Always Over Analysing

• Emily Patterson, Grade 8, Catholic College Bendigo
• Short Story
• 2013

Excellence Award in the 'Dream Big 2013' competition

It was a day like no other, but as soon as I woke up in my toasty double bed knew that today was going to be special. The weather was perfect and I had not a single worry or bad thought. I felt like I was glowing but it was only 8:30 in the morning and I hadn’t had a shower or applied my makeup... so how could I be glowing? Wait! There I go again always over analysing every single detail of my pathetic teenage life.
I walked down the stairs when right on cue my older sister came out of her bedroom looking like she had of been out way too late the night before. Trying to dodge a pitiful and awkward conversation with her, I quickened my pace down the stairs going two at time when I stubbed my toe on the side railing. Trying to resist letting out a variety of words a teenager my age should not even know let alone repeat, I took a five second breather so my toe (that feels like it is broken, ripped apart and stabbed all at the same time) can recover because today is going to be special, I can feel it.
After my already tiresome adventure of just getting to the kitchen, I made myself some breakfast. The breakfast of champions. But how could this be the breakfast of champions when I am just an ordinary teenager, not a champion? OMG there I go again. Always pencilling away at every fraction of thought in my mind. I really need to stop this habit.
I entered the lounge room. I wished I hadn’t. My older sister is lounging on the couch. Her mascara and eyeliner (obviously still there from last night) watering away as she watches the latest elimination episode of America’s Next Top Model. I go to reverse from the room but all of the sudden the door shuts cutting off all my escape routes, I am forced to go and sit on the couch along beside her. She stands up and suddenly leaves the room. Oh well!
As soon as she was gone, Americas Next Top Model turned to a short add break and today’s lotto results come on. I notice out of the corner of my eye a lotto ticket for today’s results sitting on the edge of the coffee table under some of Dads junk mail. I pick it up and tick off the numbers as they come on the screen. 8, 4, 7, 2, 33, 45....... I dropped the ticket. I can’t believe my eyes; the numbers on the screen match the numbers on my ticket. Our family has just won the lotto. I screamed. I repeated this sentence about 5 times before it actually sunk in. I run around the house screaming and jumping, calling out to everyone to come quickly. I knew today was going to be special, I knew it I sang! No mind over analysing needed now!
That’s when my older sister returned, smirking. “That’s last week’s recording, idiot”.