"Oh god," I groan as I am pulled into consciousness by the blaring of my alarm clock.
I am so not ready to face Monday morning. My weekend was long and boring with only a few jam sessions with Donny and tons of dirty looks from Mom. I only got slapped a few times though, so It was no worse than normal.
"Turn that damn thing off!" Mother yells from across the house.
She's so classy. I slam the "off" button on the clock and climb out of bed. Trying to sook semi-presentable, I tie my copper-red hair up in a ponytail with a thin teal scarf and put on a band tee with some jeans. I hear Donny starting to stir in the room across the hall. I'm worried about leaving him home alone, but I have no other choice. I know he sleeps in shorts so I peek in his room once I'm ready.
"Oh sleepy head~" I whisper in a sing-songy voice. When he just groans in response I tiptoe over to the window across the room and grip the curtains.
"Don't you dare," He knows what I'm doing, but his face is still smothered into a pillow, so I start humming "Here Comes the Sun" and open the curtains. I know he wants to yell at me, but I also know Mom is in the house, so instead I receive a groan "Why do you hate me?"
"Oh, quite the opposite, brother dear," I walk over to his dresser and throw a clean pair of ripped up jeans at his head. When he's still not up, I wander over to his closet and throw a clean tee at his face and wander back over to the window to open the blinds.
"FINE!" He struggles out of bed and into the shirt. "What do you want from me?"
After ten years of this school routine you'd think he'd know that we always go to school together. I always wake him up, and then we always go together. I know he graduated last spring, but I still have school, so he's still going to take me.
"You know you're taking me, Donny."
He knows, but he was hoping to sleep. I leave the room, so he can change into his jeans, and wander into the kitchen. He runs in and tackles me with a hug and then simply says "No."
"Yes. You, sir, have no regular income, and I can be quite content with cereal."
"No. It's the first day at a new school, and you need coffee. Get your ass in the car."
I sigh, but follow orders. If I don't, I know he'll throw me over his shoulder and carry me to his POS car, so I really have no choice. We stop at a McDonalds and then go on to the high school. I'm filled with anxiety as I realize I'm on my own here. Donny won't be there, and I know no one in that hell hole. I have heard good things about their choir program though.
Donny sees my hesitation and pats my shoulder and flashes a reassuring smile. "You got this, Lils."
His faith in me drives my movement up the wide path leading to a large open room where people are sitting and standing around tables throughout the room. They produce a loud hum like bees in a hive. God, why are they so loud? I've been in crowds, but I don't know any of these people, and it's just small enough that I'm sure they all know each other. I'm screwed and not in a good way.
I pull out my schedule and head towards my first class even though I still have at least thirty minutes before they're required to let me in. Making my way through twists and turns, I finally find my first class. Oh joy. Geometry.
I'm relieved to see Donny's car parked in the back of the parking lot. It's all I can do not to run to him. The day was filled with mingling and explanations, and since all of the kids grew up together, I was still the new kid. I'd say "thank god it's over," but thanks to block scheduling I have another day of this shit, so four down four to go.
