1.0, Pt. 1: Prank (KCLKF)

Saturday,  May 28, 2415 C.E. | Sunset Valley, Valverde 

Fudgesuckers! 

Sliding from beneath her periwinkle sheets and comforter, Kass could tell from the sunlight filtering through the window that she overslept her alarm. Since her room faced the northeast side of the house, Kass knew the amount of sunshine indicated mid morning.  Leaning over to her nightstand, she snagged her cell phone, confirming her concerns. 10:08! 

Kass tossed her legs over the side of the bed and rubbed her eyes. Last night, she stayed up late trying to figure out how to condense her scholarship essay. And make it less wordy. And less  depressing. Did the university really have to know all those details about her childhood? Her parents’ divorce? Her family history? Kass yawned and stretched. Mamma said everyone had a story to tell and to write mine. I guess that’s what I did. She sighed. Nope, more like a novel. 

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Actually a lack of something. Kass frowned. Her dragon slayer painting was missing and in its place, a dark smudge on the blue-grey wallpaper and her award from her eighth grade spelling bee. She smacked her forehead. Her free-standing mirror was absent, replaced a laundry basket with a strange decal on the side, instead of her usual Edgewater Global decal. Worst of all, Jeffrey was missing from his usual perch on her desk.

“CARINA!”

Kass shrieked and pounded out into the hallway in her bare feet. From the floor below, she could hear the sliding glass door bang closed as her sister was most likely attempting to escape a loud and annoyed rant. Kass didn’t step more than a few feet into the hallway before she ran into her mother, still dressed in her floor-length cornflower blue nightgown.

“Kassiopeia, lower your voice,” Amy scolded.

“Mamma!” Kass huffed. “Cari switched out the things in my room while I was sleeping…” she rolled her eyes. “…again!”

“You must have been out like a log,” Mamma replied.

“A log?” Kass grimaced. “What does that even mean? A log doesn’t sleep. Carina stole my mirror, my laundry basket, my painting, and…” she folded her arms across her chest for effect. “…Jeffrey.”

Her mother sighed. “I’m sure your stuffed giraffe is safe…as are your other items.”

Kass shook her head. “Last time Cari stole Jeffrey, she held him for ransom and hid him on the back patio. It rained. He was soaked.”

“He’ll survive,” Amy replied.

“Mamma!” Kass protested. “The little klepto should be punished.”

“I’ll talk to her. You’ll get your stuff back. In the meantime…” Amy’s face softened into a smile. “Try and enjoy your day, hmm?”

The woman reached out and wrapped her eldest daughter in a big hug. Kass closed her eyes, feeling the irritation evaporate, as she leaned into Amy’s thin frame, returning the embrace. Her mamma smelled like lavender and cold cream. Kass stepped back. Her mother looked tired, evidenced by bags under her eyes. Unlike her daughter, she probably didn’t sleep well or long enough, though judging by her attire and lack of makeup and hairspray, Amy probably slept in similarly or went back to bed… until Kass started shrieking. Her mother’s icy cold foot slid into her daughter’s.

“Sheesh! Mamma! Put some socks on,” Kass said.

“Kassio, gattina, you’re so grownup today,” Amy replied, ignoring her daughter’s comment.

“Oh Mamma,” Kass rolled her eyes. “I’m not a little cat.”

Mamma and her Romian terms of endearment.

“I forgot,” Amy squeezed her daughter’s hands. “You’re going to be a llama now. So big.”

“I hope not,” Kass put her hands on her hips. “I’d like to keep my figure.”

“Oh hush, teasing your mother on today of all days,” Amy clucked her tongue. “You are growing up and moving out so soon. No longer a high school girl but a woman.”

“Well, I’ll only be an Edgewater llama if I manage to finish my scholarship essay,” Kass tugged at her ponytail. “I worked all night and still it’s not where I like it. The current draft reads more like an autobiography and less like an essay on family and personal values.”

“I’m sure whatever you write will be great in the end.”

Kass smiled. She appreciated her mother’s vote of confidence, but she still wasn’t sure about the content. Most likely she would need to completely rework her draft.

“Stop worrying, gattina… ” Amy patted Kass’ cheek, and when her daughter made a face, she added, “…my little perfectionist. Not everything has to be polished on the first go-around.”

“I suppose not.”

Amy beamed. “My little woman. Oh…” she pressed her hands to her lips. “What will I do without my gattina when you go?”

“Get a real cat now?” Kass joked.

“Oh stop it, Kassiopeia! Go…” she waved her hands. “Go get ready for your big night. You’ll be graduating in less than six hours,” she headed for the stairwell. “I’ll go talk to your sister…”

“…and get Jeffrey back?”

“And get Jeffrey back… and I’ll make waffles.”

Kass gulped. I hope she’s kidding. Burnt waffles don’t sound appetizing. 

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Author Note: Hello everyone! As I was prepping for this chapter, I realized that Kass’ bedroom setup is different from other screenshots. I thought the quickest way to explain it was to mention Carina’s proclivities to practical jokes. The sisters do not always get along, and I didn’t emphasize that as much in my first time around. I decided to set the stage for the running tension between the two girls. Plus I was inspired by another chapter of mine in LASL where Nora steals Lizzie’s mirror just because. Carina did not originally have the kleptomaniac trait, but now that I think about my one sister, who was the model for Cari, she did hoard clothes and toys and other things. It’s somewhat fitting. We used to play pranks on each other all the time so that’s also realistic.

I had a stuffed dog that I loved to play with as a child, and I have kept into adulthood. Jeffery is an addition from some stuff or expansion pack (don’t ask me which one), and he makes an appearance in Kass’ room at various times and even in KFLL. He’s partially blocked by the desk.

Thanks for reading!