It was the end of the summer before senior year. Irene and I hadn't seen each other in months. Mainly because I was too lazy to leave my house and Irene was gone for most of the summer. I was pretty bad at keeping up with my friends during the summer and obviously she was one of them. I still do that today. I did talk to a few people though. But it was mainly about meeting up and never actually doing it. Everyone knows that the beginning of the summer and the end is when people think about their friends. 

And then there was summer homework. With AP classes in the upcoming year, I had a lot of it. That was the second biggest thing keeping me from seeing friends, besides my laziness which was far above the latter. 

I messaged her about a week before school started. I was procrastinating doing my homework and knew she'd be home by then. She had spent a majority of her summer with cousins and extended family.

"Hey. How was vacay with your fam?" Smooth, to the point, and casual. Good job, myself.

It took a few minutes for her to reply. "Great. I never thought it would end. How was yours?"

"Well, you know. Procrastination and laziness kept me company all summer."

"Hehe. Sounds like you."

"Did you start your summer homework." 

"Uhhh Yeah." I laughed. I knew she probably forgot about it. Future valedictorian my .

"Lol Liar. You know school starts next week right." There was a pause in the conversation. It was funny to imagine how flustered she was. She probably was freaking out, trying to remember where she put the papers or if teachers had posted in online somewhere. She was going through her desk, with weeks worth of crap on it. Her backpack was probably still packed. Irene had left right when school ended. Her room was probably a tornado, opposite of what it always was, especially as its owner was never there for too long that summer. Books were probably flying everywhere because thats’ where she kept her school related items with the numerous extra books that didn’t fit on her bookshelves. She was naturally an organized person but that day was an exception.

Finally, after a 20- minute pause, she messaged me back saying, "So where did get your books for AP Lit? I can't  find them for cheap." Bingo. She had forgotten. I could hear the desperation though her text, though she was trying to keep cool.

"Well I ordered them right after school ended.” I teased. Before she reply, I said, “the books are pretty long and tedious to read. It took me almost all of last month to finish them.” That was a lie I finished them earlier that month by binge reading for 2 days straight. 
 
I quickly sent her another message. “I don’t know how you’re gonna finish this by next week.The essay took me 3 days to write for Lit  and another 3 trying to finish the 2 books and write-ups for Government.”

The pause in our conversation told me that she was freaking out. She always did things on time, if not earlier. It was also my favorite past time to . Her naturally calm attitude was sometimes sickening. 

“.... You’re joking right?” she replied. I smirked; I pressed the right buttons. She was officially in panic mode. 

I decided not to reply for a while. Despite her other 2 messages sent in that time, I gladly watched Pride and Prejudice (the Kiera Knightly version) in my living room.

In the middle of the ballroom scene, my favorite part, the house phone started to ring. I groaned and got up to answer to it. It was my mom. .

“Hey mom.”

“Wendy? Hey Irene called me asking if you were home. Are you or did you fall asleep?” 

“Wait, she called you?” Oh my god. I couldn’t help but be surprised. I chuckled a bit. “Yeah. I’ve been home.” I need to make up a lie so she doesn’t worry and ... doesn’t get any bad ideas. “Sorry, I’ve been watching movies all day so I haven’t been paying attention to my phone.”

“Pride and Prejudice?”

My mom knew me too well. “Yup.”

“Ahhhh. Makes sense. Well, call her back. She seemed worried. Oh and make sure the kitchen is clean and take out the chicken. I’ll be home to make dinner.”

“Ok. Bye.” I hung up and paused for a moment. This girl. I can’t believe her. Just like I knew her buttons, she knew mine and she knew I hated it when my mom called for checkups. 

I ran back upstairs to my room to grab my phone. I immediately called her.

“YA. You called my mom!?” I practically screamed into the phone. “Are you kidding me? That’s so petty.”

“Hey,I got worried,” she replied in this annoying sarcastically worried and choding tone. She tried to sound cute too. That idiot.

“Huh. You know… I can’t believe you.”

“You wouldn’t tell me anything and left me hanging!” she whined. 

I sighed, holding my free hand index finger and thumb up to my furrowed brow. I gave in. She was one of my weak points. I laughed a bit before I answered her. “Fine. That’s fair. I actually started the books early this month and just forced myself to read. I got through the books for English and started the essay. I’m almost done with it. I haven’t gotten to start the 2nd book for government but wrote the write-up for the first book.”

“Wow. How long did it take?”

“Ummm,” I started to walk back downstairs. I couldn’t keep Darcy and Elizabeth’s upcoming romance on hold. “It took me about all of last week, maybe a full day for each of the english books, a day for the essay. The government books are pretty easy but dense but about a day for the assignment and the book. It shouldn’t take you that long.”

“Really. Ok. Did you order them online?”

“Duh, stupid. Anymore questions, young grasshopper?”

She chuckled. “No, sifu. I got to go. I need to start.”

“Ok. Let me know if you need help.”

“Help from you? HAHAHHAHA.” She laughed really loud to add effect. “Yeah right bye.”

“HEY!” The line cut. That brat. I decided to get her later. But, Darcy’s advances towards Elizabeth were calling my name and I decided to get back to my movie.