CHAPTER EIGHT
My eyes flashed open as a scream escaped my mouth. I started to calm down when my parents came in and reassured me that I was only dreaming. My heart was beating fast and I feared going back to sleep.
"I think you should consider therapy, Melanie. This is getting out of hand. It's the fifth time you've woken up screaming in the past two weeks." My mother said to me as she rubbed my back.
I nodded with my head resting on my pillow. It was almost time for school, so I didn't bother trying to sleep again. Salty came over to me and rubbed her face on mine as my parents left the room. Her orange fur felt soft against my skin.
Standing from my bed, I glanced over at the outfit I'd picked out to wear. I walked over to the items of clothing and observed them before putting them on. I smiled at the new jeans Jen had bought me. It would be my first time wearing them. Slipped them on, then pulled a silky half-sleeved top over my shoulders, zipping the back.
Still shaken up from the nightmare, I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror as I brushed my teeth. After that, I applied mascara and eyeliner. There was a knock on the bathroom door, followed by my brother's voice.
"Hurry up, Mel. I have to leave soon." He said. I could hear him lean against the door.
I gathered my things together and stuffed them into my makeup bag, then proceeded out of the door, not looking at Mark as I passed him.
My mother made me eat a plate of scrambled eggs, but honestly I wasn't hungry at all. I felt like the day would be bad, judging by the way it had started. As I slung my backpack over my shoulder, I glanced over at the clock displayed upon the microwave. It was 6:50 am.
"Want me to drive you to the bus stop?" Mark asked, putting on his jacket before he grabbed his car keys.
"No, I can walk." I responded, twisting the door knob. As the door opened, the sound of rain filled my ears and puddles were all around. I paused. "On second thought, that would be nice."
Mark smirked at me and we ran out to the car, trying not to get soaked. "You look nice today." He said to me as I got in.
"Really?" I asked. "I just threw something on." I said, despite the fact that I'd been planning the outfit for days.
He glanced at me after a short pause. "Quit growing up, kiddo." He laughed a bit and we parked at the bus stop, rain tapping loudly on the windshield.
"I can't exactly help it." I responded with a half smile.
"I know it's just..." He paused and decided to say something else. "You know I've been meaning to tell you--"
Before Mark could finish, my bus pulled up and the door opened for me. "We can talk later. Sorry." I said as I stepped out of the car. He waved goodbye and watched me enter the bus. I sat next to Jen who was listening to music. I greeted her as the bus began to move.
"I'm tired." She said and put her head on my shoulder with a sigh. "My alarm clock forgot to wake me up."
I noticed that her hair was thrown up into a messy bun and she wore a gray hooded sweatshirt. She wasn't her usual fancy self. "Well, you better wake up for science class." I said in a low tone to remind her that Tom was her lab partner.
She jolted upright and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Oh, right!" She said. "Do I look okay?"
Despite her outfit choice, Jen did look good. She had that kind of face that could look well without any effort. I envied that. "Of course you do." I smiled at her, and she nudged my arm with her elbow.
