Dove's Embrace; Crow's Cry

Chapter 2: Birdy

     My back hurts, my head hurts, and the sun is burning my eyes. What a wonderful morning. I raise my head to see the sun beaming through my window, burning my eyes. I swing my legs over the bed, rub my eyes to get the film off of them, and walk to the shower. I strip down and turn on the shower. I love my morning showers; they're warm and relaxing.

     The first step out of the shower was cold, and it put me in a bad mood again. I have to pick out my outfit and dry my hair. I have no idea what to wear, but I'm going casual. I am not in the mood to look all fancy today. I pick out a band t, baggy jeans, and converse. Now, my hair is in need of drying and brushing. My hair is cut into a shaggy mess, so it naturally looks grungy, kind of like a wolf cut. It saves me time in the morning because I don't have to style it; my hair styles itself. I usually love to dress out more, but I'm just not feeling it today. I grab my backpack and leave my room.

      I open my door, and I see Cole walking out at the same time. Cole graduated last year, and he's doing college online. We both want a better life than this, and we want a better life for each other.

     "Have a good day, Bird. Don't have a sucky day.' He says this and walks down the hallway.

     "Don't spill any booze today. You know dad will kill you." I respond, and he looks back at me and gives me a dirty look.

     Cole accidentally spilled a whole pitcher of beer on the floor last night, so I'm having fun laughing at him. He doesn't think it's too funny, though. I walk down the hallway and down the stairs. The bar is closed for the night, but there are a couple of tenants in the bar, just talking. Arlo went home around 3 last night. He's a night owl, as is Cole. I'm more of a morning person, so I go to bed around midnight. I don't think a 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. work shift is very good for a high school student who has to be up by 6 a.m. to get to school by 8 a.m. I give a small wave to the tenants sitting in the bar, and I go to reach for the doorknob and hear.

     "Birdy Monroe. You're not going to say good morning to your dear dad?" I turn around to see Timothy Comwell Jr., my dad.

"Good morning, Dad." I look back at him and smile. Then, walk out the door.

     I make it to school; it's a bit of a walk, but I'm used to it. The walk is a way to clear my head and listen to my music. I walk into the school doors and walk through the crowd of smelly teenage bodies to my locker. I get my notebooks and books out and go to close my locker, but a neatly polished hand holds it open.

     "Wait! I need to check my lipgloss!" Sydney swings in front of me from behind the locker door to check her lip gloss.

     "That color looks nice on you. Also, what are you wearing Friday night? Is there a theme or something?" I look at her through the mirror.

     "The theme is hippies and cowboys. I don't know why—kind of dumb if you ask me—but I love dressing up, so I won't complain too much. I'm going for a cowboy look, or more like a buckle bunny look. Short shorts, a black bandana shirt, and a black, sparkly cowboy hat." She looks at me through the window while applying more lip gloss.

     "I'm surprised you even know what a buckle bunny is. I think I'll do a hippie look. Bell bottoms, flower power, you know the vibes." I look down, checking to see if there is something on my shoe. There was a leaf.

     "We are going to be the hottest bitches at the party." She turns around to look at me, and then looks at me up and down.

"You dressed down today, didn't you?" If she were anyone else, I would have been extremely angry, but it's Sydney, and I really don't care.

     "I wasn't feeling it this morning; I was extra tired. Anyway, I have to go to class. I'll cya later, Syd." I turn around to leave, but then I look over my shoulder and blow a kiss. She responds by catching it and putting it on her cheek. I love having a best friend who I can be weird with. Sydney and I have been in so many awkward situations together that there is no point in hiding secrets from each other. There is not a single thing we haven't done together, and there is not a single thing that we don't know about each other.