(OLD) River

Lilly

TW: mentions of suicide, bullying, swearing

It's the first day of the second semester of my freshman year. I get all my hard classes. Biology, geometry, French, and then art. I know this semester will be awfully stress-filled, but I have mentally prepared myself.

Fortunately, I've already gotten used to the world known as Oakesdale East High, located in Oakesdale, Vermont. Ironically, our school is located in the more south-western part of town. And there is also no Oakesdale West, South, nor North as its counterpart.

This is the town where nothing happens. Aside from that kid who ran away from here when he was twelve, and has in the past two years killed 7 people, it's pretty calm. Population of around 13,000. Does it get boring? Sure, but I'd take this over a busy city any day.

I put on some black ripped jeans and black and white striped shirt, which I then put a baggy t-shirt over. It has Saturn on it. I layer on like 5 necklaces, a few rings, and earrings with a safety pin attached to them. I attempt a symmetrical eyeliner wing, fail 3 times, then give up.

I leave my room for breakfast the same time my brother, Leo, does. He's a senior, so he's graduating in a few months. It was a shock he passed all his classes and even got a scholarship for college. Second semester of his Junior year to now, he kind of fell apart. He started smoking cigarettes, skipping meals, and just being really distant. My mom thought he was going to kill himself, but thankfully he hasn't tried that. Yet.

I really only see him when he drives me to school. We used to be super close. We're only three years apart in age, and so he'd naturally become my role model. That changed when I started middle school though. I started showing my genius, and his grades were slipping as the work got harder for him when he started high school. I know he hates it. I'm his little sister, so he should be the smarter one. He is in some ways. He's really good with tech. He got his scholarship for some sort of computer engineering school. He can also play piano—not so much anymore, but he's probably still capable of performing one song.

He gets that bit from my mom. She was in a band when she was teenager. They actually got some pretty big gigs. That was until my dad impregnated her with Leo. She was 22, just living her young life, and my dad was... 34. My dad is a bit of a creep. No, no. He's definitely a creep.

He makes good money though, so my mom stayed then and now. They fight a lot, mostly about Leo these days. I wish they could see it affected me too. I know Leo is struggling more, but I'm also hurting.

—————

After breakfast, Leo drives us to school.

"You have biology this semester, right?" He looks over and asks.

"Mhm, with Mrs. Egan."

"Oh shit, I hated her."

"Didn't you hate all your teachers?" I say with a smirk. The only teacher he liked and that liked him was the computer programming teacher.

"Yeah, but she was SO JUDGY."

"Oh well, I'm sure she'll love me. I'm in her smart-person class after all."

As we near the school he speaks again, "Hey, how old are you again? 14?"

"Um, yeah. and I'll be 15 this summer."

"So you'll be allowed start driving then... Too bad I'll be in college with my car once school starts up, meaning you'll have to take the bus."

"Or mom can drive me!"

"She won't though. Don't worry, I'll make sure to say you get my car in my suicide note."

"That's not funny." I say as we pull into the school parking lot.