Happier

Chapter 9

When the alarm wakes Lacey up that Tuesday morning, she finds herself tangled up with Cole's body on her bed. After their little moment last night, they watched some TV and must've fallen asleep. Thinking about last night makes her sigh a little. That shouldn't have happened. She has a boyfriend, for crying out loud. And she loves him. She decides to get out of bed, but is careful not to wake the boy next to her. Barefoot, she pads downstairs to where her sister is sitting at the breakfast bar, enjoying some granola and yoghurt.
"Morning," Stacey greets with a smile. She's always been very chipper in the mornings while Lacey is the grumpiest. They've always laughed, saying Stacey was switched at birth.
"Morning," Lacey says back with a smile and grabs two bowls to fill with granola, yoghurt, and berries. She hopes Cole likes that in the morning. Has he even been eating whilst he was away from home? Just as the thought leaves her mind, a tired-looking Cole enters the kitchen.
"Morning," the Goldberg sisters say in unison. Stacey looks at her sister for a moment, she's way too happy for a morning.
"Made you some breakfast," Lacey starts carefully as she sits down on one of the stools next to Stacey. Cole gives her a smile and sits down too. "Do you like granola and yoghurt? We have cereals too, if you want. Or toast," she rambles, kind of nervous about his first morning at the Goldberg residence. Stacey has to keep herself from laughing at her sister's nervousness.
"Granola is okay, Lace," Cole tells her followed by a chuckle. The three of them eat in silence for a while until Stacey decides to make small talk.
"So, Cole, where do you come from?" Lacey gives her younger sister a questioning look.
"Born and raised in Cherry Hill," Cole replies with a smile, not wanting to be rude to the people that put a roof above his head.
"What happened with your parents?" Stacey wants to know.
"Stace!" Lacey nearly shouts to try and make her sister shut up.
"No, Lace, it's okay," Cole assures her with his mouth full of berries, "My dad got fired last year, he started drinking and selling drugs and stuff. So, my mother took my sister Cara and left us. I didn't want to live with my father either, so I've been living everywhere. First, in the back of the diner somewhere. I worked there, so Lucy, the owner, was okay with it. Then I got fired and I had to move again. So, I moved into the school's janitor closet until Lacey found me," he explains honestly, not averting his eyes from his breakfast. Lacey puts her hand on his back, softly rubbing it in comfort.
"I'm sorry, Cole. I hope everything turns out alright for you and your family," Stacey tells him honestly. That's when Cole looks up and gives the younger Goldberg a smile.
"Thanks, Stace," he says. The three continue eating and chat a little bit until Lacey and Cole go upstairs to get dressed and ready for school. When Stacey is ready too, all three of them hop into the car to drive to school.
"Cole," Lacey starts when she pulls over in the parking lot, "Why don't you go ahead? I need to talk to Stacey real quick," Lacey makes up a white lie, just so she won't be seen with him. He nods and gets out of the car, leaving the sisters behind.
"Are you still on that popularity thing?" Stacey asks with a sigh. She knows her sister too well.
"It's social suicide if I'm seen with Cole, Stace," Lacey runs her finger through her hair in frustration. She likes Cole, a lot. Otherwise she wouldn't have kissed him. But she loves the attention and popularity too much to give that up. And she loves Archie.
"Screw that, sis. Is popularity more important to you than friendship, or love? I see the way you look at him, Lacey. It's not the same way you look at Archie. Not anymore. You're just holding onto him because you need that status. When are you going to realize that this is your last year in high school and you're ruining it by choosing the things that make you the least happy," the wise words coming out of the sixteen-year old's voice, surprises Lacey a little. She's not wrong. In fact, she couldn't be more right. Friendship should be more important than popularity. Cole should be more important than her popularity. And maybe she doesn't love Archie as much as she used to, but she still loves him. A sigh leaves Lacey's body.
"You're right, little sis," she says, a quiver in her voice.
"Yeah, I am. Think about it, Lace. Your last few months as a senior are going to be so much better if you think about your priorities," Stacey states and gives her sister a smile. Lacey smiles back.
"Let's go to school," the older sister suggests and they both get out of the car.
Lacey and Stacey split up and go their own way. The eldest goes to her friends at their usual spot.
"Morning," she greets, kissing Archie on the lips. The others say their 'hello's too before they continue their conversation. Lacey isn't really engaging in the conversation. She hears their voices, but she has no idea what they're saying. All she hears is her sister's voice repeating everything she's said this morning. Maybe Lacey should sort out her priorities, maybe that'll make her so much happier. Because right now, what she feels isn't happiness. It's nothing. She feels nothing. She's numb. That one Thursday in March has made her numb. The bell ringing makes her snap up from her deep thoughts and the others look at her, a little confused and worried. The blondie gives them a smile and then walks into the school, followed by them.