Author's Note: I originally wrote this for my school's student works magazine.

Enjoy.

Alone Time Interrupted

The sweltering summer day was just as lazy as me. The AC was cranked up so I stayed in. Lounging on the blue couch in the itty-bitty house, I took advantage of being home alone by surfing the channels. The Anime Network finally rolled up in my selections so the search for updates was next on the agenda.

Aw man, nothing. Disappointment wrinkled my brow as sadness curled my lips downward.

Seeing that nothing had been updated since, well, two months ago, I went to the computer next to the TV and turned it on. Luckily I got there before my mom or sister could. I opened a Firefox window and typed "Hetalia episodes" in the search engine. Just as I was about to click on an anime site, I heard my phone ring.

"Coming," I said, rather annoyed that getting my anime fill would have to wait. I answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, it's Mom," my mother said over the phone. "Could you go up to the store later and get stuff for dinner?"

"Yeah, okay," I replied.

When my mom hung up, I raced back to the computer. My sister could be home at any time, so I had to move fast!

As soon as I sat down, I clicked the link to Hetalia episode seven. This was the one featuring Italy's big brother, Romano (or South Italy), was harassing Germany about…well, everything. How I loved that episode! I just clicked on it and was only two seconds into the show when the phone rang again.

"What now?" I asked exasperatedly. "Coming, coming."

I picked up the phone. "Hi."

"Oh, could you also pick up some soda?" This time, it wasn't my mom. It was my sister.

"But I just bought soda yesterday," I protested.

"We need more," my sister said. "Mom and Dad are having guests over tonight, remember?"

Oh. I had forgotten about Mom and Dad's dinner with Dad's boss tonight. If this dinner went well, my dad could very well get promoted.

"Okay," I said and sighed. "I'll get more soda. Just as soon as I'm finished on the computer."

"Okay, okay," said my starting-to-get-annoyed older sister. "Just…finish whatever you're doing soon. We need that stuff for dinner, and that soda!"

"Right," I replied. I hung up and made a beeline to the computer. "Finally, back to "me" time."

About two whole minutes into the anime, I heard yet another ring. Thinking it was my parents or sister calling to ask me to get my butt up to the store pronto, I groaned in annoyance and trudged to the phone. My dog, an adorable Beagle named Scout, barked and growled at the phone, mainly because it woke her up from a long, long, long nap.

I picked up the phone and sighed. "Helloooo?"

"Hello, this is James from BathCorp," said a male voice on the other end.

"Uh…hello, James," I replied, partly relieved that I didn't have to forfeit my anime just yet, and partly confused. Who was this person? "What do you want?"

"I'm calling to tell you about our amazing line of bath products," said the mysterious James. "We have bath mats in various colors, towels in different colors and sizes…"

As I listened to James ramble on and on, I got bored. A telemarketer. I should've figured it out.

"…and quite a variety of other products," James finished.

"No," I said curtly and then hung up. I walked back to the computer.

"Okay, watch anime, watch anime," I said over and over to myself. I clicked on the video, and the rest of the Hetalia episode played. I managed to watch without any more interruptions.

Just as I was about to watch episode eight, however, my peace and quiet was short-lived by the phone's incessant ringing again.

"What now?" I shouted while my dog barked angrily at the phone. "Okay, Scout, I'll pick it up. Hello?"

"It's 5:00 now," said the nagging voice of my mom. "Please, PLEASE, get that stuff now."

"But, Mom, it's the episode where—" I began. But I was cut off.

"You can watch that stuff any time you want," my mom said in response. "We need that dinner stuff, and the drinks, right now. Oh, and get some wine, too."

"You know I'm 15 years old, Mom," I said. "I can't get the damn wine."

"Fine, your sister will get it, then," my mom said shortly. She was probably mad at me for saying "damn".

"Bye," I said and hung up.

I got my shoes on and sighed sadly. Stupid fancy dinner night.

I picked up my cell with an anime charm hanging off it and put it in the pocket of my bermuda shorts.

"See you later, Scout," I said to my dog, who was whining—actually to the point of crying—for me not to go. I hated leaving her all alone, but, well, I had no choice.

I walked out of the house, got my purple bike out of the garage and headed up to the store. On the way there, I had to keep on telling myself that I could have some more "me" time the next day.

Author's Note: The dog in the story is based off my own doggy, who is a Beagle named Scout!