Something Unfamiliar: Free Time (Open)

    Hana sat alone at a large table in the food court, sipping at a bright pink smoothie and observing the people around her. Her family had gone away to visit relatives for the weekend, Hana volunteering to stay behind to watch the apartment and water the plants; but now she found herself with a weekend of free time. She had gotten all of her homework done before the weekend started as per usual, after all weekends were normally spent taking care of her younger brother while her parents worked, so that wasn't an option. Yes, she could study, but why lock herself away when she craved human interaction more than anything else. She had spent the morning cleaning the house and running grocery errands, and now here she was, sitting in the Bubble, watching people, unsure of what to do with herself.

    Originally she had come here hoping to chat up some people, maybe find some classmates to hang around with, but it became clear to Hana that everyone here seemed to have come with someone else, and had minimal interest in having a stranger become part of their plans. She let out a long sigh and took another sip from her drink, the table under it slowly becoming a small puddle from the condensation dripping off of it. She set the beverage down and began to mindlessly fumble with the earbuds in her pocket, pulling them out and placing them on the table, being careful as to avoid the puddle. Yes, she could pop on music and roam around the shopping centre, but that would make people even more less likely to talk to her. 

    She was at a loss, it had been months since she had an entire weekend to do as she pleased. A normal high schooler would call up their friends and make some plans, but that was one thing Hana was recently lacking. It was hard to make friends when the majority of her free time was swallowed up by taking care of her brother and managing the household. She slid her old beaten-up phone out of her pocket and began skimming through contacts, hoping there was a miracle in there, someone she hadn't thought of to call.

    "Mom, Dad, the daycare, Aunt Aiko, family doctor, jeez... I'm so lame." Hana murmured the names as she scrolled through her limited phone contacts, sighing at the fact she really had no one to call up. She stuffed her phone back in her pocket and took another long sip from her smoothie.