44 Na?veté - Part 2 (1/2)
I'm woken up by a rather strange sensation.
It feels like I'm being rocked back and forth in my bed by an unruly phenomenon that has no respect for a sleep deprived student's rest.
Sleep is something hard to come by these days, but I suppose there's no use in even trying when I'm being shaken up like this.
”What is this, an earthquake…?”
”Earthquake? What the… no, it's your sister.”
I force my eyes open, only to find that Chloe has been trying to wake me up for a while now.
”Ahh, hey. I thought there was something cute about that rocking.”
”Cute, huh…?”
She sighs.
”Hey Chase. I have bad news. Something got put under our door. I think you should read it.”
A piece of paper…? What could it be?
I try my hardest to focus on the words.
The sun still isn't above the horizon so it's relatively dark right now.
”Uhhh… Let's see here. Attention residents… hmmm, are reluctant to announce… yeah yeah…”
I freeze up.
”Wait, what?”
”Y-yeah…”
”Are you serious?! Why would they do this on a Monday morning of all times?!”
This has to be a joke.
In fact, in my half-asleep daze, I almost want to believe that it is.
But there's no mistaking it, it's the same as the usual maintenance letters.
It's like everyone and everything is trying to get me to drop out of the race.
”It's okay Chase, railroads undergo maintenance all the time.”
”Yeah but, we won't make it to school on time at this rate.”
Which means I'll miss the entire election.
Seriously though, why 3 to 7 in the morning? That completely screws everything.
It's fine for you two, I can just write up a letter excusing your tardiness, but for me…
This ruins everything.
”Haaa, don't be such a baby. It's just one day.”
”Easy for you to say…”
”What? Shut up. I don't wanna be late either.”
She sits at my bedside and sighs.
”I don't care if I am sometimes, though. School sucks anyway…”
Huh…
It's unusual to see her take a moment to genuinely sit down and breathe in the morning. Usually it's a race to make it to the train before it leaves without us.
”Hey Chloe, is something wrong?”
”Eh? Oh, well… I-I guess so.”
”Ohh?”
I sit up in the bed and smile.
”Do you wanna talk about it? I don't mind listening to my sister's problems, you know.”
”Huh? No way. Why would I tell you about my life?”
”Yeah? Okay. My bad for asking then.”
I yawn and slip back into my sleeping position.
For a while, the only sounds are the occasional cars passing by and the chirping of nearby birds.
”…”
But it's obvious enough that sudden silence seems to have unsettled her.
”Ugh, fine! I'll tell you, geez.”
She shuffles about in her spot nervously.
”It's good to be honest. So, what's up?”
”Well… T-there's a boy that I like…”
”Wow, go Chloe.”
”S-shut up…”
”Okay okay, I'm sorry.”
”A-anyway, I've never felt this way about a boy before. I always think about him and it makes me feel all funny and, I… I think I want to marry him… Ahh god I'm so embarrassed saying it! Never mind, don't listen to me!”
”Ahahaha.”
”Why are you laughing at me?! Ugh! I'm leaving!”
”W-wait, don't leave. I'm sorry, I just thought it was cute. What you're feeling is normal, I promise.”
She blushes and looks away.
”Nnnn… You'd better mean that…”
”Really, I do. So, what exactly do you like about him?”