Word of the Week Fiction.
Week One: Coffee Pot
Disclaimer: I own the words below but clearly not the characters. Those belong to the lovely Naoko Takeuchi.
Morning as usual came too early for Haruka. Rubbing her eyes she slipped from the warmth of her bed and stepped onto the cool wooden floor. She groaned as the cold gripped her feet and slithered up her long muscular legs. Summer was over, fall had given way to the darkness of winter and though the streetlights reflected off of the snow lighting the bedroom in an orange glow Haruka had to squint to see. Carefully she made her way from the bed to the bathroom flipping the light on, blinding herself as she did. 'Baka.' She cursed feeling her way to the sink turning on the water, letting it warm before she scooped a handful over her face. Slurping a bit of the water into her mouth she rinsed the taste of sleep and spit grabbing her toothbrush and loading it with mint flavoured paste. Working the brush around her teeth with one hand, Haruka pulled the hair gel from the cabinet with the other using her arm to squeeze a blob into her palm she raked it through her hair messing her short blond locks into the sticky solution. Haruka spit a foamy mixture into the sink, gargled with some mouth wash and spread some deodorant over her underarms before spraying her cologne. Pleased with her look and feeling more awake she flipped the light off and made her way to the closet pulling the doors open to reveal her perfectly organized closet. Five pairs of pants hung neatly next to four blazers and six button down shirts. Three pair of shoes sat shined and ready next to a leather book bag. Haruka pulled out her school uniform a pair of green plaid pants, matching green plaid tie, a white shirt and a red blazer with the Mugen academy school crest stitched on the pocket. Once dressed Haruka checked her look in the mirror before saddling her bag on her shoulder and heading for the kitchen opening the door to her bedroom Haruka took a deep breath, waiting for the unmistakable scent of coffee to fill her nose. Nothing. She sniffed again, nothing. A frown set against her lips as she took the stairs two by two down to the kitchen pulling open the door she stare down at the coffee pot. The orange indicator light was on, the machine seemed to be ready but, no coffee was produced. Haruka pulled open the filter home, checked the water level and flipped the switch on and off. Nothing. Making a face Haruka pulls the cord from the wall and slowly, deliberately replugged it in. The orange light blinked on again, the water level was full, the filter was placed with surgical precision, the coffee pot sat ready, but lifeless. Haruka pulled her hand through her hair, now finding it sticky with product; she scuffed her shoe against the cupboard as she kicked it in anger. Throwing her hands up in defeat she reset her bag on her shoulder, catching her blazer against the handle of the door, tearing it slightly. 'Oh for the love of..' she muttered pushing out the front door, letting it lock behind her. Feeling her pockets for her car keys the realization that they were sitting on the kitchen counter, next to her waiting travel mug hit her hard. 'Seriously?' she grumbled running for the elevator, now having to walk to school. Being a track star had it's benefits Haruka decided as she quicken her jog through Juban turning the last corner before Mugen academy and slamming straight into a small bun haired girl, clearly not paying attention. The force sent Haruka to the ground ripping her pants as she landed in the snow sending the items of her bag flying around her. The girl quickly apologized before tearing off in the direction of the middle school; Haruka had no words for how her day was turning out. She quickly grabbed her strewn items and shoved them into her bag, ignoring her pants. Standing she discovered that her knee had been scraped in the fall and was now throbbed in pain, staining her pants with specks of blood. Limping into the lobby of Mugen academy Haruka headed straight for her locker knowing that her gym bag held an extra pair of pants. Waiting at Haruka's locker was Michiru, cheeks rosy from the cold, dressed in the schools female uniform of a green plaid skirt, white button shirt and red vest each perfectly tailored for Michiru's tall frame. Balanced in Michiru's hand were two Styrofoam cups. 'What happened?' Michiru asked rushing to help Haruka navigate the hall to her locker. Haruka took one of the cups from Michiru, pushed the lid off and downed the dark black contents before replying. 'My coffee pot broke.'