Ocean O'Connell Rosenberg doesn't miss school. She's had a perfect attendance record since she was in kindergarten. If Ocean wasn't in class, Ocean was at another school activity. All her missing schoolwork was given to the right teacher by the end of the day she returned.
So it was a real shock when Ocean was absent. There weren't any emails saying she was at a school function. So, her teachers marked her absent. People began to speculate what happened to the democracy-loving girl. Her classmates were annoyed since she always answered the teacher's questions, and now they had to do it. The gossipers loved making up scandalous stories about her. However, everyone assumed she'd be back the next day.
However, she wasn't back the next day. She wasn't back the day after that or the day after that. For the first time in her life, Ocean O'Connell Rosenberg missed a week of school.
A week later, Penny Lamb woke up from a dreamless slumber. The alarm on her phone to the sound of a Muse song. Penny was quick to turn it off and climb out of her bed. Her pet cat, Jane, slept on the edge of her bed. Penny wasn't supposed to have the cat on the furniture, but she liked snuggling with the cat at night.
Penny put on her school uniform. She made her bed. Jane meowed in anguish when the covers moved, making her wake up from her slumber. She quickly jumped off the queen-sized bed and shot Penny a dirty look. "I'm sorry," Penny muttered.
Penny unplugged her phone and slipped it into her pocket. She made her way to the kitchen, finding a note on the counter.
'Hey sweetie,
Sorry, but your father and I had to get to the office early today. We're close to closing on this deal we've been working on for months. I hope you have a wonderful day. Tonight, we'll be on for the bachelor Canada night.
Love, mom'
Penny just sighed. Her parents were the most successful real estate agents in Uranium. She knew it would probably be her and Jane watching The Bachelor. It was like that most weeks.
Penny just ate a banana for breakfast. She fixed herself a cup of coffee with barely any sugar or coffee creamer. Penny filled Jane's food bowl and water bowl. She then left to catch the bus. Once again, Ocean was absent from school.