Changes

Chapter Two

Amity

The next morning I woke up with all of the energy drained out of me. I stumbled down the stairs with half-lidded eyes. As I was passing my dad's office I froze for a moment. I watched him as he was typing furiously on his laptop. There were bags under his eyes I had noticed. Continuing on my way I walked into the kitchen while my mother stood having a very heated discussion over the phone.

I rolled my eyes, making myself a bowl of cereal as I heard Emira rushing down the stairs just moments later. After I had finished, Emira stood along with me. "Come on baby sister! We're going to be late!" She shouted as she stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth and rushed out the door. I dragged my feet while following behind her.

Before I went through the door I looked back down the hall. My mother's voice echoed across the hall and I could see the light to my dad's office coming out through the crack in his door. "Bye guys," I mumbled, knowing that they couldn't hear me. Even if they could they'd be too involved, busy with work to respond with an answer.

When I got into the car with my sister she stepped on the gas, the car lurching forward leading me to slam back against the seat. "Mittens, don't forget that mom and dad want you to sign up for an extracurricular," Emira commented absentmindedly and I looked at her, my head snapping quickly in her direction.

"I'm sorry, what?" I exclaimed. "Haven't I signed up for enough?" I asked as my hands clenched into fists. The last thing I needed was another thing on my plate.

"Mittens, you have to understand that the more you do the better your college applications will look. They're just trying to look out for you." She slammed on the break, my seat belt tightening against my chest. "Learn how to use a turn signal idiot!" She shouted and I flinch at her lack of restraint, the volume of her voice far louder than necessary. 

"Seriously Emira?" I looked at her incredulously. "I'm already in so many things as it is! I don't need anything else on my plate." I heard her sigh as we stopped at a red light and she looked at me.

"I understand that it can be frustrating and overwhelming at times, but they just want what's best for you. Just, I don't know, find something that is easy to juggle amongst the other things you're into." She tried to convince me.

"There you go again siding with them. I don't want to do anything else! I'm already juggling AP classes and a job with the school." I spoke to her with rage. We pulled up to the school and I tried to contain my rage so it wouldn't show in front of my peers.

"I don't know what you want me to do Mittens. I have to get to my college classes. Can we talk about this later?" I let the air out of my nose and got out of the car quickly. Then I slammed the door behind me and started to walk off fuming. "Amity!" I heard my sister shout out to me but I ignored her.

Walking into the school I was frustrated. That was something I could be sure of. The feeling laying in the pit of my stomach just waiting to burst and I wouldn't let it. Not here at school with all these people. I just wanted to scream from it all but my current setting allowed me no opportunity to do so.

My eyes went searching for something without my knowing. That's when I saw her. The girl that could make all of this go away and no one would think twice. So I march up to her letting the frustration leak out into my body language. And all possible suspicion from my peers was immediately snuffed out when they saw my eyes directed at Luz. In my final approach, I saw Luz's eyes connect with mine until a moment after when she let hers roll.

"What is it this time Blight? Is it about last night because..." Her words cut off as I grabbed a fistful of her collar and started to drag her with me down the hall. "What the heck Blight!" She shouted as her hand tried to pry mine loose, my grip, however, unyielding. Turning us down a random hallway I shoved her away from me and punched the nearest locker.