In the Blink of an Eye

1 - The Day Before

"Be-beep, be-beep, be-beep," the alarm went off on Monday morning, the start of another week of the new school year. Ivelle tried to find the annoying sound that had woken her from her sleep at 6:00 in the morning but failed and ended on the hardwood floor of her room with a thump.

"Ughhh ..." she moaned as she massaged her right hip that would be black and blue by lunch today. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes as she walked out of the door of her room and into the bathroom that she shared with her younger brother, Levi. After splashing water onto her face a couple times, Ivelle looked into her eyes in the mirror. The house was silent for now, but beyond the walls it was busy and loud as ever. For this was Manhattan, and is never quiet around there.

Her hair was a knotted mess even though she had brushed it nicely the night before and she set out on taming it once again. There was no way she was walking into her new high school during her first week of 9th grade looking like the zombie that she did now.

Down the hall, little feet could be heard running from one bedroom to the next.

"Levi, shhh, your fathers still sleeping," Ivelle could hear her mom scold her little brother, "now go get dressed while I get ready, I'll race yeah, how does that sound? Think you can beat me?"

"You'll never win! I'm too fast!" his whispered at her, accepting her challenge.

Ivelle returned to her room, this time though, her light brown hair was in a side braid that defined her oval face, and the eye lashes around her hazel eyes were coated in black mascara. On her dresser was the outfit that she had laid out the night before, her black shorts, baby blue spaghetti strap loose tank top and gray cardigan. Once she was dressed, she grabbed her backpack and black converse and headed downstairs.

"Hi 'Velle!" Levi screeched at her while sitting in front of the T.V. watching SpongeBob.

"Hey," she didn't give him much of an acknowledgment before passing him on her way to the kitchen.

"Good morning loves," her mom walks into the kitchen and begins making her coffee as Ivelle's bagel pops in the toaster.

"Morning," she replies without enthusiasm. Once her crème cheese is applied to her bagel she wraps it in a napkin and heads to the front door where her backpack and shoes await, "I'll be in the car."

She exited the home and slide on her shoes before making her way to the car. Just as she closed the door to the passenger front seat, her mom and Levi exited the house also.

"Levi can you buckle yourself up, were running short on time," her mom asked the 6 year old boy who nodded his head as she backed onto the street. From the window of their home, her dad waved and she waved back.

"Mom can I turn the radio on," Ivelle asked.

"Sure, but I don't see why you would, we live 5 minutes away."

Ivelle pushed the power button and a DJ's voice flooded the car, "And now number 1 on the top 100 billboard, Bootylicious by Destiny's Child. Kelly, can you handle this? Michelle, can you handle this? Beyoncé, can you handle this? I don't think they can handle this! Barely move, we've arrived..." the sound of Ivelle's recently favorite song by her favorite band began to play and she cheered, "Yes!"

Her mother chuckled at her singing and her brother trying to mimic her. Ivelle's mom worked at Marsh & McLennan, a consulting firm or something (Ivelle didn't really know what they did). She was located in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, which was 0.5 miles away from her school so it was convenient for mornings.