I set up in bed then yawned stretching my arms wide out. l rubbed my eyes then opened them. I was startled to feel a movement beside me. That's when I realized that I was still in Keisty's room.
I quickly moved out of Keisty's bed but subtly so that l wouldn't wake her up. I went to my room and straight for a bath. Afterwards l brushed my teeth and my long hair. I put on a cute blue fairy skirt, a small black T-shirt with a pink glittery heart print on it. l wore some black pumps. I held my hair into a ponytail with a black elastic band.
It was still a bit early in the morning. On weekends, Deborah wouldn't wake us too early like school days. Just then, a knock sounded on my door. I knew who it was.
I opened the door and saw Deborah standing a safe distance as always but this time my eyes opened wide with surprise. She was not in her usual maid outfit. She was wearing a plain very white blouse tucked in a high waist pleated yellow skirt. She had stylish feminine slippers and her black hair was flowing down her back but one strand was woven and had a little yellow flower.
She smiled at my mesmerized look. I was about to ask her what was the occasion but she beat me to it.
"Arielle you are already up and fresh, do you have plans for the day?", she asked looking at my dressing.
"No, just an early start, what about you?", l asked.
"Auntie Yolei wants to go out with us so she informed me that l should tell you to get ready whilst it's still early".
"Oh, then l think I am ready", l said looking down at myself.
"That's good but take your coat, this morning is cloudy and misty", she said. "And miss, in ten minutes please come to the table for breakfast".
I nodded. She smiled then closed the door and walked away. I searched my hangers and found a stylish baby blue coat that reached to my ankles. It was a button down coat with silver zippers at the arms and a blue belt at the waist.
When l looked out the window, l saw that it was a bit dark and cloudy. It almost looked like it was going to snow. I followed to the dinning room afterwards. The house was feeling snug and warm with the lights still on.
When l entered the dinning room, l saw that everyone was looking adorable as they sat around the table laughing and talking enjoying breakfast.
Auntie Yolei was just sipping a herbal tea. She was in a long white fur coat. Her hair was looking more lighter as it rested on the shoulders of her bright coat.
Keisty was enjoying her cereal. She was in a red coat with big square black buttons. Her hair was tied into two buns with thin red ribbon strips. She was looking cute.
Deborah had now put on a yellow coat over her clothes. She was looking even more beautiful with her motherly tender look. Her coat was looking almost like mine only that it was yellow.
I sat on my chair beside Keisty, we greeted good morning. Everyone seemed to be in a jolly mood. We ate our breakfast telling auntie and Deborah about what happened at the nomination. In the middle of our breakfast, auntie told us the arrangements of the day.
"Your principal, Mr Greyson called me yesterday night", auntie Yolei said.
"Did he!, oh what did we do wrong?", Keisty asked.
"Nothing honey. He was asking for you girls, he was inviting you two to the Greyson family reunion. He said he would pick you early this morning. I had refused because I couldn't let my little girls go somewhere l don't know and spend the whole day with people l don't....", auntie Yolei was disrupted by Keisty.
"Oh mom, we are not little girls, we can handle ourselves ", Keisty whined.
"No, l wouldn't let you go by yourselves. When he saw that l had refused, he insisted and said that we could come too. I told him that l would only let the girls come if we're coming with them", auntie Yolei said sternly.
"Oh yay, it will be much more fun with us together as a family ", Keisty jumped cheerfully. "Wait, but where are we going?"
"It's the Greysons cruise ship, that's where they are having their reunion ", auntie Yolei said easily.
"Oh wow, classy", Keisty commented.
We finished eating breakfast and walked to the car. Deborah was carrying two picnic baskets with food, soft blankets and other small items that we could use. Deborah is always diligent with her preparation. She never forgets anything, I think that is why auntie Yolei likes her.
We quickly stepped into the car because the outside air was misty and cold. The clouds were threatening to drop rain anytime.
Deborah placed the baskets securely in the back of the large SUV then she went to sit in the front beside auntie Yolei. Keisty and I sat in the seats behind them. Auntie Yolei switched on the heater and the FM radio so that she might listen to the day's weather report then we drove off.
She had to turn on the headlights even though it was daybreak because of the mist. This made the interior lights to illuminate too, the car assuming we had need to see the interior buttons clearly. This only made the car seem even more snug and warm and homely. If it wasn't that we were all still fresh in the morning, we would have fallen asleep in the comfortable atmosphere.
I hadn't known how much of a difference it made when we just drove off as a family. Not going to school or work but just a family trip. It was good, it felt warm and lovely. It made us feel more intimate with each other.
Auntie Yolei and Deborah were talking with low tones in the front whilst Keisty and l talked seated behind them. The heater and the music were creating a cosy atmosphere. We were all really enjoying and appreciating the moment.
"Arielle", Keisty said leaning to me so that auntie Yolei and Deborah won't hear. "Is Whitney really your girlfriend?"
Her words shocked me. I looked at her bug eyed. Was she seriously asking this.
"why are you asking this?", l nervously asked.
Keisty's eyebrow twitched as she looked at me. She was trying to read through me. l tried to subject my reactions from expressing on my face.
"Arielle, l asked first", she pressed.
"Well, no, no she is not my girlfriend", l answered her but at the same time l was wondering, 'so that's what she was thinking about me all along '.
"Is that so?, the school news channels are raving about the new hot girl being in love with the captain of the cheerleaders and a ballet dancer, Whitney Torrens", Keisty said shocking me.
I should have known that our school is full of gossipers. The news would spread like wildfire although it wasn't true.
"Keisty of all the people, you should have known that that's not true", l tried to sound disappointed.
Since yesterday night, l and Keisty have grown much closer. Our conversations are now more easier. The time we spent talking and laughing really improved our sisterhood.
"Ok what about James?", she asked trying to be teasing although I felt she really wanted to know.
"Keisty, l don't think of him that way, l don't know but, it doesn't feel right for me to think that way with Stewart or James", l confessed.
"Oh, l see. But you didn't say you don't feel that way about Whitney, you just said she is not my girlfriend", Keisty said thoughtfully pursing her lips. "So Arielle, you are into girls"
"What!", l unintentionally shouted. Auntie Yolei and Deborah looked back.
"What's wrong girls?", auntie Yolei asked.
"Nothing mom, we're sorry ", Keisty quickly covered up. Auntie Yolei just nodded and turned to look back to the windshield although she was not satisfied with the answer.
"Yes Arielle, that's what you are. I was looking at you at nominations, you were looking at Beatrice with such a look l have never seen you giving anyone. You looked like you wanted to faint at the sight of her. You don't do that with Stewart or James. I have seen that you like Stewart and James as friends. It made me just realize that you are into girls, you are a..."
"No don't say that. l don't want to be known like that, l don't like it", l said folding my arms and looked out the window, away from her.
Auntie Yolei was watching through the center rear view mirror. "Is there something wrong girls?", she asked concerned.
"We just figured out that Arielle is into girls", Keisty shouted excitedly.
This set an alarm in the car. Deborah looked back wide eyed. Auntie Yolei pulled to the side of the road and stopped then she looked back too, trying to keep looking composed. Keisty was looking at me with a smirk of triumph. I love Keisty but she is mean sometimes.
As for me, l wanted to get out of the car and runaway into the woods where no one could find me. My face was hot with embarrassment. I felt my palms becoming wet with sweat. I just looked down not finding anywhere else to look.
"Oh honey, don't be embarrassed", auntie Yolei said looking at me. "Do you want to know something, l'm happy for you, it's actually normal for you to feel that way".
"I'm happy for you, Arie, honestly happy", Deborah spoke to me reaching her hand and lightly squeezed my fiddling ones comfortingly. I looked at her surprised. It was the first time that Deborah ever talked to me directly in the presence of auntie Yolei. More surprisingly, the gesture of squeezing my hand but most surprising, she shortened my name. The way it sounded so natural on her lips made me feel like we have known each other for long.
She looked into my eyes like she was seeing someone else. More than shocked, l could sense that Deborah and auntie were sort of relieved by my confession. It made me a bit suspicious but l wasn't going to ask.
"Ok, let's continue", auntie Yolei said maneuvering the car back into the highway. "We don't want to be late".
After that, everything resumed back to normal, only that this time l forced myself to sleep. I was feeling like l needed a little break.
It was just after l had closed my eyes that my phone vibrated and flashed notifying me that it had received a text. My eyes were closed, Keisty assumed that l had fallen asleep so she drew the phone out of my pocket to turn the notification off.
My heart pounded when l remembered about the pictures that Stewart promised that he would send to me. I quickly opened my eyes and looked at Keisty.
It was too late because she was already reading the message on my phone. She was looking confused at what she was reading. I was sure that at this point I was doomed. How could l ever explain this.
She turned to look at me and gave me back my phone. I tried to hide the panic on my face. I looked on the screen.
Mark:"remember you agreed that l can ask what l want if l help you. Here it is, you spend the whole day with me at school on Monday wether you like it or not."
I was relieved to see that it wasn't Stewart's but l was starting to think of a way of explaining it to Keisty. I had promised Keisty that l would never hangout with Mark but now l was forced to.
"I think this is where we're supposed to be", auntie Yolei said as we drove towards a boom gate with two guards standing at the side. There was a small guard house at the side.
You could see many cars with caravans parked behind the gate. Despite the caravans blocking the view, you could get glimpse of the sea beyond.
She stopped the car before the gate and one of the guards came to her window. Auntie Yolei lowered her window.
"Can you please show me your pass", the guard asked with a stone face.
Auntie Yolei took out her purse and started searching. She just fished out her ID card.
"Yolei Charleston", she said showing the card to the guard.
He nodded then walked to his fellow at the gate side. The other guy disappeared into the small guard house then the gate lifted up automatically.
The guard who had gone into the small house ran back and stood by the window.
"Ok, you may proceed. Your ship is THE GREAT GREYSON. Your reserved onboard parking space is 58 in sector 4. I'm sure there will be someone waiting for you at the parking space", the guard informed us and then moved away from the window. Just as he was about to go, he turned around like he had forgotten something. "Have a good day".
With that auntie Yolei pressed the gas pedal and we whizzed off for the Greyson ship.