Movement and voices are making it impossible for me to continue sleeping. It's morning, but I want to stay in bed a little longer. The mattress and sheets and pillows are soft and inviting. The modern world sure has a lot of new and enjoyable things that didn't exist thousands of years ago. One thing is to look at everything from afar and a whole other thing is to experience it first hand. Now I understand why so many people have trouble waking up in the morning.
Lazily, I get up from under the covers and go to the closet. Elena doesn't have a complicated style. Her winter closet is full of jeans, sweatpants, plain shirts, colorful T-shirts and sweaters. I take out a pair of jeans, a white shirt and a winter jacket. Even though I can't feel the cold, I still have to pretend. It would be weird if Elena suddenly started walking around in summer clothes in the middle of winter.
After a quick shower, I get dressed, comb and braid my hair in one braid—the usual way Elena wears it—and pick up my backpack.
The rest of the family is already having breakfast in the kitchen. The moment I walk in they all look at me and say good morning.
"Good morning," I say back, trying hard to smile.
I am not used to smiling. Never smiled before as a human. All I did during those other possessions was fight and kill.
"What's with your face?" Elena's brother asks with a frown. "Why are you smiling like that?"
I walk to the table and sit down. There is a lot of food on the table—scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, butter, cheese, tomatoes, strawberry jam. I want to try everything! I bet even food tastes differently than it did thousands of years ago.
I take the empty plate set before me and fill it with scrambled eggs and bacon, three sausages, four slices of cheese, lots of tomatoes and two slices of toast. Pilling everything up is a struggle but I am unwilling to give up any of the food I have chosen.
"Nothing is wrong with my face. You are imagining things," I answer while munching on bacon and eggs.
When I look up, three pairs of eyes are staring at me stupefied.
"What?" I ask, not understanding their reaction.
"Since when do you stuff your face like a pig, in the morning," Elena's brother scoffs.
"Since I feel like it," I snap between chews.
You little shit! How lucky you are I can't use any of my powers! That pretty head of yours would be rolling on the ground right now.
"Slow down, honey," Elena's mother says. "I am so happy that you are finally eating a proper breakfast, but don't eat too fast or you will get a stomach ache afterwards."
Her big, brown eyes stare at me with genuine concern.
"I'll be fine," I say, forking a slice of tomato and gobbling it down.
"Let her eat however she wants," Elena's father says, pouring some orange juice in a glass. "Here have some juice too."
Hmm…I'm not getting anything amiss from them. So then why were some of Elena's memories with her family a bit…off?
They look so normal, it's almost painful. Elena and her father share the same red hair and green eyes while her brother and mother have the same big, brown eyes and thick black hair. The way they talk, smile and behave affectionately towards one another is not forced or fake at all.
"When did you say that class trip is going to be, Gabriel?" Elena's father asks her brother.
"This weekend. It's only going to be a day and we'll just visit the art museum, have lunch and come home. You don't have to worry about it. There is not tiring physical activity involved," Gabriel said, eating his tomatoes and scrambled eggs.
Oh, right! Gabriel is sick. Some kind of heart condition.
"Don't forget to take your pills," Elena's mother reminds him, "and the moment you feel weird in any way, you have to tell your sister."
His sister!? Wait! Am I also going on this trip?
"Come on, mom! Does Elena really have to come with me? I will be the only one accompanied by his sister! Please help me save some face!"
Yes! Please don't make me go with this little shit and a bunch of other little shits like him on a field trip! It's my first time on Earth in milenia! I don't want to spend my very first weekend surrounded by noisy little shits!
"If Elena doesn't go then you don't go either," Elena's father says.
Fuck! I don't give a damn if he can't go!
"Besides, your sister doesn't mind. Right?" Elena's father continues, beaming at me as if I were his life's savior.
"Of course not!" I force a smile again. "I can't wait to look at all those…paintings."
"Didn't you see them last year?" Gabriel glares at me.
You little shit!
"I want to see them again," I insist, holding on to my smiling face.
"Stop smiling like that. It's creeping me out," Gabriel says.
I drop the smile and have some orange juice.
"Fine! She can come," Gabriel finally concedes with a pout. "But keep your distance!" he demands.
You think I want to be stuck to you, you little shit?
"Don't worry! It's going to be like I'm not even there, " I promise while chewing on some bacon strips.
This food is divine! Why does it taste so good? The bacon practically melts in my mouth and paired with the scrambled eggs and sausages makes me crave more and more. The food I used to have in the past cannot compare to this! I can't wait to have pizza and hamburgers and—
"Stop stuffing your mouth and get up. We're going to miss our bus," Gabriel disrupts my relishing the moment quite rudely.
You little shit! I can't wait to pull out that tongue of yours and sever it from its roots.
"Okay," I try to respond as amiable as possible.
I put the rest of the bacon and sausages between two slices of bread after generously spreading some butter on them, grab my school bag and rush after the little shit.
"Have a good day," Elena's mother shouts behind us.
I have already finished my food when we reach the bus station. A lot of other teenagers are already there. Most of them seem to be Gabriel's age, but there are also a few of Elena's age.
Gabriel is greeted by a group of five boys while Elena only gets a few anemic "Hellos" without much intention to deepen the conversation.
Well, hello to you too, you little fuckers! It's not like I'm dying to talk to you.
"Hi," I smile at everyone.
A weird look suddenly flashed across everyone's faces. I can't tell if they are surprised or frightened. Anyways, I find their reaction quite unpleasant.
The bus arrives fairly quickly and we start getting on. Seeing how everyone is also greeting the bus driver I do the same.
"Good morning," I say, flashing a smile.
The bus driver suddenly freezes, but quickly recovers. "Good morning," he answers back.
Before moving along, I catch a glimpse of my smiling face in the bus window next to the driver's left side.
What the fuck!? Is that how I look when I smile?