Summertime Sadness

Chapter 1

Beep beep beep!

My alarm clock raises an octave with each stupid beep before I slam my fist on the button that snoozes the annoying machine. My eyes slowly take their time with opening.

I grunt as the light in my room momentarily stings my eyes. I want to go back to sleep but my body is sadly wide awake. I'm so not ready for this. Then again, I don't think I ever will be. My feet pop out from under the bed covers and land on the cold wood floor of my room that is filled with cardboard boxes that need unpacking.

"Oh, is that a sun through all those clouds?" I mutter to myself as I stare out the window at the sky. The weather is not appropriate for today. First day of my new school, Maine High. I shiver at the thought and yawn once more before grouchily shuffling my way into the small bathroom.

The house is way too quiet for my liking. Usually Mom would be calling from downstairs asking whether I would like chocolate chip pancakes or waffles while I would always say waffles. But my Mom isn't here; not anymore at least. She's in the hospital with breast cancer stage three. She got diagnosed almost a month ago and had to be taken here for better medical care. Usually Dad would be making two cups of coffee, one for him and one for Mom but Dad's at work, trying to pay off the bills. He's always at work nowadays. Guilt works its way into my brain, causing me to frown slightly.

After school I should go hunting for a job, even though Dad refuses to 'have his daughter get tied up with our financial troubles'. I want to see if I can help pay off something and it would at least give me something to do.

Looking in the mirror I see a huge tangle of blonde hair and somewhere in that mess should be me. A hysterical laugh bubbles in my throat as I let out a little rawr at my reflection and make my hands resemble claws.

Fifteen minutes later, I manage to get my hair brushed out into its usual straight fashion. Next is my makeup. Carefully, as if I'm an artist painting a portrait- which I kind of am-, I apply foundation, contour, and throw on some blush and eyeliner that shows off the specks of gold in my dark blue eyes. After two applications of mascara I'm good to go; appearance wise at least. I need to eat and then mentally prepare myself for what's the come. School. Shivers run up and down my spine at the thought.

I prepare myself a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch with milk and quickly gobble the thing up.

"Okay June." I say to my reflection with determination, "All you have to do is make it through this year and then no more school. You pay the bills for Mom to get better and then when she does, you can go to college and get your law degree." Hearing my plan for the future seems to calm my nerves, just a little. I nod and give myself one more check in the glass reflection.

I'm wearing skinny jeans with my Nike sneakers and a dark red short sleeved sweater. I smile at myself and go to grab my bag and leave the small house.

Going on the bus would have been unbearable and besides, I like walking. It lets me think. Although I do have my drivers license, my dad uses the car in order to get to work. I technically do have enough money to buy a car, I had been saving it up since I was ten for my dream car. The reason why I don't have a shiny blue Prius driving me to school is because I need to save it for Mom. It's still in the bank in case my Mom needs something expensive and my Dad can't cover it on his own. I've been tempted to buy her chemo but Dad simply wouldn't allow it. He wants me to be a 'normal teenager' and have my 'high school senior year'. I snort at the thought of me being a 'normal teenager'. Yeah right, as if that would happen.

Once high school is over, I'm working full time for my Mom. College can wait until Mom is better and cancer free. Once that happens everything will go back to normal; her making waffles, Dad putting cream and sugar into the coffee cups, and me dreaming about becoming a kindergarten teacher.