweat. "Oh sorry, you are caller number 99. Better luck next time!"

        "Thank you," I muttered before hanging up and dropping my head on my textbook, immediately regretting I had done so. A headache began to form at my forehead and I heard screaming on the radio as the announcer gave the good news to the winner. I shut off the radio before the screaming lunatic could say a word and headed to the bathroom to take an aspirin for my headache.

~~~~~***~~~~~

        The rest of my weekend was pretty uneventful. I went with my parents on a hike and to the store, hung out with my best friend, Desiree, practiced some guitar, wrote a couple verses for songs, and spent the majority of Sunday finishing up my homework. I had gone to bed at one due to studying for precalc, and when my radio alarm went off at six o'clock Monday morning, I was not the happiest camper.

        Though I was tired, I managed to get myself up within a few minutes of my alarm going off. Then I looked at the calendaar. It was April 26. My birthday. A smile grew on my face and I decided that I was going to have a good day. I grabbed my clothes and took my shower.

        After I got out of the shower, I made my way downstairs to get some breakfast. When I walked into the kitchen, the light was already on.

        "Good morning, sweetheart! Happy birthday!" My stepmom said.

        "Yeah, happy seventeenth!" My dad exclaimed. I thanked them both and put a smile on my face, though I didn't particularly like the two. We had a lot of history and hadn't necessarily stopped making it, but everyone has their stories. "What would the birthday girl like to eat today?"

        "Cake!" I replied jokingly. They both forcefully laughed and shook their heads. "I'll just have cereal."

        My stepmom, Katrina, got me a cup of coffee while my dad poured some cereal. I took a seat at the table and started reviewing my math notes.

        "Got a test today?" Katrina asked me as she handed me my coffee.

        "Yeah, math. I want to get to school early so I can ask my teacher some questions," I told her.

        "Oh, well I hope you do well on it. Math hasn't been your strong suit lately."

        "I know." I ended the conversation with that. I didn't understand why she didn't see that I was trying and even wanted to show up to school early to get help. All she saw was that the letter wasn't a pretty A like the rest of my classes and constantly had to grill me about it.

        I ate my breakfast rather quickly, leaving our conversations as small talk. I contined to get ready upstairs and I was soon ready to go to school.

A/N I hope this chapter wasn't too boring, but it's just setting things up. I don't know how often I will update. It all depends on how many people decide to read this and what is going on in my life, as if there will be much of anything hahaha jokes. Ok toodles.