Xavier

The sound of fists pounding on the bathroom door rised over the water and I sighed. I shut off the water and grabbed the towel hanging on the hook by the shower. I wrapped it around my waist as I stepped out of the shower.

"Xavier! Xavier White! Get out of the bathroom!" My sister, Joann, shouted angrily through the door.

"Hold your horses Joann! I'll be out in a minute!" I shouted back. I quickly pulled on my underwear and a pair of camo cargo shorts. I rubbed the towel over my shaggy black hair. As it fell back into place it covered my eyes. I could just barely see through it and I pushed it out of my view.

I grabbed my old Metallica shirt off the floor before leaving the bathroom. When I opened the door I saw my baby sister Joann standing there, her arms crossed in impatience. My poor little sister was only fourteen, just two years younger than me, but she looked so much older.

Joann had been working since the day of her fourteenth birthday. She has the smallest hint of worry lines on her forehead. Her hazel eyes, the hazel eyes that we share, used to be filled with life but now they were just tired. Her dirty blond hair that usually reached her waist was now pulled up into a messy ponytail. She looked like she was fourteen going on forty.

It really wasnt fair. Joann was such a sweet girl, I really cant deny it. She never tried to stand out too much, hiding her passion and talent for painting so that she wouldnt make anyone jealous. She didnt wear flashy clothing like most girls and was content to wear my hand-me-downs. It really was unfair.

"There I'm out. Are you happy?" I asked angrily.

"Not particularly." Joann answered as she pushed her way into the bathroom.

I sighed and shook my head. I wondered what the time was, thinking that Joann would only be acting this mean if she was going to be late to her job. She worked at a family owned restraunt that we had convinced to hire her by telling them they could pay her as little as they wanted. They were kind though and gave her just a buck or two short of minimum wage.

Joann made a face at me as she shut the bathroom door and I chuckled. I turned away and walked to our kitchen/dining room/living room. Our apartment was really very small. We had only one always failing bathroom, the multi purpose room that was much too small, one small bedroom, and then another bedroom that should have been considered a closet. I shared the closet room with Joann and most of the time I didnt even sit in the room. I would climb out onto the fire escape outside our window and watch the street below.

I made myself a cold ham sandwich and munched on it while I watched the morning cartoons on our almost broken tv. I wiped the crumbs from my face as I checked the time. When my mind registered that it was almost ten I flipped out.

I snatched up my Metallica t-shirt from where I had thrown it on the couch and ran over to the apartment door by the fridge. "Going to work Joann! I'll be back at six!" I shouted as I forced my feet into sandals half a size too small for me.

"I know! Just go! Love you!" Joann shouted.

"Love you too Joey!" I shouted back, using the nickname I had given her when we were young. I heard her chuckle as I slammed the door shut behind me.

I ran down several flights of stairs as I pulled on my t-shirt. I was out on the street within a minute shouting for a taxi. Eventually one did pull over and I immediatly climbed inside. I told the serial killer taxi driver where to go and he drove me to the beach. I paid the guy as quickly as possible then took off running towards the surfboard rental shack.

My best friend was chilling in a lawn chair outside of the shack when I got there. He looked like the posterboy for California surfer dudes. He had the stereotypical shaggy sand colored hair and ocean blue eyes. It was a bit funny.