Chapter 7

"HEY!!! WAKE UP!! MARLEEN, WAKE UP!!!"

I could faintly hear Beth's screams waking me up with what I assumed was one of my pan collections from outside my bedroom door. I who heard the sound of her scream earlier then rubbed my eyes lazily and pulled back my blanket, which almost fell to the floor to protect my body from the cold that I feel right now. Then I covered my ears with a pillow, hoping that the sound I heard earlier would no longer be heard.

Well, it looks like it's impossible to just rely on a pillow to avoid the sound of my best friend pounding my pot with a louder sound than before. In addition, she also let out a scream that was no less lively than the sound of my pot, which she hit vigorously. It's like being at a festival in the center of the city, complete with various attractions and lively processions, if I may say so, but I really don't want any extra fuss in the house I love so dearly as my own child. Feeling a little lazy, I started to get up from my bed and yawn widely, while my left hand grabbed the alarm clock that I had deliberately placed on the nightstand near my bed to check the time, which apparently still showed five in the morning.

What a mad woman! Why am I thankful for having a friend like her? Just imagine, Beth managed to force me, who still wanted to enjoy the first day of my day off by being in my bed, to wake up this early, even though I'm pretty sure she clearly knows what I said yesterday that today I can officially enjoy my day off as a teacher and owner of a cooking school and relax myself during my vacation, which I deliberately put off until the festival ends. And now, I can no longer enjoy my freedom as an ordinary person who just wants to enjoy his day off leisurely.

What a sly woman, I cursed inwardly as I got up from my bed and ruffled my hair in frustration. While I was still busy cursing my best friend in my heart, I glimpsed the open door of my room and I found Beth carrying my favorite wooden pot and spatula, while still ringing it, as if not noticing my presence, who was now sitting on the bed while staring at her with feelings of emotion. I'm annoyed that I still want to enjoy my sleep without any disturbance from anyone.

"Oops, sorry. I thought you haven't woken up yet..." She said in a tone that didn't show the slightest hint of guilt after the commotion she created when she woke me up this morning. Come to think of it, she really never apologizes for any inconvenience she causes whenever she is around me, so why should I bother her so much? My hair might turn white before I turn thirty, and I still want my hair color to be dark brown now.

"After hearing your screams that woke me up with one of my collections of pots and spatulas earlier, do you think I can still continue my sleep like before? Of course not. Thank you for making me unable to continue my sleep again."

That was my pleasure. All right, don't be so upset. I'm very kind as your friend to even wake you up with your favorite wooden pot and spatula, you know..."

The answer she gave me made me immediately grab one of my pillows and throw it right at Beth, who unfortunately managed to fend off my attack by catching the pillow I threw earlier and throwing it back at me, which I luckily managed to dodge before my face fell victim to my faraway best friend's throw pillow, which felt stronger than me.

"That's good spirit to start, Marleen. And as usual, your response was unbelievably slow. Even though I gave you the signal before I threw back your pillow."

"Where's the cue you gave me from? Obviously, I did not see you say anything when you threw back my pillow earlier."

"In my mind, of course. Well, now you get up quickly. Then let's get ready to go now!"

I widen my eyes when I hear her words, who casually decides what she is going to do with me today. "Ready to go? Where exactly are we going this morning?"

"Don't think too much about it. You can just go along with what I already planned for both of us, and I'll tell you about it later. Now I want you to change your pajamas into the clothes I brought for you."

My best friend then threw me a set of red tracksuits, which she somehow managed to carry with her hands, which were still carrying my kitchen collection towards me. I then took the sports clothes my best friend had given me with a bit of reluctance. Somehow, I already know what will happen next. Should I just ignore her and continue to sleep again, which was disturbed by my friend's commotion earlier?

"Very nice. I'm waiting for you in front of the house. Prepare yourself for the worst if you don't come down for too long, or if you want to continue your sleep again."

How did she find out about my plans to continue my sleep just now? Could it be that the person in my room right now is not my best friend, but an alien with mind-reading abilities disguised as my best friend, while my best friend is trapped in a place I don't know where the alien is holding my poor friend? I must still be affected by one of the scenes in my dream before my best friend managed to destroy my sleep cycle with her reckless act earlier.

"All right, all right. I am not going anywhere. I will do as you said, so wait for me outside of my house while I change my pajamas with this one first." I said as I got up from my bed and brought the gym clothes she gave me earlier. As for Beth, she seemed so satisfied with the answer I gave earlier that she came out of my room with my pot and spatula, which I hoped she would put back in their original place, or I would forbid her to go to my kitchen for some time to come. Sighing softly, I got up from my bed, and immediately put on the sports clothes that my best friend had given me earlier, which unexpectedly, it turned out that the tracksuit she gave me fit perfectly on my body as if the sports clothes I was wearing at this time were deliberately ordered by Beth to match the size of my body. It's a mystery how she got to know my clothes size.

I was so amazed that I repeatedly stared at my own reflection in the mirror, satisfied with the tracksuit Beth had chosen. How could she know my clothes size so accurately? I will definitely make sure to ask it directly to my best friend, who I'm sure is still standing and waiting for me outside my house right now. Once I'm done brushing my teeth and washing my face, I tidy up my slightly messy appearance before I go back to my room to drink water from the glass I always keep on the nightstand near my bed before I go to sleep.

After satisfying my thirst, I came out of my room and took the white sports shoes that Beth seemed to have deliberately placed near my door so I could put them on like a bat out of hell and get out of my house as quickly as I could, or I would feel Beth's tantrum, for which she might feel annoyed for the reason that I had made my best friend wait outside my house for a long time. Which was acceptable, since it was still dark outside, as it was still dawn at the time when she woke me up with such a commotion she created this morning.