Accident Or Not?

Meeting up

I scoffed. It is awkward that Mother has something with no other principal Hawkins. Even worse when Caleb is his son.

''Now what?,'' I asked. It's not like we can do anything about this. If she finds out that we know about her having an affair, we're going to get a lecture because we have been through her stuff.

''Good question. Do you think Caleb knows about them?,'' Jackson asked.

''I don't know.. But it could be that he knew, and that's why he wants to spend time with me more, so we don't have to adjust to him?,'' I told him.

''That could be a reason, yeah. Or, maybe he has a crush on you?,'' he chuckled.

''If you're thinking in that direction… I don't know. I haven't been around a lot of people who like me in the first place, so I wouldn't know if someone sees me that way or not.''

Just at that moment, I received a message from Caleb.

''Hi Ava, I'm kind of bored now at home. If ur free now, can we video call and work on that geography project?'' he texted.

''Well, there you have 'em. What does he say?'' Jackson said.

''He would like to work on that geography project now,'' I said.

''If you're in the mood for that now, you can do that. It would be even better if you were already done with that,'' Jackson advised me.

''Yeah, I can do that. It's definitely better if I don't have to think about that anymore,'' I said.

''Hey Caleb. Yeah, I can work on that project now. I'll be online in a few minutes,'' I responded to him.

Okay, awesome, he responded.

I climbed on the ladder that leads to my room, and Jackson climbed on the ladder that leads to his room. I pushed the secret passage open, and closed it again after I stood in my room.

I turned my laptop on, and we started the video call.

''Hey,'' he said.

''Hi''

''Did you see what our geography teacher just sent? He said he would turn the project into a report, so it won't take a long time to finish it.''

''Oh, I haven't seen it yet, but that's good. I'll go see what the requirements of the report are.''

The requirements:

1. A cover page

2. An introduction (What is culture? Which culture did you guys choose? Enlight).

3. Page numbers

4. Explain the culture (Give examples: How do they greet each other? Do they have special events? What makes the culture, the culture? Etc.)

5. Images (About the culture!!)

6. Your Own Addition. (What else do you have to say about your chosen culture?) *You have to write something down here!!

''Yeah, this truly isn't a long report like most of the time,'' I sighed in relief, and Caleb nodded.

''So which part do you want to do,'' he asked me.

''Uhm, I can do the introduction, Your Own Addition and images? Maybe you can do page numbers, cover page and explain the culture, if that's okay with you?''

''Yeah that's fine. But I must say that I'm not good at making page numbers…''

''Well it's time that you learned it then,'' I said, forcing a smile, while he chuckled.

''Yeah.''

The next hour, we worked on the report. When we were both done with our parts, I explained to Caleb how you make page numbers.

''That's actually pretty easy,'' he said.

''If you understand it, it's easy, yeah,'' I said.

''True. By the way, while we have homeschool shall we meet up at a café tomorrow or something?,'' he asked.

''Uhm yeah sure,'' I said.

''Is around one o'clock fine?''

''Yeah, that should be fine.''

''Okay, see you tomorrow then. Bye Ava''.

''Bye''.

At that moment, I heard a knock on the door and saw Jackson stepping into my room.

''Hey, have you heard something special from him?,'' Jackson asked.

''No, only that we are going to the café at one o'clock,'' I said.

''I have to go to work at the café tomorrow,'' he said.

''At what time?,'' I asked.

''From nine o'clock to a quarter past one,'' he told me.

''Just like always?''

''Yeah. I'm going to sleep, good night.''

''Good night Jackson.''

When Jackson left, I quickly showered, brushed my teeth and went to bed. I grabbed the picture of Father, me and Jackson when I won a prize in math.

''Are you okay up there dad?,'' I whispered.

''Jackson and I are trying to make the best of it. But mom? Couldn't have been worse. You must've seen up there that mom has been cheating on you.'' my eyes began getting teary.

''I'm sorry you had to see that. I promise, she's not going to get away with it…''

The next day.

I went downstairs with Jackson. We were surprised to see Mother bringing breakfast to the table.

''Good morning guys!'' she greeted us.

Jackson and I exchanged glances.

''Hi, good morning,'' I said carefully.

''Come, let's eat.''

Mother made waffles with some fruit on top. We started eating silently. I could feel Mother's gaze on us, but I honestly didn't really care. If she truly cared about us, she wouldn't cheat on Father with another man.

''What are you guys planning to do today? Or do you guys have homework?,'' Mother asked.

''I have to go to work,'' Jackson said, with his gaze still on his food.

''And I'm going to meet up with someone,'' I said curtly, looking at Mother.

''Oh that sounds fun? Is it a new friend?'' she asked me.

''I guess you could say that,'' I murmured.

''And what is your plan for today?'' Jackson asked Mother. I could see that he tried his best to act normal.

''Me? I'm going to work a little later today, as you can see, and I'm leaving a little earlier today too,'' she said.

''Wow, why?'' I asked.

''That's a little secret for now,'' she winked to us. It's not the first time you have a secret, I thought.

Jackson and I exchanged glances. At that moment, Mother's alarm went off.

''Oh, I need to go now. See you guys later,'' she said, standing up and leaving.

''Are you thinking what I think is going to happen?'' Jackson asked.

I nodded.

While Jackson went to work, I prepared myself for meeting up with Caleb. I decided to just put on some casual clothes with a jacket and my hair loose.

It was almost half past twelve, from here to the mall is around ten to fifteen minutes. So I decided to walk to the bus stop, where it was already waiting for people to get on. There were quite a lot of people, but that didn't matter.

When I got into the café at the mall, I saw Caleb already sitting there. I walked up to him and sat down across from him.

''You look good,'' he complimented me.

''Thanks, you aren't looking bad either,'' I smiled a bit. A waiter saw us and walked up to us.

''Hello, what would you like to order?''

''The iced mocha please,'' Caleb said.

''The milkshake or coffee version?'' she asked.

''Uhm, milkshake,'' he answered.

''Okay, and you?'' she asked me.

''The same as him please,'' I said.

''Okay, it's coming right up,'' she smiled.

I looked at the bar, and saw Jackson helping some people. When he noticed me, he smiled.

For the rest, Caleb and I talked about almost everything. How we both love coming to this café, and what we like to order the most.

Apparently, he found anime fun to watch too.

''Which anime do you like the most?'' I asked.

''I think Naruto and Demon Slayer,'' he said.

''I like Naruto the most. It's funny to see how clumsy he was,'' I said.

''True,'' Caleb chuckled.

I finished my drink, and Jackson walked towards us.

''Hey, how are you guys?'' he asked us.

''Great, are you done working?'' I asked.

''Yes I am. Have fun,'' Jackson said, almost walking away. But then, I had an idea.

''Wait, why don't you join us?'' I asked.

I looked at Caleb. '' If that's okay with you?''

''Yeah sure, I don't mind.'' he said.

''Alright, let's go then,'' Jackson said.

There was an arcade in the mall, so it was a perfect place to play games.

''What game should we play?'' I asked.

''A dance game?'' Caleb pointed.

''Sounds good,'' Jackson agreed.

''Ava. If I'm going to win from you, I'll get your candy can,'' Jackson smirked at me.

''Candy can? What are you talking about?'' I tried not to laugh.

''The one which is always on your desk maybe? What, are you scared of losing from me?,'' he challenged.

''Challenge accepted,'' I said.

We went to the two dance floors. I took the right one and Jackson the left one.

''Caleb, can you choose the song?'' I asked.

''Sure thing,'' he said.

I saw him going through the songlist.

''S&M by Rihanna, how does that sound?'' he asked.

''Bring it on,'' Jackson said.

While the music was on, I danced exactly what was shown on the screen. I let the beat get into my steps. When I looked real quickly at the score, I saw Jackson was almost with me. Haha, almost. When the final note hit, I looked at the scores again. I have defeated Jackson.

''Don't even think about touching my candy can,'' I grinned.

''You were just lucky,'' Jackson said, turning to Caleb.

''Caleb, it's your turn,'' he said.

''Uh..''

''Come on buddy, there is a candy can at stake here,'' Jackson smirked.

''Dude,'' I said, indignant.

Jackson was now going through the songlist.

''How about... Beauty And A Beat by Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj?'' he asked.

''Yeah why not?'' I said.

When I looked at the screen, my eyes almost fell out of my eyes when I saw how difficult the choreography was. While Caleb was killing it, my scores were just like: good, OK. In the end, I lost.

I sighed.

''You are very good at this aren't you?'' I managed to say.

''I don't know, I played Just Dance a lot of times,'' Caleb said, giving a bottle of water to me. I drank almost half of it.

''Great job man,'' said Jackson. He gave Caleb a high five.

The next hour, we danced and danced. And I began losing to both of them because I got tired.

''Should we go now? Or do you guys want to do something else,'' I suggested.

''No, I'm going to visit my grandparents,'' Caleb said.

''Okay, see you later Caleb,'' I said.

''Bye guys,'' he said.

Jackson and I noticed that the bus wasn't going to drive, so we had to wait half an hour to get home.

''What should we do now, Jackson?'' I asked.

''Uh, we can go walk around if you'd like?'' he offered. I nodded. There isn't much to do anyway.

''Should we go sit at the fountain?'' I asked after we walked for like 15 minutes. I was still tired of dancing.

''You're not in very good shape, recently,'' he chuckled.

''Shut up Jackson,'' I said.

''Okay, you go sit at the fountain. I'll go buy some water over there,'' he said, gesturing to the supermarket. I nodded.

I stayed there for a while, watching videos. But then, I saw a crowd cheering.

''What the…'' I mumbled.

I walked over, and saw Mother standing there with happy tears rolling down her cheek. Normally, I would've been happy for her, but not when someone like Mr Hawkins is proposing to her.