Open Arms

Chapter 1

You know how at the beginning of books, the character will wake up to the smell of rain or something dramatic outside their open window? Or it'll start off with a dream or something, startling the character awake? Well, hate to break it to you kids, but this is reality.

​I woke up, oh so gracefully, with a line of drool hanging from my mouth, with a dog barking in my ear, and what seems to be my hair sticking up, refusing to get along with gravity. Yes. That was my dramatic way of waking up. I went back to sleep about six times, only to wake up with exactly 34 minutes before I had to be at school. So I got out of bed, fell over my cousin Tyson's dog, Duke, and crawled my way to my bathroom.

​When I reached my bathroom, I closed my eyes to make sure that the first thing that I did was not look at myself in the mirror. Let's just say I was trying to save my sight. So I washed my face with some fancy cleanser my Aunt Emily bought me and brushed my teeth. I know, my life is just fascinating.

​I attempted to brush my unruly, curly hair, but then looked at the clock. I still had 27 minutes. So I straightened my hair, which took me 10 minutes, put on some mascara and powder to make sure I didn't scare the other kids at school, and got dressed in my only clean pair of jeans and a Roots crewneck, and UGGs. Whoever judges UGGs should be punished, because these were literally the comfiest things I had ever worn in my life, besides my pajamas.

​With 7 minutes until school started, I grabbed my school bag and a protein bar and met my cousins in the car.

"Holy crap, Cars! Like I get you're ugly and stuff, but how long does it take to get even uglier in the morning", my 14 year old cousin, Holden, laughed. I punched him in the shoulder, "Wow, you're so freakin' funny! You know that Holden", I said sarcastically and shot him a dirty look. "Wow someone's moody today", he said. "I know right! Are you on your period or something, Holden? I have an extra tampon if you need it", I exclaimed. He glared at me as his four brothers burst out laughing.

​"I love how she's the late one and she still gets shot gun", complained Ryan, "Like honestly, I get up on time everyday and I never get the front seat".

"Awe, poor baby", said Tyson, as he pulled up slowly to a stop sign, "You're so deprived".

​"Anyways, before Ryan has a temper tantrum and demands his soother, let's change the subject", I said, "So what's going on after school because I need to know if I should ask Nina to drive me home after practice or not".

​"I've got hockey practice too, after dinner", said Tyson, Camden, and Trevor in unison.

"I'll get a ride from Jamie and his brother", said Holden.

"I'm going to Chris' house. We've got to work on our science project", said Ryan.

"Science project or gaming", asked Tyson, smirking.

"Both", replied Ryan, laughing, just as Tyson pulled into a parking spot in front of Oak Ridge Public Secondary School.