Secrets and Ashes

Chapter 2: Dead Boy Smart Boy Rude Boy

The most annoying of sounds was hammering on my eardrums. It was like a constant drilling, and it was making me go mad. I tried covering my face with the sheets.

No, it was still shrieking.

I tried holding my pillow over my head.

The sound was kind of muffled, but it still made my anger rise. If this voice won't stop in a matter of seconds, I was definitely going to explode. I threw away my pillow harshly and lay defeated on my bed. Yet, the alarm on my iPhone wouldn't shut up.

Who was the sadistic human being who invented this?

I grabbed my phone roughly and shut off the alarm. I had barely slept yesterday because I was stressing that I might stress over my first day.

Ironic huh?

My head was still pounding from that horrible reoccuring dream I still had and I took a double of deep breaths to relieve some of the aching.

Well, at least I also dreamt that I was stabbing Rude Cashier several times so that's one good thing. Every time I thought of his pale face, his shaggy black hair covering most of his forehead and his pitch black eyes, I suddenly became infuriated and angry. Hopefully, I won't be seeing that arrogant guy again because from now on, I'll be considering the hospital's cafeteria a volcanic site; not to be approached under any circumstances.

I got up quickly, got dressed, and hurried downstairs. I knew I had to do the whole "breakfast with dad" thing before going to school. It was like some holy ritual. A whole lot of energy was needed to deal with him and I didn't even have a shred of that.

I found him sitting on his usual place at the head of the table, one leg over the other, with the morning's newspaper between his hands, and his coffee in front of him. He was already in his suit and probably ready to leave.

"Do you think you would become a successful, decent human being when you cant even wake up early for something as mere as school?" I heard him say behind me as I was preparing my coffee.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "I overslept. Its not a big deal."

"Knowing how to discipline yourself is part of responsibility, don't you think?" He continued, never taking his eyes off that newspaper.

"I never knew connecting your sleep routine with how successful you are is a real thing."

"Im not one of your hippie friends, so don't use that tone with me," He said. "Maria made you breakfast. Get on with it so you can leave."

I grabbed a plate of pancakes that our housekeeper always made and sat down opposite him, when he finally looked up at me.

"Whats with you this morning? You look... wild."

I cracked a smile unwillingly. At least he was right about that. Well sorry dad, you weren't blessed with the perfect Barbie daughter.

"Nothing. Just a bad night."

"Bad night?"

"Yes, I didn't sleep very well." I muttered, trying to lose the subject.

"And whys that?" He arched an eyebrow.

I raised my gaze to his, then quickly lowered it guiltily.

He sighed angrily. "Don't tell me it's one of your dreams again."

"I don't control them, for your information."

"Well you should. They're messing with your head and with your studies. You don't need such negativity right now, you need to push yourself in your last year." He said, taking a sip of his coffee.