Broken Wings

The First Day-Chapter 1

I had a pimple.

Surely it was a bad omen to get your first ever pimple on the first day of high school. Couldn't it have happened later, after I got to know people and make friends? Sighing, I shoved away from the mirror looming over me, wishing for the makeup someone would need to hide something like that.

I was not in a good mood. As if it wasn't enough that I had to get up so early today. As if it wasn't enough that the shower was out of hot water when I got in. Surely I didn't need a pimple on top of all of this. I wondered briefly if I was going to cry about it, and then firmly decided that no, that would not be happening. I would not turn into one of those overdramatic teenage girls all because of a stupid pimple.

And so I pretended not to see the dark bags etched under my eyes. I pretended that I had the kind of fashion sense needed to pick out the perfect outfit, and the money for that matter. I ignored the fact that I was just a little too fat for the clothes I had worn last year. I could even pretend not to notice the whopping pimple on my chin, but there was no way to pretend that you were eating chocolate pancakes, the greatest food on Earth, when you were actually eating drab, unflavored oatmeal. With lumps. Ugh.

"Come on Casey! You're gonna be late." My little brother, David, was standing at the door, gesturing with his little arm to come. Poor kid, today was his first day in first grade. He was still brainwashed to think that school was something fun.

"You got it pipsqueak." I dumped the rest of my oatmeal out as I passed the sink. I needed to lose some weight anyway. Ruffling his hair, I picked David up. "You ready for first grade, Davie?" I asked, twirling him around. Sure, he was annoying, but he and mom were the only family I had, and I loved both of them more than was healthy.

We walked out to the curb and waited for the bus to show up. Our school was K-12, so I had gone to the same building since I was six. David and I would always be at the same school, and I preferred it that way. This way I could look after him.

"See ya later Davie! Come straight to the bus stop after Mrs. Abby lets you out, but don't get on a bus until I get here. We'll ride home together." He nodded to show he understood, then ran ahead when he caught sight of his best friend.

"Casey! Casey! Over here!" It was Jasmyn. I hadn't expected to even be able to go this long without her finding me. She was the closest friend I had ever had, and I was one of the few people in the school who could stand to be around her constantly bubbly attitude. I didn't really mind though. I was better to have to listen to her complain about our teachers and just what her dad did this time than to have to discuss my problems. Being with Jasmyn was to get a break from life. She just had a way of making you laugh and forget all your issues. For me, it was invaluable.

"Hey Jazz, how're you?" She sprinted up to me and pulled on my ponytail.

"Only awesome! Can you believe it? We're actually high schoolers now! I love your outfit too! It's totally...um...I love the color!" I looked down at my Goodwill clothes. They were all in varying shades of gray, brown, and black. That's what happened when you had to wash all your clothes in one or two loads of laundry. We couldn't afford anything more than that. But that didn't matter to Jazz, so for the moment, I didn't care either.

"Thanks. Your outfit totally rocks." I laughed. Jazz had a habit of wearing clothes that didn't match. Today, it was a jean jacket with a tutu and purple jeans. She also had styled her black hair in an afro that floated around her head. With her dark skin and athletic build, all the guys wanted her. They were just too freaked out to ask her. Jasmyn linked her arm through mine and lead me off toward the high school wing of our school.

"So, we've got Mrs. Adams this year, and I hear that she give way too much homework. Luckily, we've got Mrs. Smith after Adams class, and I hear she never even teaches, so not only do we get to finish our homework then, but we also won't have to learn any math this year." She did a cartwheel right there in the hallway, and several people had to dive out of her way.