APH America x Reader

Chapter 2

The following Monday started out like a normal school day. I dragged myself out of bed at six, an hour and a half before I usually got up to do chores on the farm. I walked past my usual work clothes, a video game t-shirt and denim shorts that fell a few inches above the knee, and picked up a dress. It was F/C and about knee length, with a belt. I usually don't mind wearing dresses, but it's been so long...

I put my arms through the sleeves and looked at myself in the mirror. Normal me. My hair was H/L and H/C and slightly tangled. I was pretty short for someone my age, especially standing next to Alfie, who stood only two inches short of six feet tall. He never fails to point this out.

I picked up the eyeshadow brush, but then I remembered what Alfred said. Yeah, I really should just go natural. May as well be me. Plus, I don't want the mascara to streak.

I brushed my hair and decided it was good enough. My dad was already awake, sitting at the table, drinking coffee. The TV was in in the background, filling in the empty spaces of sound, and the smell of fragrant coffee grounds permeated the air.

"Hi, Y/N. I haven't seen you wear a dress in a long time." My dad greeted me.

"Yeah, me neither." I said, pouring a mug of coffee. I stared at the black liquid swirling around in the striped mug.

"Haven't I told you coffee will-"

"Stunt my growth, yes, you've told me. I think it's a little too late for that, huh, dad?" I said, putting my hand up to the top of my head, showing my size.

He chuckled. "Guess you're right." He went back to his coffee.

I can hear the tractor being started and remembered that Mike, our farm hand, was here. He always woke up so much earlier than me, I was surprised. He was nineteen and worked for dad. Our farm is big, so we need more than us to work it, especially now that I'm going to school. I waved to him through the window. He waved back.

I grabbed my backpack that I had packed the night before and grabbed a package of poptarts before opening the door to the cool air of September.

"Bye, dad! I've gotta meet Alfred!" I said, closing the door. I stepped on the sidewalk and up the gravel driveway,
heading for my bike. I unwrapped one of the poptarts and stuck it in my mouth. I pulled my bike out of the garage and got on the seat, pushing with one leg out into the road. The corn fields were foggy and full of dew as I pedaled past it to Alfred's house.

He was waiting for me at the gate.

"Hey, dudette. What's with the dress?" He said, joining me on his bicycle. He was wearing his blue Superman hoodie. He's crazy for superheroes. When Avengers came out, he forced me to watch it with him. It actually turned out to be pretty good. I liked it.

"What, I'm a girl! Girls wear dresses! What's so surprising?" I said, frustrated.

"Haha, just joking. Wanna stop by McDonald's after school? We can go to that new bookstore in the mall, if you want."

"Yeah, I'd like that. But McDonald's? AGAIN?!?" I said.

"Yeah. It's okay, I just got my paycheck. I'll pay." Alfred had just started a job working the register at a donut shop. Every American's dream. Sometimes he took donuts over to our house. He knows my dad, and my dad likes Alfred.

"No, I'll pay for myself. You don't have to pay for me." I said, shaking my head. We were working up a sweat going up the hill.

The school was a mile and a half away, but I never liked riding the stinky yellow school bus. I was completely content with taking my bike. Plus, it would help me burn off all the fat from Alfie taking me to McDonald's all the time.