How To Become A Badass

1) Tear Stains

"Zara," I heard a woman's voice interrupt my slumber. "Wake up."

"Go away." I replied in a broken voice.

"I suggest that you don't repeat that to your own mother again." The familiar voice, my mom's voice, told me.

I sighed while taking my blanket off of myself and opened my eyes leisurely. I blinked repeatedly, shivering from the drafts of cold air coming from the open window just near my bed.

I sat upright, finding the source of the voice.

My mom's figure stood before my bed, looking impatient with her her eyebrow raised. She was dressed and didn't look to be in her usual attire.

"Ma. What are you doing here?" I voiced.

"Aren't I supposed to be asking you that?" She replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said innocently in a hoarse voice, casting my gaze on my hands.

Tyler Layton just humiliated me in front of everyone. I walked home sobbing, after I broke down in tears outside the school's building, unsure how I would show my face again after gone for almost two hours anyway.

My mom told me to look at her so I did. She inspected my crimson cheeks, puffy red eyes, and the tear stains on my shirt.

I cringed inside, not wanting to imagine how I must have looked as she grimaced at me.

"Hm. Well, go take a shower and I'll make your dinner." She nodded, sympathy and confusion shone in her eyes.

I nodded my head, but I immediately regretted it. I had a pounding headache from crying a few hours ago.

I made my way up the stairs to my parents' bathroom. They knew I adored their glorious bathtub. Their bathroom

was cleaner, larger, and much better than the one in my room.

I preferred taking showers in here instead of my own bathroom because it was a tad more comfortable.

After thirty minutes of showering (yes, I take long showers), I wrapped the towel carefully around my body.

I wore my pjs which was an oversized graphic tee from my older step brother and some comfortable shorts that I found in my closet.

"Ma, what's for dinner?"

"Come here, and see for yourself." She called.

"Fine." I huffed going down the staircase to join her at the table.

She smiled at me sincerely and patted my head before shoving a plate in my hands.

Bacon and eggs.

I looked up at my mother in surprise and excitement.

She raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"Well, are you going to eat or not?"

Of course, I wasn't going to not eat it.
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Ringgg ringgg ringgg buzzz buzzz buzzzzzz...

I wake up from my deep slumber in my bed.

I carelessly bounce on my bed, attempting to jump off, and ended up slipping and landing on my carpet face first.

"This is why you don't jump on your bed, Abercrombie and Fitch."

I squealed, scrambling up on my two feet.

There was my best friend standing before me, and he watched as I blushed of embarrassment.

• A/N •

Graphic to the side by: enchancer23

Thank you so much for sending the cover to me, babe! I love you, and I'm so grateful that you support me!

Thank you for reading this pretty short and sloppy chapter. I suck, I know. I don't really know what to do with this story anymore because I have another book called "The Summer Between Then And Now" that I'm working on. Here's the very short summary (if you even call it a summary)!

SUMMARY FROM "The Summer Between Then And Now":

'We don't lose our friends, we just learn who our real friends are.'

I really enjoy writing it! It has stuff about 5SOS, two best friends, and the dedication, time, presence, and effort that you have to put into friendship. If you like summer, the beach, and 5SOS, you'll love it!