Point and Time

Chapter 5: Emily: The Beginning

"Mark? MARK?" I was hoping to find him somewhere in the house but found nothing. I usually woke up to his unshaven face that went up into slicked-back hair that never seemed to be messy but he always woke up 20 minutes before me, and then I would fall back asleep because he would kiss my forehead and leave. We had been dating for three years now and my parents both kind of disappeared around one and a half years ago. Mark's mom was married to a guy who had a lot of money so they didn't mind me staying with them all the time. Well, re-married. They don't know where his dad has gone. It was my sophomore year and Mark's junior year so he was starting to stress a little about college but not enough to make him change who he was. 

"Good morning sweetie," Mark's mom walked in handing me a glass of water. 

"Hi! Sorry for screaming I know it wasn't great of me." 

"No no it's okay, he didn't tell you he was going to school early today to see one of his teachers?" 

"No, he didn't, that's odd." I was trying to figure out why he would do that when we said we were going in late today not early.

"I'm not sure why he wouldn't tell you. Would you like me or David to drive you today?" She asked because I don't have a license or permit for that matter.

"Whoever, it doesn't matter to me!" 

Once Mrs. Rivers left I took the sheets off my body because I was only wearing my bra and sweatpants. I didn't feel like letting her see that's who her son sleeps to especially when she wears close to nothing. I got up and went to the bathroom to fix my hair because in the mornings it looks like a MESS. Usually, I just put it in a ponytail or make it lay straight back but today I wanted to do something special with it. I had it straight down and it went right to where my neck and back meet. I curled it which always sounds easier than it is, and where my hairline was I took two strands wrapped it around my head, and braided it in the back. The purple strand in my hair was a part of the braid and I loved that. The black color of my hair was complimented so well by the purple. I put eyeshadow on so my bags showed a lot less when I did. This took me about 15 minutes to do when all was said and done and that was JUST for my hair. 

I walked downstairs and no breakfast was made either, which was odd, especially for this family. They were a very stick-to-the-books family for breakfast. Mrs. Rivers made breakfast, while Mark, Mr. Rivers, and I ate and then cleaned all of our plates right afterward and we usually left for school right after. I had a regular black hoodie with a graffiti design down the front of the left side that I had gotten from my mom before she disappeared. Which was really hurting me today because usually instead of something being made, we would always get doughnuts before school, especially today. 

"Have you guys seen my backpack anywhere?" I asked the Rivers.

"Have you looked on the couch?" Mr. Rivers didn't say much to me but he liked me.

"I hung it up in the closet dear, it should be in there!" Mrs. Rivers thankfully saved me about five minutes of stress.

As I went to go grab my bag that was by the front door I saw Mark sitting on the couch Mr. Rivers accused my bag of being on and I walked over to see him setting doughnuts on a table under a banner saying 'Happy Birthday!" 

"You didn't," I said as tears filled my eyes. My birthday wasn't a huge deal to me but I liked the morning routine me and my mom had. Get doughnuts, go back home watch the same corny movie about romance and love, then I would finally go to school.

"Happy Birthday my love." Mark's unshaven face finally met mine as he picked me up and hugged me. Once again corny, but oh my god I loved it.

"Happy birthday Emily." Mrs. Rivers smiled as she handed me a little box wrapped with snoopy paper.