7 Things

Chapter 1

I heard the familiar beeping sound of my alarm clock and groaned. Why did it have to be Monday already? I rolled over and slapped my hand over the top, hitting the snooze button. I turned back over and tried to fall back asleep.

"Skyler! It's time to get up!" My dad yelled, downstairs. I made a noise that didn't sound human and threw the comforter off of me.

"It's too early!" I yelled back, sitting up in my bed. I sat there, staring at my light blue walls, too tired to actually get up.

"I'm making chocolate pancakes!" My dad yelled again.

Damn, he's using my weakness against me. I stood up and walked over to my vanity. I grimaced as I looked into the mirror. Last night, I stayed up for hours studying for exams. I probably fell asleep around 3 AM. My make-up was smudged down my face and I had dark circles underneath my eyes. Great, just great. I suddenly felt my stomach cramp up and I doubled over in pain. Why did mother nature hate me so badly? Why did Eve have to eat that freaking apple? I stumbled into the bathroom and grabbed the Midol from the cabinet. I threw two pills down my throat and swallowed. I felt the pill get lodged into my throat and I felt myself gasping for air. I ran over to my sink and turned it on. I stuck my head underneath the facet and gulped down the water. I swallowed and could still feel it stuck in my throat.

It wasn't a good feeling. It hurt every time I swallowed. I trudged out of my room and down the stairs.

"Good morning, sleepy head." My dad greeted, rubbing my head. I slapped his hand away. "Pill lodged in throat." I croaked, heading for the loaf of bread. I tore a couple pieces off, swallowing them. I poured a glass of milk and swallowed. To my delight, the pill went down. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed back upstairs.

"Your pancakes are ready!" My dad hollered whilst I was halfway up the stairs.

"Give them to Mason!" I yelled, groggily. Mason is my 14 year old brother. It's just Mason and I living with our dad. Our mom died last year from lung cancer. Every time I think about it, I start trembling and bawling hysterically. Every month, I stop by my mom's grave and tell her how much I miss her. I know she's 6 feet under, but I know she can hear me from up there in heaven.

I felt the familiar tears stream down my face. I wiped them away and walked into the bathroom. I stripped off my tank top and pajama pants and turned on the hot water. I stepped into the shower, letting the steaming water pelt down on my aching muscles. I stood there for a little while, thinking until I heard a banging on my door. I groaned, "What?"

"Hurry. I need to take a shower too." Mason said, annoyance seething from his voice.

"You have a bathroom." I growled, "Go use that."

"It's broken." I heard him mumble.

"How'd you break your shower?"

"Uh, I uh, I was playing baseball in my room."

"What does that have to do with your shower?" I asked, rolling my eyes although he couldn't see me.

"Jake threw it and I hit it and it soared through my bathroom and broke the shower head."

I snorted, and starting choking on the water. I turned it off and stepped out of the shower, covering myself up with a towel. I opened the door to let him in, "That would only happen to you."

He made a face and stalked into my bathroom, slamming the door. "Somebody has his man period this month." I muttered to myself, headed for my closet. On my way there, I forgot something important.

"Crap." I mumbled, walking back over to my bathroom. I opened the door and screamed. "Ah! My eyes!"

"Skyler! What the hell?" Mason growled, covering himself up.

"I needed to get something important!" I yelled, still covering my eyes with my hands.

"Why didn't you ask to come in?" He asked.

"I didn't think about it." I admitted, "Are you in the shower now?"

"Oh yeah, right." He said. I heard his feet shuffling, then the sound of running water.

"Okay. I'm in." He replied.

I peeked out and to my relief, he was in the shower. I opened my cabinet and grabbed the box of tampons and fleed. I then proceeded towards my closet. I grabbed a pair of grey sweatpants, a white tee shirt and a purple sweatshirt that had the words, "Lakewood High" written across it in white letters.

I finished everything and walked back into my room.

"Wow, you look like shit today." Mason chuckled, walking out of my bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Ew. Put a shirt on, Mase." I scowled, turning my head and walking towards my vanity.

I grabbed a hairbrush and brushed through my wet hair. I grabbed my hair dryer and began drying the blonde mess. I finished and applied a little bit of mascara and concealer. I walked downstairs, the smell of pancakes still wafting in the air.

"They're probably cold by now." My dad said, not looking up from his newspaper. I shrugged and poured the Aunt Jemima's syrup all over my pancakes. I stuck a fork in them and chewed them, moaning with pleasure.

"So they're good?" My dad asked, raising his eyebrows.

I nodded, "Spectacular."

"Good." He smiled.

"What time is it?" I asked with a mouthful of food.

"7:47." My dad replied, not phased by the time.

I choked on my pancakes.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking above his reading glasses.

I shook my head, "I have to be at school in 10 minutes." I chugged some orange juice down my throat and bolted for the stairs. I ran up and into my bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth. I ran to the foot of my bed and strapped on my black vans.

I rushed downstairs and grabbed my backpack. "Come on, Mase!" I yelled. My little brother came running into the den with a toothbrush in his mouth.

"What?"

I pulled my phone out of my backpack and my eyes widened. "It's 7:55!"

Mason's eyes bulged out of his head, "Shit." He muttered, running back into the hallway. I rolled my eyes and walked outside.

My brother and I weren't always OCDing about being late, but this is the time of midterm exams. We have exams before Christmas break, and this was not a time to be late. I made my engine roar to life and turned the heat on. It was freezing outside. I have a tan 2005 Honda Accord. We weren't the richest family out there, since we only had one parent fending for us.

I watched as my brother trampled out of the house and ran towards my car. He swung open the door and jumped in, slamming the door closed.

I winced, "Do you always have to slam the door?"

"Do you always ask so many questions?"

I rolled my eyes, "Touche."

He smirked and turned on the radio. It was set on my You Me At Six CD and 'Loverboy' blasted through the speakers. He turned his nose up and switched it to the radio.

"How can you listen to that stuff?" He found a station and Drake blared through the speakers.

"How can you listen to that stuff?" I asked, backing the car up.

"Touche." My brother said, nodding his head in approval. I shook my head, heading towards Lakewood High School.

*so this is just the beginning. I know it may seems reaaaalllllyyyy boring, but I promise it gets better.. Of course it does, it's a Niall fan fic. ^.^