It was a chilly Sunday evening in late September, and Aliya was on her bed peacefully reading, enjoying her time before Monday morning. However, loud bangs on the door interrupted her relaxation time.
"Coming!" Aliya groaned, making her way to the door. Who was knocking so hard on the door?
When she opened the door it was none other than Autumn with a bunch of books in her hands.
"Aliya I need your help to study for the English test tomorrow!" Autumn sobbed, holding up her books. "What?! Autumn, why haven't you studied!" Aliya scolded her."I've been so busy all week! I completely forgot." Autumn said sheepishly.
Aliya just shook her head. She couldn't be serious. Then again this was Autumn of course she was serious. "Fine but you're not leaving until you memorize everything. Are we clear?" Aliya said sternly. "Yes ma'am!" Autumn tried to salute but nearly dropped her books.
Autumn was facing Aliya's whiteboard like she was in English class. Aliya was writing down as many of the topics she could remember from the study guide. She was going full-on teacher mode and nobody could stop her. Autumn knew Aliya took studying and school very seriously. A bit too serious. "Okay Autumn, I've written down everything from the study guide. You're gonna write everything and memorize it okay?" Aliya pointed to the board, and Autumn nodded. "Good."
Aliya began her lecture and Autumn felt herself getting drowsy. Listening to boring monologues usually put Autumn to sleep, and English class was her second bedroom. On the other hand, Autumn was also distracted by Aliya's reading glasses. They were normal old brown reading glasses, but for some reason, they always cracked Autumn up. Now she was in a battle of either falling asleep or laughing until she was sore. One side was going to win regardless.
Aliya noticed Autumn's waning attention, luckily she's already planned for this. "Oh, Autumn I can tell you're losing focus, so here." Aliya took out her phone and showed her a video of cute baby kittens playing together. "HA! Kittens." Autumn squealed, eyes so focused. Aliya continued with her lecture, and Autumn was able to focus without any problems. Hook, Line, and Sinker.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aliya made her way up the stairs, careful not to drop the steaming milk on herself or the stairs. She knew the milk might make Autumn sleepier but she also needed something to calm her down. Aliya slowly opened the door where Autumn was intently studying, face buried in her notebook.
"I brought you some milk, you look like you need it," Aliya said softly. Aliya set down the mug right in front of her. As soon as she saw the milk Autumn grabbed it, and drank it without hesitation. "Autumn you're gonna burn your tongue." Aliya scolded her. "It's not that hot."
Autumn brushed it off, and Aliya couldn't help but giggle. A daredevil. That's one of the things she loved about Autumn. "Hey, Autumn, what were you doing all week that you forgot about English?" she asked, concerned.
"Oh, that. I was helping out at the adoption center of course. There was a truckload of new puppies that came. It was adorable but also a nightmare. If I didn't help him out, well um let's say some of those puppies might not have seen tomorrow." Autumn sighed. "That is dark and unsettling, but you managed to help them all right?" Aliya asked, kinda disturbed. "Well, I wouldn't be here studying if I didn't." Autumn chuckled lightly.
"You're incredible, Autumn."
"And you are an incredible friend." Autumn teased but still spoke the truth.
"I'm not that great." Aliya sighed.
"Aliya, you're willing to help me study this late at night. Not many people are willing to do that. And I don't have many close friends." Autumn hugged her knees. "You? Autumn. Don't have many close friends" Alia couldn't believe it.
"Well, people will either pity me for you know," Autumn waved and pointed. "Or bully me because of it. I hate it so I don't get close to a lot of people. I like to keep them at arm's length. That's why I prefer hanging out with my animals. They don't judge." (I swear that pun was not intended. I gotta stop before I get canceled.)
"Well I'm here for you, and I promise I won't pity you ever. I swear."
"I know. I think you learned your lesson last time." Autumn giggled. "That's true." Aliya said as she smiled remembering their first real fight.
A little while later Aliya noticed that Autumn had fallen asleep, right on top of her notebook. Aliya peeked over at it and it looked like Autumn managed to memorize everything, with notes and everything. "This girl can do anything she puts her mind to." Aliya thought. She also noticed some of Autumn's doodles. The person she was doodling looked familiar but she brushed it off. Autumn was definitely ready for the test tomorrow. One problem. How was she going to get Autumn to bed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Bzzt ~Bzzt
Aliya groaned, wanting to throw whatever item was making that blasted noise. Aliya tried to turn to her side, but something was on top of her. She managed to open her eyes to see Autumn's arm and leg dangling on top of her. "She doesn't have the best sleeping posture doesn't she." Aliya thought. That's when it clicked in her brain that it was her alarm going off. Aliya jumped from the bed, nearly throwing Autumn off her, and grabbed her phone.
"Oh my gosh!!! WE HAVE 30 MINUTES TILL SCHOOL STARTS!!!!" Aliya shrieked. "I'm gonna kill Zac for not waking us!" Autumn was still somehow sleeping peacefully, snuggling Aliya's pillow. This girl can sleep through anything but now was not the time for Aliya to be impressed. "Autumn wake up we're going to be late!" Aliya shook Autumn as hard as she could, but only got a sleep response. "5 more minutes…." Autumn slurred. "We need to get ready in 5 minutes, girl." That's when it finally clicked for Autumn, and she finally jumped out of bed. "We gotta skedaddle!"
The two girls rushed to get ready. Brushed their teeth, combed their hair, and threw as many things into their school bags as possible except for breakfast. Aliya then checked her phone for the weather and decided to grab two hoodies from her closet. "Here you're gonna need it." She handed Autumn a light purple hoodie. As Autumn pulled the hoodie over, she noted it smelled like lavender and a freshly opened book. "Yup, definitely Aliya's." The two ran out and were lucky they made it on the train, just as it was about to leave.
At school~
"Whew made it." Autumn sighed a breath of relief. The girls sat down in their seats, catching their breath when they saw an exhausted Leo. "Leo, are you okay?" Aliya asked. "I was up studying all night." he groaned, slamming his head on the desk. "I asked you on a study date but you said no." Candi popped up right next to him. "Go away, Candi.." Leo groaned. "Tch, your loss."
After class~
"I beg that my Abuela doesn't see my scores." Leo groaned as the group walked to their lockers. "How did you do Autumn?" "Either a solid B or a solid D," Autumn shrugged. "Even after all that studying?" Aliya asked. "Yeah sorry." "Oh well, we tried." "Hey guys," Zac walked up to them with no sense of remorse whatsoever. He then noticed the hoodie Autumn was wearing. "Is that your hoodie Aliya?" Oh, that really ticked Aliya off. "ZAC"!!!
She yelled as she grabbed him by the ear, and dragged him off somewhere to give him an earful. "Hey Aliya, do you wanna get pancakes after school!" Autumn yelled after her. Leo gave her a confused look. "What? We missed breakfast, and I'm craving pancakes." Autumn said nonchalantly. "Sounds like a plan," Aliya yelled back, ignoring Zac's pleas for mercy.
~The End~
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love how I say it's cold in September yet it's literally 100 degrees in California and now in October when I'm writing this. I wish I was exaggerating. It is literally 101 degrees.