Bad Manners || ZM

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The first thing I recognize when I wake up is the sweet, smokey smell of bacon. With that, I felt a twinge of sadness. Waking up to this smell was something I had gotten used to over the years. Going to college is so bittersweet for me. I relish in the thought of being independent and having a real sense of freedom. It also sucks because I'm so dependent on my parents. Or my dad, at least. I am dependent on him, but he's also my best friend.

Today is the day I finish packing everything up and leave for UCLA. Attending UCLA has been a dream of mine since I can remember. It has a great medical program, but not only that, the campus is beyond beautiful. It has such an old, historic look to it, but at the same time, so modern. It was the perfect campus. It was so open. I already made my schedule out, and it turned out all my classes were somewhat close to each other. My dorm is on the East side of the campus, close to my math classes. My dorm is conveniently on the first floor. I don't know who my room mate is yet, but I'm hoping my request to be with my best friend, Daya, was seen.

I got up from bed to take a shower and let the hot water attempt to wash away the stress for the upcoming move. I didn't start school for another two weeks but they're letting us move in early to get some last minute stuff finished up at school. I have all my stuff squared away, but I'm mostly just going to get the move out of thew way.

"Rhian", I heard my dad call. I hopped out of the shower and quickly picked out a pair of cute and comfortable shorts and a t-shirt and got dressed. I saw my younger sister, Addison, in her usual spot next too mine at the table, which was across the table from my stepmom, Dee. I was again saddened by the realization that this is the last time I'll be able to sit down with my family and have a nice breakfast with them for a while. I shook it off and tried to seem happy and excited about the transition I was about to experience.

Dad filled my plate with all of my breakfast favorites. Biscuits and gravy, sausage, scrambled eggs, extra crispy baked bacon, and white bread toast with butter and blackberry jelly. I'm a foody, so the moment I saw the delicious meal, my worries were pushed aside, at least for the moment.

I dug in, shoveling as much into my mouth as I could, as if my food were going to sprout legs and run away. My dad knows how much I enjoy a good meal, and he always puts in a huge effort when cooking for me.

When I was finished with my food, I got up and cleared my spot at the table, then continued to try to clear everybody else's place.

"No, honey. You go finish getting things ready for your move today. We've got this," my stepmom says with a sad smile. Even though Dee isn't my biological mother, she really stepped in when we needed a mother figure and she's made my dad really happy. I'm going to definitely miss her when I leave. I'm going to miss everyone.

"Okay, thanks," I say with a smile in return. I bound up the stairs and back into my room to try to get some of my miscellaneous things together. I mentally made a check list for myself. After I have everything completely finished, I finish getting ready and do light makeup.

I head out and begin to load up as much as I can into my little car, then continue to help my parents load up the rest into their car.

"Are you going to follow me or am I going to follow you?" I ask my dad.

"It's your school honey, we'll follow you."

"Alrighty," I return.

We all hop in our cars and drive to the south side of town where the interstate is and head to UCLA. The drive goes by fast, especially since my sister drove with me. When we pull up to the school, I'm just as amazed as the first time I saw it. Even on a Saturday, the campus was so busy and full of life. I drive to the East side of campus where my dorm is, with my parents following.