Ari

Chapter 1

We pulled in the school parking lot with only five minutes left to get to my first class that day which was homeroom. Alina flew out of the passenger seat, throwing my car door in such a haste I was a tad bit worried it would snap because it was a piece of junk. She threw my back at me and I managed to catch it barely and booked it down the hallway all the way to Room 107 with toast in between my teeth and Alina grinning the entire time.

We skidded to a stop and tried to walk calmly but swiftly to our seat and manage to plant our butts on the chair as soon as the bell rang. I winked at her and she placed a hand on her heart in relief. This would not be the first time we were late that school and it won't be the last.

The teacher looked up lazily from his desk and started roll call in his droll voice as usual. Alina already had her binder out and was scribbling madly on what looked like the Chemistry worksheet. I followed her steps and took my own half-done Calculus homework.

The whole point of homeroom was study hall which decreased the amount of failures that year. It was rather ingenious and I was thankful for it since I never do my homework. Ever. Or have anything organized. My binder was a disorganized bulky mess that still had last semester's work in them. But I couldn't find it in myself to manage the energy to throw it out. But at least my writing was neat, or whenever I feel like writing neatly.

After I finished Calculus, I borrowed a crappy school computer and booted it up. This things took a while so I started on my own World History homework and by the time that was done, the computer was loaded and ready to go. I also managed to finish my English essay by the time the bell rang.

I passed Alina my history homework and in returned she'd print my English homework for me.

I went to French class and cursed when I got to my seat. I had forgotten to do that homework. As Madame Fontaine started her introductions, I manage to scribble out the answer while keeping my eyes trained on her to give her the idea that I wasn't doing her homework.

"Okay, class. This year, our school was awarded the chance to visit France this year!"

My hand only hesitated for a second but I resumed writing. 

"I'll be passing out the field trip slips. Make sure to have your parents sign it. It'll be a three day trip."

I cursed. That would mean missing three days of work. $216 worth of waste. I could just not go, but at the same time, this would be the only time that I will ever get out of the country for free. I wouldn't have the time or the energy.

I was an all honor class kid. I had a 4.0 GPA since freshman year. I never could have taken an AP class because I wouldn't have been able to afford my exam fees. But I made sure my record was spotless. I needed those scholarships and grants and financial aid. Anything I could get so that I could pay to go to a med school to be an anesthesiologist. Or whatever the highest paying job there is in the medical industry. Anything to escape a minimum wage job.

 Alina was my coworker and we lived in the same apartment building and we are also best friends. Basically faith made it so I can have my long sister live right above me in Room 302 while I lived in Room 204, not that we have ever done lots of sleepovers. Oh no. We were both too tired to even do that. By the time we get home, we're both bone weary tired and knock out the moment our heads hit the pillow. That was the perks of working a full-time job while having high school to deal with it in the morning.

It was the usual where we would forget to eat dinner and we would rather not take the fast food discount that for dinner.

Alina still has her body to look after which isn't much work since we never even have extra food lying around and I still had my pride. My body however, had always been curvy and I always seem to have extra flesh even if my diet had been limited.