Just to clarify, there is an actual store named Taco's. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For most students, being late was nothing. Detention, so what? Not for me. I had Hunter (not to mention my very useless excuse of a father) to support, and I was running on a very tight schedule everyday. So I wasn't too pleased to find Mr. What's-his-name standing in the long empty corridor, tapping one fine leather shoe on the tiles and looking at me with intense eyes. Leather had sleek brown hair and a subtle nose. If he wasn't wearing a suit, I wouldn't have thought he was a teacher. Maybe a businessman, or a dentist, but not a teacher. Leather started to speak, and I assumed he was the new Vice-principal. They change every year. Frankly, it's hard to keep track. I don't know how he was able to obtain my name so fast, but it shouldn't be a surprise to me. I had a certain reputation of being, "the girl who's mom died last year." "Ms. Miller. You're five minutes late," he said, giving one twitch of his bleak eye. I winced, "S-Sorry. I.." "Silly excuses again? I've heard them all," he spat, and I had the urge to flick him the finger or something like that. "I was dropping my brother off in school," I murmured through gritted teeth. He took a few steps forward towards me, and I stood guarded. Who did he think he was? "Oh, right," he said sarcastically, "Your mom isn't here to bring your brother to school." I must have gasped, because I found myself breathing roughly with my fists clenched. His face held some kind of amused expression, like he had accomplished something big. "Screw you," I growled, my tone so fierce that I surprised myself. He looked taken back for a millisecond, but before he got the chance to speak, I dashed off, past him, and towards the stairs. My first class was History, and I tried to recycle my navigating from the previous year. 154...155....156! Without thinking, I flung open the wooden door and stepped inside. The whole class hushed, and everyone turned to me. I could slowly feel my cheeks reddening from the attention, and Mrs. Wayland peered at me with curious eyes. "Kailey...how nice of you to join us," she said in a somewhat flat tone, pushing her spectacles up the ridge of her nose. I bit my lip, and ducked my head, shuffling to my seat in the back, where I wasn't seen. Mrs. Wayland sighed at me, and continued her discussion. She had looked at me with such pitiful eyes...eyes saying, "So sad, she could've excelled. Such a tragedy." I hated it. I hated when people talked about Mom like they knew her. They don't. Do you know WHY she was out that night? Most of all, I despise when people say that at least she isn't in pain anymore. Yes, she isn't in pain, but what about me? I'M IN PAIN. The most horrible fact is that I was there. I held her in my arms. I felt her slip away. I heard her last words. Sometimes I wish I hadn't, but it made it more meaningful that I did. I wouldn't have felt like I served her justice if I didn't. Thinking of her made the sides of my eyes prickle, and I knew sooner or later waterfalls would pour. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not- "Excuse me?" I spun around, and was met by a pair of dark eyes. They stared into mine with such intensity, though I'm not sure if the intensity was a good or a bad thing. "I-I.." My eyes slowly zoomed out on the person speaking, you was seated behind me. Dark hair cascaded his head, and looked as black as the night sky in Orlando. His eyes were the color of green. Blue green, even. His broad shoulders formed to shape strong hands that were drumming impatiently on the hard wooden table. "Would you mind moving your head to the left? I can't see a bloody thing," he whispered harshly, his voice thick with an evident accent. My face flushed scarlet, and I quickly shuffled to the left, ducking my head low and trying to look like a Greek god did not just talk to me. "Thank you," I heard him breathe behind me, and my heart gave an obvious jump. I frowned under my curtain of hair. Did I just get...butterflies? No. I never get butterflies. Besides, he was rude. Mean. I had better things to worry about. Like Hunter. And Dad. And how I'm going to be able to pay of the bills and supply enough for us at the same time. I gave a hefty sigh. I needed it. The year was going to be a long year. I was the woman in charge now. I couldn't let things like these distract me any longer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sorry, I just HAD to add romance. Just a sprinkle. Comments, suggestions, feedback!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I like it," Sophie nodded her approval, looking at me from up to down. She muttered little critique with her posh accent under her breath while I shuffled around, waiting for my Project Runway critique to be over. I awkwardly stood there, feeling like Tyra Banks and the panel were scrutinizing me in America's Next Top Model. I could imagine Sophie going, "I only have one photo in my hand...." She shrugged, probably deciding that that was the best I could do. To say that I had fashion sense would be putting sucking up to an extreme. We were currently in the cafeteria, both of us making our way to our usual table. I had a salad because Hunter used my lunch money in Taco's and Sophie had a salad because she's Sophie. Maintain her figure, she says. We sat down, and Sophie reached into her book bag and retrieved a long plastic folder. "Here," she handed the folder to me and I slowly opened it. There were words jumping at me throughout the page, and the papers were forty pages thick, to say the least. "What's this?" I said, confused. "Script," she said simply, "You know that small building across the pizzeria?" When I nodded, she continued, "That's some kind of production company. They hold musicals and whatnot, and they're holding one three weeks from now." There was a pause, and I stared wide-eyed at her. "And," I drew out my words, " Why are you showing this to me?" She rolled her eyes, "So you can audition, silly. I know you like acting. Besides, it isn't a sappy Romeo and Juliet kind of thing. They MAKE their own plays," she smiled, triumphant. I looked down at the script, quickly scanning the first few pages. The story seemed to be about this princess who was forced to marry some prince. As simple and cliche as that sounded, the lettering was fluent and the words snarky and sarcastic. My style. Suddenly, I could imagine myself. Clothed in dazzling clothes. My arms gesturing wildly, my speech full of emotion. The lights would sparkle from the corner of my eye. The audience would eat up every word, some having tears streaming down their face. And as I would finish my tragic piece, a loud roar and applause would sound throughout the room, everyone standing to give me an ovation. And I would gaze to the crowd, and see Hunter waving at me, being carried by my parents-- No. I couldn't do this. What was I thinking? I quickly snapped out of my daydream and stepped back to look at the bigger picture. Dad wouldn't find the time of day to watch me, and what were the chances of me actually getting the part? I had much bigger, broader problems to worry about. "Hello? Earth to Kailey?" I snapped back in time to Sophie waving her perfectly manicured hand in my face. "Uh-" I quickly shook my head and immediately handed her the script back, "N-No thanks, Soph. I've got no time for that." But she had already thought of me refusing, since she quickly added with a smirk on her face, "Weeell. Did I mention that the actors get paid? Like fifty dollars each rehearsal?" That caught my attention, and Sophie saw that it had. My mind was reeling, my math skills kicking in. Three weeks, so twenty one days, give and take a few. Twenty one times fifty...a thousand and fifty dollars. With the giving and taking, it could easily sum up to about nine hundred dollars. Woah. I could feed us for two months with that. I could buy Hunter new shoes. I could even get some of our bills paid! Being the ever-knowing best friend Sophie was, she said, "Auditions are tomorrow. Of course, you're auditioning for the lead role. I've already highlighted the selected scene that I know you'll do WONDERFUL in." Gosh, I love her. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The last bell has rung, and I was shoving random textbooks into my too-small locker when something bumped into me. "Hey!" I involuntarily whined, and spun to face the bumper. "Sorry," I was met with the same pair of gleaming green eyes I had first seen in History, and the emerald flickered for a millisecond that showed that he recognized me too. His lips formed a quick smirk, "It's Girl Who Wouldn't Move To The Left." I turned pink at this, and my fingers were going crazy tying in knots of nervousness. "Hehe..." I started off, "Um...it's the Guy Who Wanted My Head To Move." I tried my best. Sue me. He gave a soft, sweet chuckle, and I couldn't help but stare. He opened his mouth and spoke, "I'm Nathaniel, but only my mom calls me that, so it's Nathan." I nodded, and took a huge gulp of air, "I-I'm Kailey." He nodded back, "Pretty name." I flushed again, and we stood there, me looking down at my feet, and him-oh, I don't know what he was doing. I was too scared to look, too. "My sister's name is Kaitlin, which is close to your name," he added. "My brother....his name is Hunter, which isn't anywhere close to Nathan," I laughed, and he laughed with me. "My parents wanted our names to be, and I quote, 'Different, but similar than the rest,'" he rolled his eyes and laughed again. I laughed, a bit less-heartedly this time. I had no idea what my parents were thinking when they named us. Dad probably didn't care. He didn't care to pay the bills. Or sweep his messes. No. "Kailey? Kailey?" I snapped out of it, and saw Nathan staring at me, wide-eyed. I then noticed that I had dropped the notebook I was holding. Then I remembered. No no no no no no. Hunter always rode home with Susan, Mom's elderly friend. I would arrive home to him doing his homework on the kitchen table, and I would prepare him a sandwich, or some chips. Susan would sometimes be there, all motherly and caring. But it was different today. How could I have been so careless? What I tried so hard to shield Hunter from this morning was probably not cleaned up yet. Pop's mess. He didn't care. And if Hunter came home to that scene...especially with Susan in tow.... "I-I've got to go," I stammered, and I noticed Nathan staring at me in confusion. But I didn't care. I quickly picked up my fallen notebook and stuffed it into my locker. I muttered a quick "I have to pick up my brother from school." (Which is partly true, mind you) He seemed to understand, because he took a step back, and let me pass. I waved hurriedly before dashing off. I had my brother to take care off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feedback?