The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter One

"We're gonna be late!" I yell up the stairs, craning my neck to see if I spot my siblings up the stairs.

All I hear are stampeding feet, running up and down the hall as multiple people try to get ready at once. I pace to the front door, and then back up the wide hallway to the stairs.

"Come on!" I groan, tapping my foot as I check my phone once again. If we leave right now, I can drop them off and make it just in time for the late bell.

"You have one minute before I leave without you!" I walk into the kitchen and grab the five lunch pails that are in a line on the counter. But this time I walk back to the bottom of the stairs the pounding feet are heading in my direction.
"God, we aren't even late," Jazmine huffs as she prances down the stairs.

I roll my eyes as I hand her a pail and shoo her to the door, my hand only grazing her arm instead of smacking it like I intended. But I can't respond to her because Kahlil is bounding down the stairs, nearly running into me.

"Woah, there Striker," I laugh, steadying him and myself before handing him one of the pails as well.

"I don't want the purple one," he groans as he checks the contents. "Give me the red one."

"They all have the same stuff inside of it," I roll my eyes as I push him toward the door. "Now go get in the car or you can walk."

He huffs just like Jazzy but continues outside, mumbling something about his friends making fun of him. I ignore him as I wait for the last two, checking my phone for the millionth time.

"I'm leaving!" I yell up stairs, stomping my feet dramatically as I pretend to walk to the door.

"No!" Someone screeches from upstairs. "We're coming don't leave!"

I don't even look up the stairs this time, trusting the sound of feet rushing down the stairs as I walk to the front door to grab my backpack and keys off the front table.

"Where's my lunch?" Reagan calls from the kitchen.

"In my hand, let's go!" I yell opening the door wide as I look back down the hallway.

Rowan is sitting on the bottom step, struggling to put on her shoes as her hair keeps falling into her face. She finally slides the both of them on and is trying to push herself off the step as Reagan rounds the corner, sending her falling backward onto the step as he plows down the hallway.

"Watch where you're going, Bear!" Rowan yells, struggling to pull herself up.

Reagan throws a sloppy smile over his shoulder as he snatches one of the pails out of my hand and runs outside. I roll my eyes as I walk over to Rowan and help her off, dusting off the dirt that is now on her butt.

"Come on, Bug. Let's get going." I push one of her braids out of her face as I hand her the red lunch pail I was saving for myself.

She smiles broadly, he tongue poking out through her missing front tooth, as she grabs my hand and starts pulling me to the door. I quickly lock the door behind me and run to the van that's parked in the driveway. I launch myself into the front seat, throwing on my seatbelt as I turn around to make sure that everyone is inside and buckled up. Kahlil is just clicking Rowan into her booster seat as turn on the car and put it in reverse. I check the clock on the dashboard, speeding out of the driveway and down the street.

I'm so going to be late.

I go on autopilot as I drive through the regular traffic to drop off the twins at school. I smile and wave as the schoolyard attendant ushers them into them up the front steps, their overfilled backpacks nearly as large as they are. Next up is Kahlil, although his middle school is just down the street from the elementary school. He gets out of the car without a wave or a goodbye, throwing up his hands in the air as a hello to a group of his friends that are waiting outside the gates. Finally it is only Jazzy and me in the car, but that doesn't last long as I round the corner to our high school.