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That night when I dreamt of him, there was no Jessica to wake me. Sean and I had spent hours talking and laughing, in the DVD shop. It wasn't until the manager had come over and told us it was closing time that I had noticed we were the only ones in there, which had made us laugh harder as we left the shop. I was still laughing when I woke up, and upon realising I had been dreaming, I was instantly sad. I didn't want to wake up.
In my dreams, I was a normal person. I didn't have a birthmark, and when Sean had looked at me, I'd felt like the most important person alive.
I did, however, have a slightly anxious feeling in my stomach. I'd actually spoken to him this time, certainly Jessica would find out. But right now I didn't care. I would deal with whatever she had waiting for me on Monday. In the meantime, I was happy. He wanted to see me again, even if it was to tell him how the film was, which I really did enjoy.
I got out of bed, and after I had used the bathroom, I got dressed and headed downstairs.
My parents were in the kitchen, the back door was open, the sun was shining brightly, and if I strained my ears, I could hear the birds singing.
“Morning.” I chirped, as I placed two slices of bread in the toaster.
“Good morning!” My parents chorused.
“You sleep well?” My Mum asked, as she pulled one load of washing from the washing machine and put another load in.
“Like a baby.” I smiled and started to hum as I pulled the butter and marmalade out of the cupboard. The look my parents gave each other didn't go unnoticed, but I chose to ignore it. “Kasey-Ray still in bed?”
“No, she's gone for a run.” My Dad told me, as my Mum went to hang the washing out.
Kasey-Ray had been harping on about training for sports day, as she wanted to be on top form when she won. As far as she was concerned, she was going to come first in every event, and I had to say I agreed with her. I'd already known that Kasey-Ray was fast, but with her determination she could do anything.
“We're going for another walk later. Do you want to come?” I thought about this for a moment as I buttered my toast.
“Nah, I think I'm going to sunbathe.” My Dad laughed. Normally this was something Kasey-Ray did.
“Okay.” He replied, just as Kasey-Ray came in. She was all sweaty and out of breath as she walked to the sink to get a glass of water.
“What's happening?” She asked as she leant back against the sink to look at my Dad and me, as I went to sit at the kitchen table.
“Nothing much. Your Mum and I are going for a walk in a bit and Erin's going out back to sunbathe." He rolled his eyes at the last bit.
“Cool.” She finished her water and rinsed her glass, placing it upside down on the draining board. "I'll grab a shower and come out and sunbathe with you." She said as she picked up my MP3 player and left the room. I'd wondered where it had gone, but I wasn't going to start screaming and shouting about it. I was still happy after speaking to Sean last night.
By the time I'd finished my breakfast my Mum had come in and was grabbing her handbag when she turned to me.
“When the machine is finished, hang it out please?" I nodded as I gave her a kiss.”
“Will do.” Then I carried my blanket outside to lie down. Not long after, Kasey-Ray came out, carrying a blanket under one arm, sun lotion in one hand, whilst using her free hand to hold her phone to her ear.
“No way! Really?” She said in shock as she tried to lay her blanket on the grass, “OH. MY. GOD!” She slowly and loudly spoke each word dramatically, as I took the blanket from her and laid it next to mine as she started to scream at an ear splitting volume.
After she hung up the phone she quickly dropped to the floor and she looked like she was ready to explode with excitement.
“Guess what?” She reached out and repeatedly shook my arm as she bounced up and down.
“What?” I tried to look interested.
“Matt likes me!” At first I was wondering who Matt was, then I remembered she'd pointed him out a couple of weeks ago. “Well Matt is friends with Jack and Jack is going out with Becca.” I was started to get dizzy, trying to keep up. I had no idea who Jack or Becca was. “Well Claire just bumped into Becca and she was saying that Jack told her, that Matt likes me and is going to ask me out. Can you believe it?" I thought I was going to get a headache with information overload.
“Wow.” Not because he was going to ask her out. I knew he would anyway. Mainly, wow, because I was still trying to sort all the information out in my head.
“I know! Isn't it amazing?” She smiled and clapped happily. She lay down on her blanket and started talking at supersonic speed, wondering when he would ask her out? Where he would ask her? Where he would take her? What she would wear? I lay there listening to her, drifting in and out of my own world. I imagined that I was Kasey-Ray and Matt was Sean. I would probably be acting the same way, if I'd just heard that Sean was interested. Not that it would ever happen, but a girl could dream. I sighed as I realised the washing machine had finished and went to get up.
“Where are you going?” Kasey-Ray interrupted my thoughts.
“I gotta hang out the rest of the washing for Mum.”
I slowly took the washing out of the machine and by the time I went back outside, Kasey-Ray was back on her phone, talking to Claire again. I envied my sister; everything seemed so easy for her. All the other students hung on her every word. I didn't want to be like her in that way. I was used to being alone. It would just be nice to have maybe one friend and for someone like Sean, or rather Sean himself, be interested in me, without having to worry about what others thought.
How life would be different if I hadn't been born with this ugly birthmark. I didn't want to reverse roles with my sister. I just wished I had been born as perfect as her.
Chapter 5