Underneath

01

Alexia

There's no other word to describe my life other than boring. Same routine, same people. Every morning I wake up at 6:00. I take at least 15 minutes to persuade myself to actually get out of bed and saunter to the bathroom across the hall. I take a shower and lather my hair in the same Coconut Lime Breeze shampoo. I get out, wrap my towel around my body and brush my teeth. Throwing on my clothes, which are very plain and usually consist of a t shirt and jeans, I huff. School. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy learning about the pythagorean theorem, note the sarcasm, but Mondays aren't my day.

I blow dry and then brush through my tousled dirty blonde strings of hair and apply mascara and lipgloss. Grabbing my backpack and black vans I look at my pale yellow walls one last time before shutting my door quietly. I trudge to the kitchen where my mom is already awake sitting at the breakfast table. She looks up and smiles. Her golden shoulder length hair is pushed behind her ears by her glasses. Her pearl necklace sits at her collar bone as she twirls is in between her delicate polished fingers.

"Good morning Alexia darling."

"Morning mom," I smile as I grab a granola bar and a water bottle.

"Do you need a ride to school?" she asks while flipping the page of her newest romance novel To Love or To Die. I don't know what her obsession with these books is, but she always ends up getting at least three every time we go to Barnes and Noble.

"Uh yea if you don't mind," I respond.

"Alright give me five minutes I want to finish this chapter, Lance is about to catch her cheating," she tells me as if I know the plot line to the book.

I roll my eyes and slip on my shoes. Looking at myself in the foyer mirror I frown. My body is okay. I have enough in the places I'm supposed to and I have some curves, but my face could use a little work. So could my flat volume-less hair. I hear my mom sigh and push out her chair. I'm assuming by her reaction Lance didn't catch whoever it was in the act.

"Come on dear," my mom calls opening the door. I follow her out to her light blue Prius and hop into the passenger side.

On the way to school I keep my head against the window watching the trees pass by. My mom always has the news on in the car. I listen as the newsreader tells us about an accident on the beltway.

We finally pull into the school parking lot, and I smile goodbye to my mom and traipse into the building. As I'm walking a motorcycle zooms past me nearly hitting me and I shriek. I tighten my grip on my bag and rush into the school.

"Hey Alexia," an arm goes around me. I shrug it off knowing exactly who it is. Mason.

"Get off me Mason," I sigh.

"Come on baby I was just being nice."

"Don't call me baby. We broke up remember, you cheated? Or did you forget?" I remind him harshly. His smile fades into a frown.

"Someone obviously woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he rolls his eyes.

"Better than waking up with you," I state walking away.

"Bitch," I hear him mumble.

I choose to ignore his unnecessary comment and stop at my locker. I twist the lock, jiggle it, and it pops open. Once I take out my binder I shove my backpack in. I make my way to the bathroom by my first period class. Opening the door I'm greeted by three freshmen girls applying makeup. I smile to myself, thinking of all the reasons as to why they would have to do this. Parent thinking they're too young, rebel phase, the whole lot.