Blossom

One

I woke up to the disgusting smell of cigarette smoke burning the inside of my nostrils.You'd think that after three years of my dad being a chain smoker I would grow immune to the awful smell,but no,that wasn't the case.
My eyes were barely open so I squinted at the clock on my nightstand and saw that is said 6:45. My alarm would be going off in fifteen minutes so I figured I'd just start my day early.
I unplugged my cell from the charger and it put it on my dresser as I rummaged threw it for an outfit for the day.I was pretty plain when it came to my wardrobe.I didn't care to wear low cut shirts that revealed my cleavage,super tight pants or short booty shorts like the other girls at school.I didn't care to stand out,better yet I'd just rather not stand out at all.
I pulled out a black cami from the third drawer and then a maroon colored short sleeved shirt from the drawer just above it. I then went to the bottom drawer and got out my light pair of blue jeans.They were my favorite because they fit me nice.
After getting out my clothes for the day I peeked out into the living room to see what my dad was doing but he was asleep.I assumed the smell was just from the other night and started off my morning.I jumped in the shower.I made sure the water was nice and cold,just how I liked it.I adored cold showers.I closed my eyes as the water splashed on my face and trickled down the pale skin on the rest of my body.I then shampooed and conditioned my dark brown hair.I heard my alarm in the other room going off so I quickly hurried washing up before the annoying loud sound woke up my dad,whom was way more annoying than my alarm,especially when he's hungover.
He was always cranky in the morning after a night of drinking...which was every other morning pretty much.He woke up every single morning at 7:45 and not a moment before that otherwise I wouldn't ever hear the end of it.
He was a truck driver so he was away a lot,yet always found the time to stop at the bar or liquor store before he made it home.
I wrapped a towel around my body and ran to my room and slammed on the off button.I then got dressed,put some product in my hair,threw my hair up into a bun and brushed my teeth.By the time I was ready it was 7:20 which mean I had some time to cook a small breakfast. I made dippy egg with bacon and grits with a side of orange juice with most pulp. By the time I was finished it was time for me to go and catch the bus which was no further than a block away. I made my dad a plate and covered it with a napkin.I then approached my father in the big chair he had passed out in the night before.He was lying there with his head laid back,mouth open,legs perched up and snoring.The moment I got close to him I could smell the residue of beer and cigarette. I scrunched my face in disgust and began to call for him. "Dad,daddy.." I called.He did nothing but continue to snore. "Dad come on,you have to get ready for work,I saved you some breakfast." He rolled his eyes open and looked at my in confusion,which was a part of our daily routine, and I had to explain to him that he was drinking last night and passed out in the chair, which also was not a daily routine but a frequent one.
"Rilyn? Where you goin'?" He asked rubbing his eyes.
"School.And if I don't go now I will miss the bus..love you dad,don't be late!" I said pressing my lips on his crinkled forehead.
My dad and I didn't have a bad relationship.He was a good dad.He just kind of lost his touch when my mother died three years ago.She died during childbirth and we lost her and my baby brother as well.It really messed him up.We use to be a normal family.My parents loved each other and they loved me.They both were teachers,my mom at a private elementary school in the next town over and my dad in the highschool I attend. He was an English teacher. I never did have the chance to be in his class.He quit his job when my mom died and I was in eighth grade when it happened. We drifted apart a lot when she passed,but I still knew that he loved me.Because of the depression he slipped in after the deaths,we lost our house and moved into one much smaller.We no longer had our two story,three bedroom normal sized home but now in a small two bedroom,one floor house crowded with my fathers books that he no longer reads.Its all junk if you ask me.He doesn't read them nor does he let me touch them.
Anyways, I grabbed my backpack and plugged my ear buds in and walked down the street to my bus.I shared a stop will Molly Brinkit and Kip Conelley. I didn't really talk to either of them. I guess it's my fault because I always approached the stop with my music playing in my ears.I didn't mind it though.I didn't care to make any more friends than I already had..as if I had the choice to anyway.Im invisible in my town so why would anyone want to make friends with me anyway?
I got on the bus and sat in the back seat on the left which has been my seat since freshman year.It was loud and rowdy and I was too tired to be bothered by it.My stop wasn't far from the school so we were there within ten minutes.By the time we got to school my best friend Alex was waiting for me outside the school.Seeing her always made my day better.Alex was a couple inches taller than me,she was about 5'5 while I was only 5'3". She had long straight black hair with a streak of blue.She had light brown freckles on her white skin.She had piercings all up and throughout both ears.Always had chipped black nail polish on her naturally long nails.I don't think I can remember a time when the nail polish was fresh on her nails, or not chipped.She always wore dark makeup and dark clothes.Shes always been given the label "emo" but that literally was nothing but a stereotype.She was the happiest person I ever knew with such a kind,gentle and genuine spirit. We had been friends since sixth grade.Ever since the first day of middle school when she stood up for me against the class bully,I knew we would be best friends.
"Hey Riles" she said greeting me with a cheerful smile and handing me a cup of coffee.
"You are great,you know that right?" I said smiling taking the warm steamy coffee from her hands.
"How was your weekend? You barely texted me at all! You weren't out making new friends were you?"
I gave her a face and we both started laughing.She knew how I was about making friends.We both laughed at the ridiculousness of what she had said.
"I was just working a lot,Bill let go of a few people and has be working nearly twice as hard.."
"Why would he fire people just to have the remaining workers do more work?"
"I guess it's easier to save money that way,I don't know." I replied taking a sip of coffee as we walked to our locker.
My main job was in a music store.You know,a store that sells Cd's,posters,band T's,band merch and all that stuff.I've had that job since 15 and bill was a friend of my mom's so he wasn't too hard on me but hard enough to that I basically had no weekends to myself.Between that and my babysitting job I rarely had time but it's not like I had people to spend free time with anyway.I usually hung out at Alex's before work and some nights when I didn't feel like going home.
Though we were bestfriends we were so different.She wasn't popular or anything,but she had a lot more friends than I did,she was well known because of her older brother.He graduated last year and was the star quarter back for the football team. She usually got invited to all the parties just because of who her brother is.She didn't normally go,but when she did she never forgot to ask me if I wanted to tag but I declined each time.She had plenty of options on who to bring but she always made sure I was her first choice,which deep inside always made me feel good.
We got up to our locker.We shared one since hers was assigned all the way across the school.We figured I would get the top one and she would get the bottom,that way we could stay close to each other.
We got our books,talked and walked a little more and then headed to our different home rooms. "..alright,see ya third period!" She said as she kept walking and I was at the door of my home room.