Heather

Chapter 2

You know Henry is a doll, he really is. And I'm a Gen Z kid so I can speak the language of TikTok. So, no I'm not annoyed by the fact that Henry called me at 3 am to talk about the latest TikTok trend he saw. I really am not, please notice the sarcasm in my words.

After listening to his rant, I do remind him that it is in fact 3 am and it is Monday tomorrow so also school, yay. That wasn't sarcasm I am excited for school. I know shocking but why do I care what you think. When Henry finally hung up and promised me, he'll go to sleep when I know he's just gonna go wake up his brother and bother him, did I come to realize I couldn't sleep? This motherfucker woke me up to the point where I can't go back to sleep. Ok, maybe I shouldn't cuss him out his only 14 and I remember that age, sorry let me correct myself, I remember Ben at that age. Exact replica.

So, in my now awake state of just scaring at the ceiling hoping the sweet embrace of sleep will take me. I will lay and wait till my eyes fall closed.

I gave up when the clock struck 04:30 am. I got up very reluctantly and decided to get an early start on my day. I was done by 05:30 and then I decided to sit in the kitchen with my coffee and wait for Ben to pick me up like I usually do.

Mom is usually the first one up, so it wasn't a surprise that she came down and when she turned on the kitchen lights she was greeted by the dead face of her son just staring at her like a character from a horror movie, almost giving her a heart attack. I mean she hates scary movies, so the reaction is quite natural for her. "AHHHHHHH" Now I know where I get my vocal cords from, "Good mornings." in the deadpan voice I could muster without bursting out laughing. "What in the actual fuck are you doing here?!" "Last I checked I do live here." I can tell this is gonna set her off, she hates it when I answer her question without answering her question. "You know what I mean. What are you doing here in the kitchen in the dark like some sort of serial killer?" She's making it too easy to mess with her, "Because I am, Mother I contemplate the existence of all people and how to kill them." She gave me a look, you know which one I'm talking about, the one that says tell me your true reasons so as any child would I do. "I'm waiting for Ben so we can go to school, Henry called me, and I couldn't go back to sleep," I tell her at rapid speed as I take a sip of coffee. "Alright, you had breakfast yet?" I lift up my cup of joe to answer her question. "How many cups have you had?" I think it is over "3 or 4 maybe 5." I say with a proud smile.

"Jorden!"

"Mother!"

"Father!"

We turn to see Dad standing in the kitchen doorway with his hands raised with how he screamed. Seeing the looks on our faces, me and mom have resting bitch face, he falters and lowers his arms. "Sorry, just wanted to feel included. Anyway, why are you up so early JoJo?" He calls me Jojo in reference to Jojo Siwa, I will kill him for that someday, but then I won't get paid. "Henry called me last night." "Oh, ok." Yeah, this isn't the first time Henry has called me in the middle of the night, but it still scares the shit out of mom.

Wait, what time is it, he should be here by now. Shit, I thought about him. As if on cue his car pulls up outside. Think of the devil, right? Well off to school then, goodbye parents I shall see you tonight. What, I don't have to tell them I'm leaving every time, they have eyes.

I walk out and into Ben's car, he seems abnormally bubbly for someone who hasn't slept. "I heard Henry called you last night, sorry." "Yeah, how did you deal with it after I hung up." He takes his eyes on the road to look at me. "Huh, I didn't deal with it at all, I heard about it before I left." Wait do you mean to tell me, Henry didn't go and wake up Ben after our call, the motherfucker.

"Hey, are you excited for the new kid who's coming to school today?" Oh yeah, that's why today felt special, the new kid. Not that I care but you know, it's rare when get a new kid. "You forgot, didn't you?" "In my defense, I don't care." I really don't. "Whatever, I hope it's a cute girl" Of course that smirk is on his face at 06:30 in the morning "Ben, it's 06:30 on a Monday morning and you're already this horny?" and then he smirks at me "I never took care of my morning wood." "You're disgusting." he laughs it off cause he knows at the end of the day his still my Ben.

We get to school and it's the same as it is every morning. A crowd of jocks and cheerleaders surrounded Bens's parking space waiting for his arrival. I wasn't kidding when I said everybody knew us. Ben gets pulled into the crowd and even with my 5 cups of coffee I couldn't be bothered to entertain that lot, so I went to class early and waited for Ben to arrive at his own valent time.

When he finally did show up, the bell rang and our homeroom teacher started today's announcements, just like any other day, but then there was a new variable added. "Class I would like to introduce our new student who will be joining our class, please make her feel welcome." The teacher went to open the door and in she walked. She's not supposed to be in this class, new students don't get placed in a high-grade homeroom class.

"Hi, my name is Heather."