Her Last Letter

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sophia

Early mornings were a high school student's worst nightmare. To me, it was expected.

On weekdays, my alarm goes off by five o'clock sharp and I'm up once my hand shuts it off. I don't leave until two hours later though. My mother, who's a nurse, takes early shifts at the hospital and my father's one of the main cardiologists in the building, so he needs to be there by the time I wake up. My older brother Ian is in college, a university five hours away from our home. Therefore, I'm given the responsibility of taking care of Carter, my adorable yet stressful seven year old sibling.

I wish I could say that it only takes me one hour to help him dress, brush his teeth, fix him breakfast and walk him to his bus stop, but I would be dreaming then. He loves sleep more than anyone else I've ever seen and rousing him from his peaceful slumber makes him the crankiest child alive. It takes me half an hour to drag him out of bed. Once I do, he doesn't give up without a fight and tends to give me a run for my money. Kicking, screaming, fussing, crying, and more. It's like he's a totally different kid compared to his normal behavior. 

He's quite the charmer in school. With his bright blue eyes, one innocent look can make the meanest teacher soften up and become mush in his hands. I've seen him do it without even realizing. My older brother's done it before. In fact, so have I. However, Ian, Carter and I have all inherited the serious, noble personalities from our father and so we didn't like using our supposedly "charm" to take advantage of others. Our parents believed that everything must be earned, and we are to do the same. Basically, it means to maintain a professional manner at all times and show everyone our skill without flaunting it.

Ian and I have learned this already, and Carter's still getting there. His mornings still need work. They're not up to professional yet. 

Other than sunrises, I love the little guy to death. My older brother taught me how to act, and I'll be teaching Carter. 

Except, I am still a teenager. And I worship sleep more than life. Imagine crawling out of a warm cacoon to face an angry monster. Not fun.

Alas, I simply can't fall back asleep again if I wanted to. Waking me up was easy, but I couldn't fall back asleep until the moon was high above the sky. So naturally, I head off to school. 

It was normal to find a student like me in class early. When it comes to my friend Evelyn, not so much. She would never step foot inside the classroom until the final bell rings. She liked to be outside for a breath of fresh air. It's understood. I enjoyed staying outside to soak in the morning sun. Six hours of learning inside can make us restless. Making teenagers sit in chairs for so long, it shouldn't be wonder why we complain.

Being a sophomore has its perks and lows. Right now, I have a considerably laidback year compared to the stressful junior year that awaits me in five months. I still have one or two hours everyday to use as my own free time. I prefer to spend it helping the elderly. My parents have always told me to respect and treat them well, which I agreed to.

My family was very complicated. The last time I checked, we have fifty-four rules and expectations for me and my siblings to ensure a successful future.

Additionally, my parents were very strict when it comes to my studies. They want me to be in the medical field, exactly like everyone else in my family. My dad a cardiologist, my mom a nurse, and Ian studying to be neurosurgeon. We have a long history of doctors. My father doesn't have as much time to see me because of his busy work schedule, but whenever he does, he makes sure to be the best he can be. He's the one who disciplines me in my classes, mostly math. Ever since he discovered my love for this subject, he's been signing me up for extra advanced courses and tutoring me at home. It was our way to connect. I made a mental note to bake him a thank you cake. Because of him, I can finally skip a grade.