Baby Independent (Bratayley version) // COMPLETED

4

*first day of school*
Hayley

My eyes flutter open to the sound of my mom breaking bottles. Great. She's awake. I quietly pull myself off the mattress and get dressed in one of my nicest outfits to make a good impression. A pair of too short jeans, a faded t-shirt, a pair of old beat up sneakers, and an old jacket. I made sure everything was in my ugly backpack, and I crept downstairs. Good. Mom had passed out on the couch. I slipped past and took a granola bar off the shelf. I ran out the door and through the woods.

I walked to the corner of the street and ate my breakfast. I stood at the bus stop, pondering over everything that could go wrong today. In the past, I had been the only person getting picked up at this stop, but I saw another girl my age walking over to the corner. Her clothes looked so nice. She's so lucky. She said hi, and I forced a smile. I think she could tell it was fake. The bus came, and we hopped on. I rushed into the back, worried that she was going to sit next to me. Luckily, she didn't see me. She sat near the front.

When we were assigned seats in 3rd period, I had to sit next to her. Yes, I've always wanted a friend, someone to comfort me. But I don't want someone to judge me for what I have or what I look like. Anyway, the teacher then handed us workbooks, and we turned to page 1. Our teacher asked us to use highlighters for an activity, and I didn't have any. Only a pen, two pencils, and an eraser. The girl was taking a highlighter out of her pencil case, and I saw a few more inside. So I asked her if I could borrow one. Then she said I can pick a color. I even get to choose a color?! Wow. I guess she's new, because everyone else knows how poor I am and just give me the ugliest color. So I take advantage, and pick my favorite color, purple.

After class, I was walking out the door, and the girl, Annie, introduced herself. I did too. Then we compared schedules. We all had the same classes! Well, except for 1st and 2nd. We sat at lunch together. But of course, she had to see me not give money to the cashier lady. So when I sat down across from her, she asked why I didn't pay. I lied and said the lady was my aunt. I don't think she bought it though. In reality, I'm part of what's called the Free and Reduced lunch program. I get free food for lunch because my family, er, mom, doesn't make very much money.

For the rest of my classes, I was pretty bored. I doodled in the back of my notebooks. Then it was time to go home. I put my binder and pencil case in my backpack and headed for the bus with Annie. We got off at our stop and went our separate ways. She went to a huge and beautiful house, and I went to my broken one. Well, I went to my fort. I sat on the blanket and opened a book. I read around 200 pages, then I went into my home. I watched where I was stepping as I made my way to the small kitchen. I opened the pantry, and the only food left was a few packages of ramen noodles. I filled a pan with water and dumped some noodles in. I sat patiently and waited. Then I turned off the gas stove and added some salt to the noodles and put them in a bowl. I ate quietly, then washed my bowl and fork. I put them away and went to my room. It wasn't late by now, but I was tired and really didn't have anything to do, so I went to bed.

Guys, honestly ramen is the only thing I have ever cooked on the stove without help 😂😂😂