Linger

O N E

"What on earth are you wearing?"

I twirled around, letting my short pink skirt flow. "Isn't it cute?"

My mom simply glanced over my outfit before quirking an eyebrow at me.

I stopped, following her gaze and smoothing out my black cardigan. I had a dreadful math exam today. I had to make my day exciting somehow . . . and my favorite white legwarmers seemed like the perfect solution.

And I had Dance after school.

But why wait until then when I could just wear them now and look cute?

"I may have to work late tonight," my mom continued. "You can pick up your brother and sister after school, right?" 

"I can't miss dance," I said firmly as I swung my bag onto my shoulder. "But I could take them to school now. Then you can go to work early so you can pick them up."

My mom gasped, her face lighting up. "Even better! They're starting soon so you better get a move on!!"

"I--"

She turned toward the stairs. "Mike! Katie!! Maddie's taking you to school today! Hurry up!" she called out before turning to me with a bright smile. "Thank you so much, sweetie. Drive safe!"

I gave her a quick smile as she hurried back to the kitchen, the sound of her heels clicking on the hardwood floor fading away.

I let out a sigh before slipping on my boots and adjusting my tights under my legwarmers. So, it wasn't the most comfortable to wear all day . . . but it also meant that after another long torturous day at school, I had two full hours of dance to look forward to.

If only I could skip straight to that part . . .

"Can I play my music on the way to school?" Katie asked excitedly as she skipped down the stairs and tied her sneakers.

"Of course! It's Monday. We need music," I told her with a laugh before my phone buzzed in my hand. I slipped it into my pocket and headed toward the door.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Mike, my younger brother, exclaimed as he hurried down the stairs, appearing quite frazzled. "Am I late?"

"Nope. You're right on time." I smiled as I smoothed out his short brown hair. "Come on. Katie's in charge of music today."

"But I need breakfast!"

"We'll get something for you on the way," I told him as I grabbed his backpack and gave it to him before we headed toward the door. "What do you want?"

As he listed as many breakfast foods as his nine year old brain could come up with, the three of us climbed into my car and started the long, long, long journey to school.

It was only five miles away.

But it may as well had been five hundred miles. 

Not for Katie and Mike though. They enjoyed their breakfast sandwiches we picked up really quickly as they sang along to their favorite songs all the way until we pulled right up to the drop off line at their school.

"Thanks, Maddie!"

"See ya!" they called out behind them as they climbed out of the car, hauling their backpacks in one hand and their half-eaten sandwiches in the other.

I waved back before my phone buzzed again. I fished it out of my pocket to see I had two messages from my best friend.

Sasha: study for math before first bell?

Sasha: saved you a seat in the library!!

Ugh, the math exam.

Was it Friday yet?