Angel on Earth

Chapter One: I Need a Job

Monroe's POV

"Monroe! Time to get up!"

I blinked open my eyes and raised my head up. I groaned and face planted into my mattress, only to lift my head again with a grimace. I touched the corner of my mouth as I looked at the dark circle on my sheets.

Ew.

"Monroe!! Get up!!"

"I'm up!" I called back. I rolled out of bed and grunted when I hit the floor. I pushed myself up and walked over to my closet.

It's October, and it was already getting cold. It was a little strange for it to be this cold when October just started two days ago, but I preferred colder weather. I pulled a thick blue sweater out of my closet along with a pair of skinny jeans out of my dresser. I pulled off my pajamas and shivered at the cold air. I hurriedly pulled on my clothes and grabbed a pair of socks before putting them on my feet. I wiggled my toes and stood up.

I descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen, only to jump back when a chorus of "SURPRISE!!" rang in my ears.

I grinned and stepped into the kitchen again. Mom pulled me into a tight hug. "Happy birthday, Monroe! Aww, my little baby is a little adult now!"

I groaned. "Mom, I'm not little!"

Dad ruffled my black hair I got from him. "You're right, you're just compressed."

I made a sound of indignation. "I'm not compressed!!"

That was a lie. I was barely 5'2" and wasn't very likely to grow anymore. When I was younger, doctors thought something was wrong with me, but they could never find anything. I was just little.

Mom laughed and hugged me again. "Oh, I know, it's just fun to see you all riled up. Anyway, your breakfast is on the table. I'll see you later, okay?"

I nodded as I sat down at the table. "Okay, Mom, see you later."

Dad kissed the top of my head. "I got to get going too, squirt. You know, citizens to protect, bad guys to catch."

I giggled and nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Robberies to stop, I know the drill."

With one final wave and a 'love you' from both my parents, I was left alone in my house. I sighed and let the smile fall off my face. It sounds so quiet now. As I ate my waffles, I couldn't help but wish I had something to block out the silence.

I wish I had a little brother. Or sister. Maybe then I wouldn't be so alone all the time.

***

"Monroe! Over here!" I looked over and saw an arm waving around frantically. I smiled and moved to sit with my best friends, James and William.

James Williamson was only sixteen and the youngest but tallest in our trio. He played on the basketball team and had short brown hair. He was sitting on the edge of the table with one foot planted on the bench and the other on the ground. James was dribbling a basketball with the hand not waving around in the air. When his light brown eyes locked with my blue ones, he grinned and put his arm down. Unfortunately for him, James hit the back of William's head.

William Jameson was older than James but younger than me at seventeen. He had sandy blonde hair that hung in his dark brown eyes. William closed the binder he was hunched over and taking notes in and hit James in the back of his head. James turned to William with a pout, making William roll his eyes and hit him again.

I placed my tray down and was pulled into James's lap. "Monroe, Willie's being mean to me!"

William's upper lip curled. "I told you not to call me that!" He barked as he stood up and raised the binder again.

James ducked down behind me with the intent of using me as a human shield. I gestured to the binder William had raised in the air. "What's that?"

William stopped inches away from James's head. "It's the new script for the play we're going to put on," he explained as he sat back down.

I tilted my head as James moved out from behind me. I pulled my tray closer and picked up a french fry. "Shouldn't it be in the theatre room?"

William nodded. "Yeah, but I'm filling out the props list and fixing the script to fit the stage we have and eliminating some of the scenes to fit the time limit for our competition. I'm also going through and taking note of the costumes everyone needs to wear so we have them ready to go for rehearsals."

As William talked, James turned to me and moved his mouth up and down while opening and closing his hand. I stifled my giggles as William noticed and picked up the binder again. Once William finished talking, he turned to a still-oblivious James and hit him on the top of the head. James rubbed the top of his head with one hand and chucked a fry at William with the other, who caught it in his mouth.

James rolled his eyes and turned to me once again. "So, Monroe, you turned eighteen today! How does it feel to be an adult?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, the same I guess. Nothing really changed."

"Does that mean you're finally going to get a job?" William said with a teasing smile.

I took a breath to tell him off but stopped. I shrugged. "I could use one. I mean, it'll keep me busy. And I'll get paid."

James and William both turned to me and blinked at the same time. "Really?" They asked in unison. They suddenly turned to each other.

"Jinx!"

"Double jinx!"

"Triple jinx!"

James punched William on the shoulder before they could say the same thing again. I rolled my eyes at the action as William rubbed the spot where James had punched him.

"And yes, really. I need a job," I said as I popped another french fry in my mouth.

James and William exchanged a glance before shrugging. William opened the binder back up and began to scribble in it. James began to ramble about his latest basketball game.

I listened half-heartedly as I thought about what I could do.

***

"So, Mom, I was talking to James and William today," I said during dinner.

"What were you talking about?" she asked as she cut her steak.

"I was thinking it was about time I got a job."

Dad spit out his tea back into his cup. "So soon?"

I frowned. "What do you mean? Over half the people my age have already had a job. Besides, I'm an adult now. I can handle a job," I said almost defensively.

Dad held up his hands. "Okay, okay, I didn't mean to offend you. Do you know where you want to work?"

I shook my head. "No, I was going to search for something online tonight."

Mom pressed her lips together. "Okay, if you don't find something let me know. I'm sure you could intern at my work."

I nodded even though I probably wouldn't tell her if I didn't find something. "Okay, Mom. May I be excused?"

After Mom and Dad both nodded, I ran upstairs and threw on some pajamas with fuzzy bottoms. I grabbed my laptop and turned it on. After looking around for about an hour with nothing that struck me as interesting, I shut down my laptop and crawled under the covers.

I yawned and closed my eyes, thinking of what I could possibly do as a first job.

***

Alright! That was chapter one! As with my other story, I'm going to be updating this story every Sunday. So, until then!