The sun rose slowly, casting a warm glow across the room. Barbara, who was an early riser by nature, was already awake and getting ready for the day. She spent over two hours in the bathroom, taking her time to get ready. When she emerged from the bathroom, her hair was damp and a towel was wrapped around her upper body covering her from under her arm to her thighs. She looked refreshed and ready to start the day.
As Barbara stepped out of the bathroom, she was shocked to see Trent still in her room. She had assumed he would have left by now, and his unexpected presence startled her. She let out a scream, causing Trent to wake with a start. He sat up, his eyes still bleary with sleep, and looked around in confusion. "What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"What on earth are you still doing here?" Barbara asked, her voice laced with anger and confusion. She couldn't believe that Trent was still in her room after all this time.
Trent sat up, slowly realizing his mistake. He had completely forgotten about the argument with his mother the previous day, and had passed out on Barbara's couch. His eyes widened as he remembered where he was, and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," he stammered.
Just as Barbara was about to scold Trent the more, the door knob began to rattle. She turned to see the door open, and Mrs. Lucy Doxon her mom walked in. The woman's eyes narrowed as she took in the scene.
Lucy Doxon was a breathtakingly beautiful woman, with long purple hair and piercing red eyes that seemed to see straight into your soul. Her career as a model had taken off, and she was in high demand for photo shoots and fashion shows. Some even called her the most beautiful woman in the world.
Barbara's heart was racing as her mother questioned what was going on. She wanted to explain, but the words wouldn't come out. "Mom, it's not what you think," she finally managed to say, her voice trembling.
"Enough excuses young lady", Lucy said with a light frown
"I'm not making excuses, Mom," Barbara said, trying to stay calm. "I can explain what's going on." She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. But before she could say anything, her mother interrupted her.
"I don't need an explanation, young lady," she said sternly. "What I need is for you to start taking some responsibility and cleaning up your own room." She gestured around the room, which was indeed in a state of disarray.
Just then, Barbara noticed something strange. The spot where Trent had been standing was now empty. He must have hidden when her mother entered the room, she thought. "
"Yes, ma'am," Barbara said with a sigh, trying not to show her frustration. She knew her mother was right - the room was a mess and it was her responsibility to clean it up. But the thought of doing it without the help of the maids was daunting.
"Because I need to give the maids the day off, due to the public holiday," her mother said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Barbara was completely taken aback by her mother's ability to read her mind. "But, Mom," she protested, her voice coming out as a whine. "Why do the maids get a day off just because of a public holiday.
"Barb, please don't be petulant," her mother said, her voice firm but gentle. "It's not just the maids who get a day off - all public servants do. And as a government employee, I get the day off too, and there will be no school for you too," Lucy said, a twinkle in her eyes.
Barbara's face lit up at the prospect of a day off from school. "But why is it a holiday?" she asked, curious to know what occasion warranted such a break.
Lucy shrugged, as if to say she didn't know the answer herself.
As Lucy reached for the doorknob, Barbara blurted out, "Mom, are you still mad about last night?" Lucy froze, her hand still on the knob. She turned to face her daughter, a conflicted look on her face. "No, sweetheart," she said, her voice softening. "I know that we've been pushing you too hard lately, and I'm sorry.
Barbara beamed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Thank you, Mom," she said, hugging her mother tightly. "I'll make sure to let you and Dad know if I'm going anywhere in the future. I don't want you to worry." Lucy hugged her daughter back, a sense of relief washing over her. "I appreciate that, sweetie," she said.
As her mom leaves, Barbara let out a sigh of relief, she turned around to try find Trent inside the wardrope(dressing room) - but no one was there. Perplexed, she made her way to the veranda to see if Trent had somehow left through the window. But as she stepped outside, she bumped straight into him. Startled, she opened her mouth to scream, but before she could make a sound, Trent's hand covered her mouth. As she opened her eyes, she realized that he was shielding his own, embarrassed at having caught her undressed.
"Why are you naked?" he asked, his voice muffled by his hand. "
"Oh, duh," Trent said, feeling like an idiot for asking such a dumb question. Barbara let out a laugh, finding the situation rather amusing. "You're so funny," she said, giving Trent a playful shove.
She then walked into the dressing room and changed into a pink top and a pair of shorts. As she stepped out, she noticed that Trent was still staring at the floor, embarrassed by the situation. "It's okay, you can look up now," she said with a smile.
When Trent finally looked up, his expression was unreadable. Barbara cleared her throat and said, "You can look at me now." Trent blinked, as if he had just woken up from a trance. "Oh, um, sorry," he said, his cheeks turning pink. "You just... look really good." Barbara felt herself blushing too, and she was grateful for the excuse to turn away as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you," she said quietly.
As they both regained their composure, Barbara explained the public holiday and how there would be no school that day. "But what about the test?" Trent asked, a worried look crossing his face. "I was planning to study all day!" Barbara's eyes widened in realization. "Oh no, you're right!" she exclaimed. "You can always study at my house," she suggested.
Suddenly Barbara snapped her fingers, a look of excitement on her face. "I have a better idea! Let's go to the city library. It'll be a lot more fun than just sitting around at home. Plus, you'll have access to all kinds of resources." She paused, then asked, "You do have a library card, right?" Trent's face fell. "No, I'm only 15," he replied. "Don't worry we could just use mine" she said.
Trent looked downcast, but before he could say anything, Barbara's mother's voice rang out from downstairs. "Breakfast is ready!" she called. Trent's stomach growled loudly, but he tried to hide his embarrassment. Barbara grinned, and said, "I guess that's my cue to go eat." Trent nodded, as Barbara goes out of the room and down the stairs.
On the table was a spread fit for a king - fluffy pancakes drizzled with sweet maple syrup and garnished with fresh berries, crispy bacon sizzling in the morning light, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, and two steaming mugs of coffee and hot chocolate. The family's favorite breakfast was laid out before them, and it looked like something out of a magazine.
As Barbara sat down at the table, she noticed that her father was deep in concentration, his eyes scanning the pages of the newspaper. "Good morning, Dad," she said cheerfully, trying to get his attention. Her father merely nodded, not looking up from the paper.
After a few minutes of eating, Barbara decided to take the rest of her breakfast up to her room. "Mom, I'll be eating in my room," she said. Her mother merely nodded, not really paying attention. So, Barbara gathered up her plate and mug and headed upstairs, feeling a little dejected.
As Barbara opened the door to her room, she was surprised to find Trent sitting on her bed, looking a bit sheepish. "I brought you up some food," she said, trying to break the awkward silence. Trent dug into the food hungrily, devouring it in record time. When he was finished, he looked up at Barbara and smiled. But as he did so, she noticed a bit of food stuck to his cheek, and a few crumbs which camouflage in his blonde hair. She couldn't help but laugh as she wiped them away.
Trent's cheeks flushed as Barbara wiped the food from his face and hair. He felt a little self-conscious, but Barbara's gentle touch made him feel a little more at ease. "Thanks," he said quietly, his eyes still closed. A few moments passed in silence, and then he opened his eyes, a little sheepish. "Can we talk?" he asked.