Wish We Could Turn Back Time m.c

Chapter 32

The picture is of the same person it always is :3

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I'm so glad our mum landed such a good job. Like she said, it really does pay well. Unfortunately, Darren still can't get an Xbox, but we've been meeting every bill payment on time, stocking the fridge and cabinets full every time we go grocery shopping, and we were able to fix the old washing machine and dryer that our townhouse came with and then broke shortly after, causing us to not have to go to the laundromat anymore.

The best thing out of all of this though, which I feel bad for thinking 'cause it's completely selfish, but I got to quit my other job at McDonald's too. When she first got her job, my mum let me quit at KFC immediately but I kept my second job for awhile, just in case. After a couple weeks, my mum felt like it was safe to quit the other one too, leaving the rest of my summer open to talk to Jasmine and mentally prepare for this concert that I'm going to next month, which I was so grateful for. I can't believe it's already this close, here it is, middle of September and concert day is October fourth. Can you believe?

On the first day back at school, I walked like I usually do and big surprise: I didn't see Al. I honestly felt numb about him at this point. No one greeted me, now a senior, esteemed upper class-man, upon my entering the school. No friends ran up to me and hugged me, asking how my summer was or to say that they missed me. No one said hi to me and no one barely even acknowledged I existed, but I surprised myself that day by not caring.

Come lunch time, I thought about going outside to sit at my usual picnic table and read like I used to before Al even went to this school, but I decided against it. Instead, I actually sat in the cafeteria for once. I still read and I still ate just a sandwich and an apple like I always pack for myself from home, but it was nice in there. No Charlotte and her crew giggling noisily at things that weren't funny, no threat of being knocked off my seat and my book interrupted just because Charlotte wanted to use my table that day, no distracting Al stealing glances over his shoulder at me. Just the gentle hum of friends talking and laughing all around me as I sat alone at my new table among the noise, yet at the same time in peace and quiet.

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Al's POV

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On the morning of my first day of senior year, I woke up to a horn blaring outside my house, and not my mum's raspy beater horn either, a nice, finely tuned one. I opened my window, which was on the first floor and facing the driveway, and got a nice view of Charlotte's white Corvette.

"Hurry up!" She shouted, "we're going to be late!"

I turned around and stole a glance at my clock on the far wall. You've got to be kidding me. "It's six thirty!" I shouted back at her. I literally lived within walking distance to school, closer than Lacey even. She's probably woken up my mum and all my brothers now as well. Great.

"Starbucks?" She looked at me as if to say duh and I just rolled my eyes. We wouldn't have to leave this early if the dang baristas wouldn't take so long to make Charlotte's double whip frapp skim extra mocha expresso or whatever the hell she orders.

"I'll be out in five," I say before shutting the window before scrambling to get ready. After brushing my teeth and all that good stuff I simply threw on  a Morris Farms T shirt I just grabbed out of my drawer and then some plain blue jeans. Good enough, I think.

"That's what you're wearing?" Charlotte asked upon my coming outside.

"Yeah?" I asked, confused why it was so important to her I dress fancy on the first day of school like her with her pink skirt and matching bra top thing that she'd got at Forever 21 that day. She didn't reply and we just rode to Starbucks together in silence. I ordered black coffee which literally took them about five seconds to make. Charlotte's took a good fifteen.

When we finally got to actual school, it was seven forty five and the place was crawling with kids, all in fancier outfits than they would normally wear. Charlotte's friends hugged me and greeted me and asked how I'd been and stuff. I indulged and just gave stereo typical answers just so they'd move on and start to Charlotte about what such and such was wearing and leave me out of it. While Charlotte and I hung out a lot over the summer, her friends and I thankfully did not. I was too busy with working anyway, but I honestly just found them all annoying.

As I walked around school that morning, lots of people said hi to me or nodded my way or something or the other. It sounds crazy, but over the summer I actually kind of forgot so many people knew me now. Even girls in outfits similar to Charlotte's would bat their eyelashes at me and say how much they missed me over the summer and how cute I looked today. Jeans and a T shirt, what a rebel, everyone said. I made a mental note to come tomorrow in my signature khaki pants and collared shirt like normal. It's hard to be popular, everyone notices exactly what you say and do.

None of this other stuff mattered though, because really the only thing I could think about was my family. I was still so excited that my mom had won the custody of us a couple weeks before and that all of that stress could just be lifted out of our lives. It sounds silly because I know my mom's at work and all my brothers are at their schools right now, but I kind of want to just go home and spend more time with them. For lots of people, they hang out with their family a lot less when they know they'll never have to lose them or separate from them, but for me I feel like it's the other way around.

At lunch time, we all go to sit outside at the picnic tables just like last year. I don't see Lacey and at first think she's not here, but then I think she probably is here on the first day at school and just chose to sit somewhere else. I glance at nothing whenever I turn away to avoid Charlotte's conversations with her friends and I think about and dread the concert coming up where we're all going to have to see each other again. I have a strong feeling things are not going to be pretty.

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End of Chapter 32.

And right you are, Al, my friend. WHO'S EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER CAUSE AM!

I'm so frickin' sleepy but I don't care. Now it's finally starting to feel like summer, yay.

I'm going on vacation about two weeks from now, but don't worry, I'll still find a way to do daily updates. Maybe I'll have to pre write the chapters or at least pre outline them (which I do for every chapter) but I don't know quite yet. Maybe I'll just write as I go since it's a road trip and I'll be spending a lot of time in the car with nothing to do. ANYWAY, don't worry, I got y'all.

Question of the day: favorite anime? I'll warn you, I haven't seen a lot because I just stared watching it a little while ago, but so far mine is Black Butler. I need some good recommendations though so have at it!

Song of the day: Drive by Halsey

Love ya <3

-SJ