In Search of Tomorrow ✓

Four

By the time it was a suitable hour to start getting ready for school, I'd finished the rest of my homework and drank a strong cup of coffee to keep myself awake. My nightmare kept haunting me as I showered and put on fresh makeup, then went to Maddie and Clare's room to wake them up.

"Come on, you two," I said, opening the door and gently prodding the two sleeping figures that were lying in the queen-sized bed. Clare rolled over and opened her eyes sleepily, her stick-straight brown hair mussed from tossing and turning like she did every night.

"Do I have to go to school?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with her fist. Beside her, Maddie stirred.

I knew that feeling all too well--every day, I woke up with the same exact thoughts. "Yes, you do," I said. I crossed the room and flicked on the lights. "Hurry up and get ready. I'll make waffles for breakfast, okay?"

That got my two little sisters up. I quickly helped Maddie get ready and then went down to the kitchen to start on the waffles.

Since my car was still being fixed (I didn't want to think of the bills involved), I decided that we'd all take the bus to school. Even though I knew Maddie hated it, there was no other option. I'd have to figure out how to get to my job and to Maddie and Clare's after-school care later.

I made waffles while half-asleep, the coffee having not kept me as awake as I would have liked. Still, by the time Maddie and Clare came padding down the stairs, I had plopped a Belgian waffle apiece on their plates and began setting the table.

"What are you eating?" asked Clare as I set down her plate in front of her.

I realized too late that I'd forgotten to make something for myself. "I'll just have yogurt," I told her, reaching into the fridge and taking out some vanilla Greek yogurt. It was healthier than waffles, anyway. "Go on and eat, or we'll be late for the bus."

"The bus?" complained Maddie, her dark eyes widening. She and Clare had gotten Mom's brown eyes, while I'd inherited Dad's bright blue ones. "I don't like the bus."

Reaching across the table, I hugged her and then shifted her plate of breakfast so that it was directly in front of her. "I know, but we have to take it. Our car's getting fixed. Eat up, okay? You can sit in my lap on the bus."

Maddie resentfully went back to her breakfast, her cheeks bulging as she stuffed waffles inside. I finished my yogurt and began getting their backpacks ready for the day, putting in snacks and making sure all their books were in order. Even if I was flunking all my classes, I was determined for my sisters to get good grades.

Fifteen minutes later, we had left the house and entered the light drizzle outside, beginning the ten-minute walk to the bus stop. Maddie's feet were dragging as she pulled her backpack on wheels behind her, her face set into a permanent pout, but Clare was hopping into puddles and squealing excitedly. I kept a firm grasp on my smallest sister's hand and led them through the neighborhood.

We'd made it about five minutes into our walk before a sleek convertible--with the top down, though I had no idea whose top would be down in weather like this--pulled up beside us. I squinted my eyes through the rain that was soaking my hair and saw Cameron inside.

"Need a ride?" he asked, sidling up to the curb so that we could all get inside.

I tucked my hair behind my ear as I surveyed the music booming and the expensive interior of the car. "No, thanks," I said, unsure how good Cameron's driving skills were. "We'll walk. We're almost there."

Shrugging, Cameron put his hands back on the wheel and slid away from the curb, the silver car's back just visible through the onslaught of rain. Beside me, Maddie was whining.