Stranger

ch1

New Year, new me. 

With a smile at the phrase, I turn to the side and stop the alarm from even blasting because I have been awake for almost fifteen minutes now.

I know everyone has said the up mentioned sentence for almost every year, but I am really doing my best to be true to these words. Well, at least as much as I can and if I do say so myself, I'm doing amazing. It's been just a month into the new year, but never the less, I feel great about it.

So, with these magical words in my mind each and every day, it's the same story this morning too. Jumping out of bed, I quickly dash into the bathroom, deciding that maybe a shower could be a good omen for the next six months of school. It's my last year after all and I'd like to finish it on e high note. If not, I at least could go down trying. 

Twenty minutes later, I stand in front of the full body mirror next to the wardrobe. I have never been one to put effort into looking too good, I always go for the comfortable before going for fancy. This is the only thing that disappoints my dear mother, her only daughter never embracing the girly side in her. I never speak it out loud, but I seriously doubt that I have that side, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her.

After donning jeans and a plush sweater, with my favorite grey coat over and my black hair in a loose bun, I grab my backpack and dash downstairs.

"Someone is excited for school."-I hear my dad speak just as I land on the floor. Skipping to the kitchen, I find him in the most cliché position: newspaper in his hands, coffee in front and glasses on his face. Totally movie type father. 

"Don't drown her spirit Patrick."-my mother chastises him to which he only chuckles.

"I wouldn't even dream about it Nat."-dad jokes with a wink at me.

"Still preaching the 'new you' motto I see."-my brother grumbles next to dad on the counter over his cereal bowl.

"Oh, you're just jealous Ethan. You wish you had my spirit and don't think I don't know it." Dad and mom chuckle at my words, but my brother only rolls his eyes.

"Sure I am, Evie. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Do you need a ride darling?"-mom asks turning around to give me a once over with her eyes and I immediately know she is not very pleased by the way her face sours a bit.

"No, mom, but thanks. I wanted to walk, it's not that cold outside."

"Got everything you need kiddo?"-dad clasps Ethan's back making with choke on his food while he stands up.

"Damn dad, you don't have to kill me you know. I'd like to get to finish college first."-Ethan coughs and we all laugh.

Winter break is over which means Ethan goes back to campus and away from us for the next semester of his third year and even though he's all manly and tough, I can see through his light brown eyes that he's being affected by this just as much as we are. We are only two kids so he is all that I got beside my parents and no matter how much he annoys and pisses me off, I miss him every second he's away. 

Picking his backpack from beside him and standing up, he throws his arm around my shoulders and rubbing them in the process.

"Maybe you can rub me some of your excitement to me."-he says with a smile to which I chuckle. 

"You're one weird fellow Eth-Eth."-I grin at his sour face. This nickname came to be around the time I started speaking and had a hard time pronouncing his name. He was all patient and understandable when I was little, but as time went by, he came to really despise the title which resulted in me using it just to push his buttons.