Shades Darker | BWWM

5:45 am ✨ {Edited}

"Kendra Renee Lyon" Ma calls from the other side of my bedroom door. I choose to not even open my eyes as I groan.

"I'm up," I call back to her.

"Now actually get out of bed and get ready for school" She demands. I hear her walk away and I roll my eyes as I pull the blanket off my body. I feel around my bed for my phone and I open it up for the time.

5:45 a.m.

I rub the sleep out of my eyes and take the bonnet off my head. My braids fall and I yawn tiredly. The fact that I'm up and it's still dark outside is preposterous. Treasonous even!

"Why can't it be Saturday?" I complain as I fight the air.

I ruffle my hair and finally get out of bed to get ready for the day. After my morning routine, I make my way downstairs to find ma in the kitchen. Ma is a college professor and every morning she has to have her coffee before she heads out.

"Do you want some, it's fresh?" She questions and I tell her yes. She makes my cup the way that I like it and sets it down in front of me. I take a sip and turn to her.

"So, ma, what's for breakfast?" I ask in a hopeful tone.

"Ha!" She laughs as she mixes in some half and half. I pout at her rejection.

"You better grab a banana or that half bagel in the fridge and get on," She says.

"But I hate bananas and what is half of a bagel?" I question her.

"Then eat them together and it won't taste so banana-like and it'll fill you up" She suggests and I gag.

"That's nasty!" I reprimand as she chuckles at her joke. I ask her for breakfast money and after she takes a sip from her cup she turns and stares at me.

"You have a job" She reminds me but I shrug my shoulders.

"True, but who got the time to get out their card, swipe, and by that time I'll be late for school. I think cash will be more efficient" I argue as I hold out my hand.

She grabs my hand and squeezes instead, "That's why they created banks and ATMs" She argues back and I pout.

"Be strong my love" Ma grabs her keys and drops them in her school bag and heads for the door.

"Love you" I call out and she blows me a kiss.

"Oh and make sure your brother gets up on time for school," She tells me and I tell her that I'll drive him myself.

When she closes the door I go to lock it. I hear my eldest brother Keon come down the stairs still in his pajamas and when he stares at me for a second and then my cup of coffee I give him my 'don't you dare' face.

We both rush for it but he grabs it and downs the entire cup!

"Keon! The Keurig is right there make your own" I shout angrily. Keon hands the empty cup back to me.

"No thanks I already had some" He responds with a grin on his face. As he tries to hug me I push him away.

"Don't you have class?" I question him.

"Well, baby sister college is not like high school. I can take afternoon classes and sleep in" He informs me and I roll my eyes.

"You do that anyway. Do you even go to class?" I snap back and Keon laughs at me as he opens the fridge.

"Too much money for me not to go. I'm not like you who goes to school for free and skips out." He mentions as he grabs the half bagel. He glances around for a second before he takes a banana out of the fruit basket.