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1

The smell of burnt toast permeates the air, waking me from my slumber. The clock reads four thirty a.m and school doesn't start until eight. I get up and walk downstairs to find my mom beating the toast with a cloth.

'Mom... What are you doing?' i question sleepily.

'Oh... hey, Atarah' she said while turning towards me and leaning against the counter.

'What are you doing?' i ask again.

'The toast was on fire' her eyes were red and the blue bags under her eyes made her face seem ghost-like.

'Mom go back to bed, i can prepare breakfast for the family' i help her over to the stairs and watch her walk up slowly.

I walk back to the kitchen and open the fridge. By the time im done preparing the mountain of eggs and toast its already five thirty. I skip up the stairs and slap on my school uniform -which i was never fond of. I strategically braid my hair down my back and go wake my dad and two older brothers. I watch tv while i wait. I settle for a cooking show.

'What nonsense are you watching?' Asher said while entering the tv room.

'It is not nonsense' i reply 'i made breakfast for you. Its in the kitchen' i add.

'Mmm' he mumbles.

'Mmm what?'

'Mmm... it makes sense' he chuckles and i giggle with him.

'What makes sense?' i question

'The burnt toast smell' he said chuckling again. I turn around to see his body towering over me, only wearing a pair of pyjama pants.

'Oh i thought that smell was you' i fired back cheerfully. And to my delight he smelt his armpits and then looked at me, his face puzzled.

'The food is in the kitchen. Go eat before it gets cold... Well... Colder' i say while smirking at him.

I switch the tv off and follow Asher to the kitchen to get my serving.

'So... today's look is a skin shirt, huh?' i say while reaching for the plates.

'Yup' he replies, deadpan.

'Ash?' i not convinced about his poker face.

'I dont have any clean shirts' he whines.

'Oh well... Im sure Leah would not mind' i tease, with harshness in my voice which was not intended. Leah is his girlfriend, whenever she is around, Asher treats me like a stranger.

'Atarah' My dads booming voice fills the kitchen.

'Sorry dad. Sorry Ash' i say, hanging my head low. I take the plates and hand them out.

'Trae?' i call for my other brother.

'Dont bother, that child wont listen to anyone but himself' Asher sneers.

'When you shower, make sure you wash off the attitude' i remarked.

He muttered something under his breath and piled his plate with eggs and toast. Trae walked into the kitchen and i handed him a plate. When he went to sit next to Asher, Ash's shoulders tensed and he looked like a vampire trying not to eat someone.

'Morning Asher, Father' he said while nodding in their direction.

Ashers face turned red with anger.

'Morning Trae' Father calls from the kitchen.

'Oh, hey chopped liver' i say sarcastically.

'Tara!' Trae beamed as he got up and walked over to engulf me in a huge hug.

Asher hit the table with his fists while he stood up. He storms out of the room, angrily knocking his chair over.

'Asher! Where are your manners?' Dads voice thundered up the stairs in Ashers direction.

'Here dad, you need to eat' i say while holding out a plate of breakfast for him to take. I sit down next to Trae and gulp down my breakfast.

'So... What was that all about?' i ask casually. When i get no reply in return i know i should back off. Trae went upstairs to prepare himself and Asher came down, freshened up and ready to go to school. Dad plants a kiss on my forehead and heads out to work.

'You ready for school?' i asked cheerfully as i smiled at Asher.

'No, Im ready for hell' he replies sarcastically.

'Same thing'

Trae enters with a wide smile

'Lets bounce' he says as he heads for the door.

'Bye mom!' i call as i grab my bag and walk out the door. Asher follows, emotionless and gets into the backseat of Trae's 2013 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 convertible next to me.