Epitome

0.1 - A Beckoning

It was no easy task for Bella to climb for the comfortable grasp that the comforter held over her. It's warmth that had been circulating her, basking the girl into a cocoon that seemed almost treasonous to leave. It was only six in the morning and the day was barely underway by the time her alarm clattered to the floor with a thump due to it's continuous vibrations. 

Growling with teeth clenched, Bella squeezed her eyes shut and began praying that it would eventually stop ringing and leave her to a restful sleep. Though the world was against her when two pounding footsteps lunched their way through the closed door and sent it wildly swinging. She barely had time to acknowledge the new presence before a pair of comforting arms wrapped her into a tight hug. Being cuddled like a bundle of growth, Bella tried to maneuver her way through the twisted obstacle but only managed to murmur a 'good morning' through the muffling fabric of her mother's uniform. It smelled like stale fries and hamburger grease from the diner, but being used to it all her life, she'd learned to love that scent. 

"Oh honey, can you believe that this is your first day at a new school?" she cried out in great exasperation. The crests around her worn blue eyes crinkled as the mango colored lips lifted into a wide smile. 

Bella could tell from the moment her mother walked in that she had worked a long shift. The way her shoulders hunched over and the slightly out of breath look radiated off her like a depressed puppy. The girl yearned to comfort her mother, but all that came as betrayal for the man who abandoned them to marry another woman. 

It was clear even after four months that the pain still stabbed it's way through her mother's bleeding heart. All she had left to offer was a warm gaze as she rubbed the palm of the woman with the pad of her index finger. Bella finally spoke once she knew the moment had grown too long, "I know Mother, there's nothing greater than being the new kid." 

They both chuckled lightly as the lay gestured for Bella to get dressed. In all honesty there was nothing she could be dreading more. Watching her mother suffer this alone was unbearable but even more so when she had to leave. Without Bella to take care of her during the weakest moments of the divorce, she feared her mother wouldn't have made it out unscathed. 

Leaving their home in Georgia to up North had not been an easy task. Although they were both strong, neither fully realized just how much of an impact fell on their shoulders. Bella's father had always been the one to support them and put food on the table. So when the stay at home wife had to gruel over the simplest tasks with no College degree, Bella was despondent on what laid ahead of them. 

"I'l leave you to get ready," her mother spoke. "the Diner needs me to come in early so I made some toast and left it on the table along with your favorite strawberry jam." 

Bella nodded before peeling herself from the sticky covers. Now wide awake, she collected a low breath and begun the great labor of deciding what to wear. Back in Georgia she would normally have pulled on jeans that had at least two holes in them and an old school t-shirt that she'd come across deep in the caverns of her closet. For some reason that didn't seem like an option anymore. She had no clue on how the kids would react to her now. Nothing but a sob story who's daddy left for the hot secretary. 

It was such a cliche that even Bella felt sick just thinking about it. She knew what made it worse was the fact her mother had found them together in their bed. 

Yes, this year was definitely going to be interesting.