day 5 (part.2)

we made it to the crocoseum, mom, dad, and Terri were all standing outside talking. I could hear the slight chatter of what I assumed was the employees sitting inside. Chandler and Robert were still yet to show.

"love those shorts, Florence!" Terri enthusiastically said as we walked up.

"thank you!" i replied.

"told you." Bindi whispered in my ear.

i smiled at her remark. i went over and stood in between my parents, my mom wrapping her arm around my shoulders and kissing the top of my head. Bindi and Terri started their own conversation.

"how was it today?" my mom asked.

"really good actually." i smiled to myself.

maybe this wouldn't be as awful as i thought.

"alright, looks like Chandler and Robert are gonna be late so we'll go ahead and get started. ready?" Terri announced.

my parents looked to me, "ready." i'm confirmed.

"ready." everyone else said.

"alright, let's go!"

we headed into the crocoseum. unlike the Irwin's usual shows, we didn't enter on the grassed area, there was no music and no smoke machines. instead we walked up a staircase and made it to the highest level of seating, the employees all seated before us. it was a bit nerve wrecking.

Terri introduced us, informed everyone of our intentions with the zoo, and how things would change. the whole speech only took about 5 minutes. she asked if anyone had questions and a few people did. suddenly there was a loud clang from the stairwell.

"Chandler! stop it!" Robert smacked Chandlers hand off the stairwell railing.

"what?"

"your safety precautions are slowing us down!" Robert charged passed Chandler.

"dude, i think we're already too late." he pointed to us, we were all staring at them, they were covered in mud.

"oh." Robert stood next to Chandler, "it was his fault." he pointed to Chandler.

"no it wasn't! it was your idea!"

"you told me to do it!" Robert whacked Chandlers arm.

"since when do you listen to me?" Chandler gave Robert a look.

"y'know, you got a point. i have no idea." Robert put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

"okay! well if your done now, i would like to move on." Terri nodded and gave the kind of smile that says 'you better stop talking right now and behave.'

"yeah." Robert nodded.

"sure." Chandler put his hands up in defense and they both started walking over to us.

Robert came and stood next to me, he smelt really bad. Terri started to talk again.

Robert leaned sideways so that he was level with my ear, but kept looking forward "what are you wearing?" he whispered before standing up straight again.

i rolled my eyes, "clothes?"

"well, i can see that." he glanced at me.

"then why did you ask?" i sighed, annoyed.

"i don't know, it's not particularly uniform." he clasped his hands behind his back.

"your mom and sister thought it was cute."

he let out a laugh, Bindi turned around and gave him a stern look.

"it's okay, you'll get the hang of things around here eventually." he shrugged.

i fully turned towards him this time, "listen, just because you wear the same two things every. single. day. doesn't mean the rest of us have to." i harshly whispered.

"wow. that was aggressive." Robert looked at me like i was a little kid.

so much for that letter.

before i could respond, my mom looked at me and shook her head, looking disappointed. now i did feel like a little kid, one who just got scolded by their mother. i let out a shaky sigh. i could see Robert glance at me through the corner of my eye. i didn't dare look back, i was too scared i might punch him straight in the nose.

——

the rest of the day was spent ignoring everyone, then getting a talk from my parents at dinner.

"we understand this is hard for you, but it's almost been a week. we're not leaving, having a bad attitude isn't going to change that. you need to accept the fact that this is our home now." my mom had said.

i hated this. i hated it so much. but it was bearable, until i went to the couch and started to look at instagram. my best friend, Carrie, posted a picture of her and her friends at a party. we hadn't talked since i told her i was leaving, she was so upset. turns out she got over it quick, just not quick enough to say goodbye.

i felt a lump in my throat start to rise, my eyes were fighting back tears.

"oh, and Florence?" my mom said from behind me.

"mhm?" was all i could mange

"just give Robert a chance, he's struggling a lot."

i couldn't take it anymore. i squeezed my eyes shut, my breaths started to quicken. i felt like everything was closing in on me, everything was spinning, everything was so fast yet so slow. i think i stood up, but immediately fell back down.

"Flow? Florence? are you having one of your episodes." my mom stood there watching me.

i hate when she calls it that.

you know when everything your parent does just annoys you, like every little thing? yeah, that was happening to me.

"no." i managed, i felt like i was gonna throw up.

i gripped the side of the couch and tried to take deep breaths, i heard Eugene come in from outside. he came over and jumped up next to me. i ran my fingers through his fur and took more deep breaths. slowly i started to calm down. i blocked out my parents mumbling behind the couch and focused on Eugene.

i fell asleep and woke up in my bed. my dad must've carried me up. i lay awake in my bed, the clock read 2:00 A.M. but i wasn't tired anymore, just in a drowsy state. my mouth was dry and my head hurt a bit. i was starving too. i desperately needed fresh air.

maybe i'll go sit on the beach.

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a/n
sorry to leave this chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger, but i think the next chapter will make up for it. im almost done with the world building and then we'll get to the fun stuff!! thanks so much for reading!! and thank you for 200 reads, it means a lot!<3 (part 2 will be posted later this week)