State of Grace

Chapter 1

Waking up for school is definitely not the highlight of my day. I usually don't mind school, but it's not something I enjoy. There's nothing at school that makes me excited for the next day. All it is, is go there for 8 hours learn something I'm going to forget and then come home. Maybe I might even enjoy it if I didn't have to wake up so early for it.

I woke up and showered; shaving my legs, washing my hair and face, the usual. I combed out my hair and put some curling mousse in it, because I have curly hair and if I don't have something to tame it then it will be a frizzy beast. I put on some denim shorts, a white tank top and a black loose open sweater. I grab my maroon Vans and tie them on.

I live with my grandma, because my mother died when I was just a baby, so I don't have much memory of her. My father was sent to jail for a sentence of 15 years; My grandma won't tell me what he did. He was sent to jail when I was 8, and I am now 17 years old. It's been 9 years so far. I don't know what's going to happen when he's released. Am I going to live with him? Is he even going to be part of my life? He was never much of a good father to me anyways. My grandmother hasn't taken me to visit him, but not once have I asked to visit him either.

My grandmother's house is big, but doesn't have many rooms. Her house is white with a somewhat big porch; you walk into a foyer when you walk through the front door, and then the living room. You walk straight into the living room, but it's on your left side. On your right you will be able to walk into the dining room, which is divided by a big wooden door between the two rooms. In between the rooms is a long stair case which leads to the bedrooms. All of that is one big area that is connected. Connected by the living room is an arch way that leads to the kitchen; the kitchen is all white with black marble tops. The kitchen has a island in the middle of it. If you keep going towards the back of the kitchen there is a sitting area with a wooden table and chairs. There's a big window that looks into the back yard. In the middle right of the kitchen is a small hall way with a bathroom on the left; but the hall way leads to a entertainment room with a large television set.

The house is very roomy and big, but it doesn't have many rooms. I like it like that, because it's large but not too big. It's all very cozy with my grandmother's cottage style. She has always been the mother figure and you could also say father figure in my life. She basically raised me since I was born. My father used to be a great man, but my mother's death changed him. My grandfather died from a heart attack 2 years ago. Let me tell you, it was the hardest thing I had to go through. Me and him were so close. I always followed him around; he inspired me to do so much. His death made me and my grandmother closer together.

I walk down the stairs from my bedroom and make my way to the kitchen to grab a bowl of Lucky Charms. Lucky Charms have been my favorite since I was young. There was a period when it was the only thing I would eat; I would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I sit down at the table across from my grandma who is reading the newspaper. She looks up from the paper and smiles. "Good morning Kristina, how'd you sleep?" She asks me.

"Good morning. I slept alright, you?" I scoop a spoonful of delicious marshmallows and plop them into my mouth, chewing the sweet cereal slowly almost makes me moan in delight.

"Like a baby," She jokes. She continues to look at the newspaper. "Do you need me to drive you to school?"

"No I'm good, I can drive myself." I scoop another spoonful into my mouth.

"Alright well good, because I have to get to church to help out with something. Make sure you wear your seatbelt, because you know kids these days be driving like maniacs." She looks up from the paper to look at me. She eyed me carefully, "You better not be one of them teenagers," She glared.