The morning sunlight spilled through the curtains, warm and golden. Birds were chirping outside Claire's window, their melody sweet and lively. Somewhere nearby, a rooster let out a loud crow, like an impatient alarm clock trying to wake the world.
Claire stirred under her blanket, eyes squinting open. Her head still felt heavy—she had stayed up way too late working on that chemistry project. The last thing she wanted was to get out of bed.
Then came the knocking. Tap tap tap. Again. And again. She groaned.
"Ugh… who's knocking this early on a weekend?" she muttered, sitting up.
Dragging herself to the door, she opened it and blinked at the figure standing there.
"Mom? What are you doing? It's super early—it's the weekend," she mumbled, glancing at the calendar beside her bed for confirmation.
Her mom just grinned. "I know. But I wanted to wake you up on purpose."
Claire gave her a puzzled look. "Okay… why?"
"Because," her mom said brightly, "we're going out. I want to take you somewhere."
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Out? You never do this."
"I felt like going to the theme park today."
Claire's eyes widened. "Wait—seriously?"
Her mom nodded. "Yup."
A grin slowly spread across Claire's face. "No way! That's awesome!"
"Told you you'd like it. Now, go shower. We're leaving at nine. Oh, and wake Bryan too."
"On it!" Claire dashed out of the room and into Bryan's.
Bryan was still wrapped in his blanket like a burrito, but when Claire told him the news, he shot up like a firework. "Theme park?! Let's gooo!"
By 8:30, they were ready. Their mom started the car, Bryan buckled up, backpack in hand, buzzing with excitement.
"Bryan, did you eat breakfast?" their mom asked.
"Yep! Claire made toast earlier."
"I thought you only had milk?"
"Nope. Gotta eat before a big adventure!" he laughed.
Their mom locked the front door, and Claire helped close the gate once the car rolled out.
The drive was peaceful. The morning air was crisp, the roads quiet. Claire sat in the backseat, singing along with Bryan, windows rolled down, wind in her hair. For once, her mind wasn't filled with deadlines or formulas or stress. Today was for joy. Today was for family.
After more than an hour, they pulled up to Warson Theme Park. Their mom bought tickets and handed them over.
Claire could hardly stand still. "Bryan! Roller coaster! First thing!"
Their mom chuckled. "You two go ahead. I'll wait here."
"Come on, Mom, ride with us!" Claire pleaded.
She laughed nervously. "You know I'm afraid of heights, sweetie. You and Bryan go have fun."
Claire pouted. "Boring…"
"Enjoy yourselves, that's what matters," she said warmly, waving them off.
Claire grabbed Bryan's hand and took the stairs two at a time, her heart thumping in excitement. From below, their mom smiled and waved.
The roller coaster was wild—the kind of wild that made your stomach drop and your laughter uncontrollable. Claire screamed and laughed until her cheeks hurt.
After that, they ran over to the water balloon game by the pond. Splash! A balloon hit Bryan square in the chest. Splash! Claire got him right back. They doubled over in laughter.
"What next?" Bryan asked, dripping wet but grinning ear to ear.
Claire pointed across the park. "Let's do the Ferris wheel! Mom'll go on that one for sure."
They called her over, and she agreed. Together, the three of them climbed into the cabin and rose slowly above the park. The view was stunning—green trees, sparkling water, bright colors everywhere. Claire leaned back, soaking it all in. She hadn't felt this light in ages.
When noon rolled around, they grabbed lunch at a cozy restaurant near the water rides. Burgers, fries, milkshakes—the kind of meal that made everything feel like summer break. Then, a few more rides, a little more laughter.
By 3 PM, it was time to head home. Claire changed into dry clothes, hair still damp from the water games.
They were walking toward the parking lot when someone called out.
"Mrs. Cheryl? Hello!"
Claire's mom turned. "Oh! Mr. Smith—what a surprise!"
He smiled. "Didn't expect to see you here! I'm here with Randy."
Claire froze. Randy? She turned just as he stepped out of the car, smiling that soft, calm smile of his.
"Hi Claire. Mrs. Cheryl. Bryan."
Claire managed a polite smile. "Hey, Randy. Hi Mr. Smith."
Then came the offer.
"We were just heading to this little café nearby—really scenic, peaceful. Randy wanted to see the view. Want to come with us?"
"Oh, we wouldn't want to intrude…" her mom said politely.
"Not at all! Please, join us."
Claire looked at her mom. No, no, no. We were supposed to go home. I'm tired. I want to be in pyjamas watching TV.
Her mom turned to her. "Is that okay, sweetheart? Can we go with them?"
Claire hesitated but nodded. "Okay, Mom…"
She didn't want to embarrass her. Besides, she knew how important Mr. Smith was—her mom's boss.
They got into separate cars. On the way there, Claire finally spoke up.
"Mom… why'd you say yes?"
"We just had such a lovely day, I thought a bit more wouldn't hurt."
"But I'm tired. We were supposed to be done."
Her mom gave a small, apologetic smile. "I didn't want to be rude. You understand, right?"
Claire sighed. "Yeah, I get it…"
From the back seat, Bryan chimed in, cheerful as ever. "It's okay! We're getting dessert!"
Claire rolled her eyes. "Of course you're happy. You're always thinking about food."
The two cars pulled into a quiet parking lot tucked beneath a canopy of trees. The café was perched on the edge of a small hill, with wooden beams and large glass windows that framed a view of the forest and a glimmering lake below. The sign above the entrance read: "The Green Hollow Café"—simple, rustic, and inviting.
Claire stepped out of the car, the breeze carrying the earthy scent of pine and fresh grass. She wrapped her jacket a little tighter.
Randy and Mr. Smith were already waiting near the entrance.
"This place is beautiful," Claire's mom said, her voice warm with appreciation.
Mr. Smith nodded. "It's Randy's favorite spot. We come here when we need a break from the city."
Inside, the café was quiet, filled with soft jazz music and the comforting aroma of roasted coffee and warm pastries. Wooden tables, mismatched chairs, potted plants—it felt more like a cozy cabin than a café. They found a spot by the window, where sunlight spilled across the table.
The waitress arrived, smiling. "What can I get you all today?"
"I'll have the honey lemon tea," said Claire's mom.
"Hot chocolate," Bryan chimed in without hesitation.
Claire glanced at the menu. "Um… I'll have the strawberry shortcake and iced tea, please."
"Same for me," Randy said, glancing up with a soft grin.
Their eyes met for a brief second. Claire quickly looked away, pretending to be fascinated by the table's wood grain.
Mr. Smith ordered a black coffee, and once the waitress left, the conversation began—slow at first, like small ripples on a lake.
"So, Claire," Mr. Smith said kindly, "how's school going?"
Claire straightened. "It's been good… a bit overwhelming with all the projects, but I'm managing."
"Still top of your class, I bet," he said with a smile.
Claire smiled modestly. "Trying to be."
"You're always so focused," Randy added casually. "I don't know how you do it."
Claire glanced at him. "You make it sound like a bad thing."
"No, not at all," he said quickly. "It's impressive. I wish I had half your motivation."
Claire let out a small laugh, the tension easing slightly. "You're not doing so bad yourself.".
Soon, the drinks and desserts arrived—tea steaming, cakes delicate and pink, topped with fresh strawberries and a swirl of cream. Bryan dug into his chocolate cake like it was the last dessert on Earth.
Claire took a bite of hers and let out a soft "Mmm." It really was good.
Conversation picked up—light, easy. Mr. Smith and Claire's mom talked about work. Bryan chimed in every now and then with random facts or silly jokes. Randy and Claire ended up sitting across from each other, quietly sharing glances and occasional side comments.
"So…" he said at one point, tapping his spoon against his glass, "do you come here often?"
Claire rolled her eyes. "Did you really just say that?"
He grinned. "It's a classic."
"I don't fall for classics," she said, smirking, then added, "but it is nice here."
"I knew you'd like it," he said quietly.
She blinked. "Wait—how'd you know I'd—?"
But before she could finish, their parents stood up, ready to leave.
"Alright, kids, time to head back," Mr. Smith said.
Claire stood too, suddenly aware of how comfortable she'd gotten there.
As they walked back to the car, Randy walked beside her.
"I'm glad you came," he said.
Claire looked at him. "Oh, really?"
Randy chuckled. "Maybe next time, you'll come just for the café."
She smiled. "We'll see."
As they parted ways at the parking lot, Claire climbed back into her mom's car. Bryan was already dozing off in the back seat, arms wrapped around his backpack like a pillow.
Her mom started the engine, glanced at her, and asked gently, "Still tired?"
Claire looked out the window at the fading sunlight. "Not really. Today turned out better than I expected."
Her mom smiled. "Sometimes surprises do that."
Claire leaned back in her seat, letting the hum of the engine and the memory of laughter, cake, and someone's warm smile lull her into quiet contentment.
The car moved steadily along the quiet road, the golden afternoon fading into a soft lavender hue outside the windows. Bryan snored lightly in the backseat, completely worn out from the day's excitement. Claire sat in the front seat, chin resting in her hand, eyes on the blur of trees passing by.
But her mind wasn't on the scenery. Something wasn't sitting right.
She replayed it—again. The moment her mom suddenly greeted Mr. Smith in the parking lot. The way they acted surprised. The way Randy stepped out of the car right after, already smiling, like he was expecting to see them. The way her mom had instantly agreed to join them at the café, even though Claire had clearly said she was tired and wanted to go home.
It all felt… too convenient. Too smooth.
Claire turned slightly, looking at her mom from the corner of her eye.
"Hey, Mom?"
"Hm?" her mom answered, eyes still on the road.
"You and Mr. Smith… you didn't, like, plan to meet at the theme park, did you?"
Her mom let out a soft chuckle. "Why would you think that?"
Claire raised an eyebrow. "I don't know… it was just kind of weird. I mean, what are the odds you both decided to go to the same place, on the same day, at the exact same time?"
Her mom shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "It's a popular spot. Maybe just a happy coincidence."
Claire didn't say anything for a moment. She knew that tone. That light, airy tone her mom used whenever she was dodging the full truth. Claire had heard it enough to recognize the subtle deflection.
"You didn't answer the question," Claire said softly.
Her mom sighed and offered a faint smile. "Alright. Maybe we texted this morning. Just to check if their plans overlapped with ours."
"So… you did plan it."
"Not exactly," her mom said. "I didn't know if they'd actually show up. But I thought… if they did… well, it wouldn't hurt."
Claire folded her arms and leaned back into the seat. "Why, though?"
"Because," her mom said after a pause, "Mr. Smith is a good man. And Randy's a nice boy. And… I just thought it might be nice for you two to get to know each other a little more. Outside of school. No pressure."
Claire turned to look out the window again. Her thoughts were racing now.
So it wasn't random.
She set it up. She knew.
It wasn't that she disliked Randy—actually, he was kind of easy to talk to once she got past her initial awkwardness. And he'd been sweet today. He listened, joked gently, and didn't try too hard. But still…
She didn't like being set up. She didn't like being maneuvered like a chess piece.
"You could've just told me," she said at last.
"I didn't want you to feel forced," her mom replied gently. "You've been so focused lately—school, projects, late nights. I thought you could use something… lighter. Unexpected. Maybe even… fun?"
Claire didn't respond right away. Her chest felt heavy with conflicted thoughts—annoyance, curiosity, and beneath it all… something that felt suspiciously like butterflies.