Every year on the morning of my first day of school, my mother would make a big breakfast. I’d awake to the smell of cinnamon and syrup permeating through the house. It was a nice smell, one that I had associated with being safe and happy. This year was different. My mother wasn’t alive this year, and I awoke to the shriek of my alarm clock instead of her cooking. I slammed the off button forcibly, knocking it off my nightstand in the process. I sat up in my bed, and pulled the covers off my legs. With quiet steps, I walked to the bedroom adjacent to mine and crept in. My brother, Caleb was still a sleep; His hair a mess and mouth slightly open. I sat on the edge of his bed and ran my hand through his messy hair. His eyes blinked open, and he smiled sleepily.
“Morning Beatrice” He said, a layer of sleep coating his voice
“Morning Caleb” I said, a small smile on my face. “We have school in an hour you have to get up now”
He sighed sleepily before emerging from the covers that were pulled up to his neck. I left his room, allowing him to get dressed and walked back to my own. I braided my long hair and let it hang over my shoulder. It didn’t take me long to get ready, so I headed downstairs to make pancakes for Caleb and myself. I tried my best to make them like my mother used to, with cinnamon and syrup. Even with all my effort they would never be the same.
I looked over my shoulder when I heard the sound of footsteps, expecting to see Caleb coming down the stairs. It was my father; he looked at the pan curiously.
“Pancakes” he said.
“Like mom used to make” I said, quietly.
I didn’t even have to look at him to see the pain in his eyes. He missed her, maybe even more than me and Caleb did.
“I’ll save you some if you would like” I said.
“That’s alright Beatrice, I have to be at work, thank you” he said.
He was lying, I knew that. He was going to sit in his car and cry. He did this quite often, whenever he was reminded of my mother. He kissed my cheek and then swiftly left. I piled the pancakes onto a plate and put them on the kitchen table. Caleb walked into the kitchen and smiled at me.
“Just like mom” He said
“Yea” I smiled.
We ate silently, and Caleb helped me clean up. We decided to walk since it was nice out, and we had the time.
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My first day was uneventful, as it usually was in this small town. I had seen all my friends over the summer, so there were no awaited reunions. It was lunch and I sat at the same table I sat at last year, with the same people. I ate my yogurt and thought about what it would be like to live somewhere exciting. I was pulled from my daze when my friend Christina nudged my shoulder .I turned to her and she pointed to a table a few yards away.
“You see that boy over there” She whispered.
I nodded, studying the boy she was talking about. He had short hair, and muscular arms. There was something about him that was familiar. I felt as if I knew who he was.
