Recovery

Chapter 17

I roll over and turn my alarm off, this time for the last time tonight. It is 6:50, time for me to get ready for school.

I sit up and stretch, looking down at my disheveled clothes from yesterday. I stand up and cover my yawn with my hand. I pick out a blue plaid shirt that everyone's always saying that brings out my sapphire eyes. I pair that with some black jeggings and quickly change. Once again, I leave the plaid shirt unbuttoned to reveal the black tank-top underneath.

I walk over to my dresser, and plug in my hair straightener. Leftover French braid hair does not do me well. While the straightener is warming up, I start powdering my face with foundation. I lift up my bangs to do my forehead.

Holy goose egg.

The skin is all scaly and red and purple, and a bump protruding from the left side of my forehead. I quickly cover that with a wackload of foundation, and pat some of the sealant stuff on top. I proceed to straighten my hair, and manage to only burn my ear once. That's pretty good, concerning my record. I finish off what little makeup I had left to put on, and run my fingers through my now straight hair.

I keep my bangs down to cover my goose egg, and put on black socks. I carry all of my school stuff downstairs, and place it in the front hall. My house is deserted already because mom is already at work, and Brent is at one of his architect courses.

I walk to the kitchen and put two pop tarts into the toaster. The first two of the box, mom must've gone shopping. And Brent must've eaten the last two. Typical. I start making my lunch, in order to avoid the nasty cafeteria food. I butter two slices of bread, and slap on ham and cheese. I find other snacks to take along too. Carrots, cookies, pudding cups... Anything I can get my hands on.

I put my whole lunch in one of the staples bags from Saturday, and put it by the rest of my school stuff. Thankfully I don't have phys. ed today, or else I'd have another bag to carry...

I dash back up the stairs, noting the time. I quickly brush my teeth (my dentist would be disappointed) and stuff my guitar into it's case. I have music today. I wonder if Ben is in music... I glance at my clock, and it says 7:28! Two minutes until my bus comes!

I sprint downstairs, stuff my feet into a pair if black converse, pick up my bags, and run out the door, locking it behind me. I walk as fast as I can to the end if the block, getting there just as the yellow bus is rounding the corner.

I wait for the tall doors to open, and step inside, finding it surprisingly full.

"We're combining two bus routes this year, you're the last one." The bus driver sounds grumpy, so I walk, carefully stepping over bags, and scanning the rows for an empty seat. Finally I spot one in the back, a row usually reserved for seniors. Oh well, it's not like I have a choice.

I sit down and place my guitar on the floor, along with my book bag and binders. I keep my lunch on my lap so it won't get squished.

"Hello, Alex." Says a familiar voice from beside me. Great. I didn't look at who's beside me. I glance up at him, and he's smirking down at me.

"Hi Benjamin." I answer shyly. It feels like everyone is pointing and staring at me. Those who are whispering must be whispering about me. I'm surprised Ben didn't just ignore me after watching the news. Or maybe he didn't watch the news, and he'll just find out at school and shin me tomorrow.

"Fancy seeing you here," Ben attempts some small talk, which I'm not really in the mood for while everyone is watching me.

"Mmhmm" I grunt in reply, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. Ben seems to get the point and turns his gaze to his phone. I focus my attention to thinking about music class, which is last period today. My fourth period is a spare, so I think that I might go in there early, while no one is in there.