The Treehouse

Ch. 4

I left the house today in some high class couture. 

My outfit consisted of a dark gray oversized Riverview High t-shirt with our school mascot, a wolf, taking over the back. I paired this sexy little top with black sweatpants and hot pink sneakers. My hair was in the sloppiest bun you could ever imagine, and the only makeup I was wearing was mascara. So vogue.

The reason I looked like complete and utter crap was because I had been up until four-thirty a.m. last night. I had originally gone to bed at eleven, which is a world record for me, but I was shortly woken up about half an hour later, via a phone call from my mom. She and my dad had been over three hours away, and their piece of crap car had broken down. They wouldn't be able to get a repair until seven o'clock the next morning, which basically meant I would have to get all my siblings ready for school in the morning and take care of them all night.

I don't really mind taking care of them all that much. I'm a good big sister, and I love my brothers and sisters more than anything in the world. But getting five children ready for school, and having to take them to three different schools at three different times...I don't love that part so much. 

Toby and Christian were fighting all night. They share a bed, and apparently one of them kicked the other in their sleep, so the other punched him and suddenly the two seven-year-olds are in a violent fist fight. I had to come in their room and break it up six different times, while simotaniously listening to Luke, who also shares a room with them, complain about how they were keeping him up. In the other bedroom, shared by Kelsey and Cassie, Kelsey was up all night talking on the phone to her little sixth-grade boyfriend, while Cassie was crying, complaining that she couldn't sleep. I finally brought Cassie and Luke into my room to sleep, while I slept in the boys room and monitered their fight. All. night. long.

The whole house woke up at about seven o'clock. Kelsey had to be at her middle school at seven-thirty, the boys had to be at their elementary school at eight, and Cassie could go to her daycare anytime after eight-thirty. High school started at eight-thirty as well. I was going to be late to school, no doubt about it.

I had about a half hour to make breakfast, help the little ones get dressed, and get them to school. I knew I couldn't do this alone and I had to call someone for help.

When Kian showed up at my house I was a total mess. My hair looked like a rats nest and I looked like a person from a scary movie. Kian didn't say anything about it though. I honestly don't think he noticed.

Kian helped pick out "chick magnet" outfits for Luke, Toby, and Christian. My brothers loved Kian so much. He was over at my house so much, he was almost like their brother too. Toby and Christian have known Kian since they were born.

*     *     *     *

With Kian's help, everyone got to school on time. Everyone, except of course, Kian and I.

We showed up at school at 8:55, which of course is late. On our way to first period, we got stopped by a man Kian knows quite well. Mr. Harting. Before I knew it we were seated in his office.

"Kian Beckley. Colleen Moreno. You are twenty-five minutes late to school what is your explanation for this?" 

Being in the principals office was a complete foreign concept for me. I had never, ever done something to end up in there. To be honest, I had never even talked to Mr. Harting before, and I was curious as to how he even knew my name.

Kian began to take the blame for me, but I knew this time I had to own up to it. It was my fault, completely my fault. In fact, about ninety percent of the things Kian gets in trouble for are my fault. 

"Sir, it was my fault, Kian was just helping me out. You see, he drives me to school. My parents haven't been home and it's just me taking care of my five younger siblings and we had to take them all to school and I'm so sorry sir." I started to cry during the end. Kian put his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder to comfort me. 

"Is this true, Mr. Beckley?" Kian nodded. Mr. Harting gave me a warm smile. "Since you're record is squeaky clean, Ms. Moreno, I will let the both of you off with a warning. You still have another chance Mr. Beckley. But you know, if you get in trouble one more time--"

"Saturday detentions for the rest of the year, sir."

"I'm glad we have an understanding."