Story: Positive
I stared down at it in my shaky hands. “How could this be? What have I done so wrong to deserve this?” I didn’t know how to react; the shock had forced my mind blank. Tears gathered in my turquoise eyes, I looked up and saw a shattered looking refection of me. The tears fell furiously down my face and as I choked them back, I dropped it in the sink and ran into my room, slamming the door shut. I leaped on my unmade bed and berried my face into the cushions in the hope to stop the tears.
****
I sat up. “Did that really happen?” I glanced at my alarm clock, 11:25am. Typical, Mum forgot to wake me up again before she went to work.
I walked, half asleep, over the landing to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet. “I really need to get some summer homework done. If I do some Music and Graphics today, I can then finish off my French and Science tomorrow. Then I can go out on Saturday with Sarah, Ben and Sam.” I got up and walked over to the sink. Looking in the mirror, I turned the tap on, put soap on my hands and rinsed. “Great, another spot coming!” I died my hands on the towel, got the spot cream out and dabbed some on the spot. I put the cream away and dragged my feet down the stairs into the kitchen.
I looked around. Everything was in its place apart from, “Oh thanks, Tim. Everyone else puts their dirty things in the sink.” My brother had left his dirty bowl and cup out from breakfast. I put the dirty bowl and cup in the sink and got myself clean ones. “Ummm. What shall I have today?” I thought as I searched the cupboards. “Coco pops!” I poured them into the bowl and put the almost empty box back. I opened the fridge and grabbed the milk and orange juice. I poured some milk into my bowl of cereal and some juice into my cup. I put the cartons back, slid into the chair at the kitchen table and started to eat. As my eyes swept the room, I saw a piece of white paper folded in half on the table. I picked it up and opened it:
Becky,
When you get back from town Mum wants you to hang out the washing and put the dishwasher on. Put it on setting ‘Median, Rinse, 4′ NOT ‘High, Rinse, 4.5′ like last time.
I chuckled. Last time Mum asked me to put the dishwasher on, I accidentally put it on ‘High, Rinse, 4.5’ and it started to vibrate to hard it was literally jumping and water started to creep through the aged rubber door seals! I continued reading.
Then when you’ve finished at least two pieces of homework, you can go and play out with your mates.
I’m out with Matt and Tim is probably at the skate park and forgotten to take his keys so put them under the flowerpot before you go out.
Mum will be back after 6pm.
Love Laura.
xxx
From my 17-year-old sister, tall, thin and pretty, all the boys in my school fancy her! Completely different to me. Tim, your average 16 year old skater boy, the type that all the girls go for.
I finished my breakfast, got up and put all the dishes in the dishwasher. Right, ‘Median, Rinse, 4.’ OK, done. I shut the door and pressed start.
I walked up the stairs and over the landing to my room, as I passed Laura’s I glanced through the doorway and saw myself in the mirror. “What the…? Why am I wearing my clothes? Oh my God! I wore these in my dream! …Maybe it wasn’t a dream.” I ran into the bathroom and stared into the sink. My dream, no, my worst nightmare, was lying there.
The phone rang sharply. I was transfixed, staring. I couldn’t move. The answer machine switched on. “Hello. You have reached the Parker answer machine. I’m sorry but we can’t get to the phone right now, but please leave your name, telephone number and message after the tone. Thanks.” Beeeeeeep. The concerned voice of Sarah, my best friend, followed the tone. “Hello? It’s Sarah! Becky? Pick the phone up! Where are you? You said you’d call when you found out! Oh my god, you better not have done anything stupid. Just call me as soon as you get this message!”
Realisation hit me. I ran to the phone on the landing. Too late, Sarah had put the phone down. I picked it up and punched her number into the keypad. As it rang I walked into my bedroom and sat crossed legged on the end of my bed staring into the mirror.
“Becky? Is that you?” Sarah’s voice filled my ear. I started to cry.
“Yes,” I choked out.
“What happened? Is it true?”
“I fell asleep. And, yes, it’s true.”
“Oh my god! Your, your pregnant! I’ll be around in ten!” The phone went dead and I sat waiting for the doorbell to ring through the house.