I was in my room, waiting for my 8:40 alarm to ring, signalling me to call Nova to start our school work together. It was a habit we’d formed. A good habit.

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The alarm rang so I opened up my computer and logged in. I checked in on the roll while opening WhatsApp so I could call Nova. As I waited for the stream to be updated, Nova answered.

Ms Robinson had uploaded our daily work. I clicked on the link to see that we had our B.I.S.P (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas) work for two hours! I pulled out my community book to start, when I realized that Nova wasn’t on the call anymore, so I’d been talking to myself for the past few minutes.

I tried to call again but she didn’t answer, so I continued to try. When she finally replied, I gave her a stern look and asked, “What took you so long?”

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Just as she was about to reply, my younger brother burst into my room.

“What are you doing?” he said in his annoying baby voice.

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“Go away, I’m doing work and I’m talking to Nova. Don’t you have work to do anyway?”

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“No,” he answered.

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I tried to carry him out of my room but he wouldn’t budge. Eventually, he left.

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I turned back to Nova and said, “Sorry about that, you were just about to say why you weren’t on the call.”

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“I had—”

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Before she could finish, my phone died.