Jon's mother had a shock when she got home from work. Her daughter, Zoe, who had been going through what she liked to call a 'dark phase', was different. Gone was the white make-up, gone were the intricate black clothes (which never looked comfortable). Instead, sitting on a lawn-chair suntanning and smiling was a girl who looked like Zoe, but certainly wasn't acting like her.
"Hi mum!" the girl smiled up at her mother, something the woman had come to not expect. The most she could usually get out of the girl was a grunt. This was an improvement.
"Zoe, are you feeling alright?" She reached down and touched her daughter's forehead. She didn't find a temperature. Not that she thought she would. This didn't seem to be fever behaviour.
"Fine, mom! Never better. It was such a nice day that I thought I'd, like, suntan a bit before I did my homework."
"As long as you don't leave it too long and don't get it done."
"Totally not a problem, mum, I've got it, like, totally under control."
The younger girl then leaned her head back, closed her eyes and sighed in satisfaction. Her mother, confused yet pleased that the 'dark phase' seemed to be over (albeit abruptly) shook her head and went inside to start supper.
