He's Just Bad

p r o l o u g e

With the sun blaring through her large windows from across the room, Izzy awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs. The warmth provided by the covers caused Izzy to groan once getting up. Today was the first day of senior year. The final stretch until she found freedom from mean girls, school gossip, and useless classes.

"What an exciting day ahead of me," Izzy sighed as she stretched her arms over her head and walked to her bathroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, noticing splotches of acne scars and irritated skin. "Guess that high school glow up everyone talks about just didn't apply to me," she sighed. Accompanied with a yawn, she then washed her face, applied a bit of mascara, and slipped on her uncomfortable school uniform.

As she entered the kitchen, the overwhelming scent of bacon caused Izzy to smile. Accompanied by the smell, stood her father hunched over the stove top. Izzy laughed as a small bit of grease lept from the pan of bacon onto her father's hand, causing him to overreact some typical close-to-death scenario.

Izzy yelled to her father, "Do you need me to call 9-1-1? I couldn't bear to see you lose your hand from that single drop of grease!"

He broke out into a spill of laughter, "I'm glad my pain can be considered a joke!"

The two erupted into a spill of laughter. Because she never attempted to go out and meet new people, Izzy and her father had grown extremely close. The idea of leaving him in a few months hurt Izzy, she couldn't imagine her life without her father.

"Here, I've made your favorite. Bacon, scrambled eggs, and even avocado toast," Izzy's father said triumphantly. "I understand that today is a big day; the first, and last day of high school."

"More like the last day of the first day of hell," Izzy giggled as she stuffed her face with her father's delicious breakfast food.

"Oh c'mon, it can't be that bad. When I was in high school, man. The days of partying, sneaking out, and having fun here and there..."

Izzy croaked, "DAD!"

"Oh right, I forgot about your list..."

Whilst taking her now empty plate to the table, Izzy explained,"that AND me not needing to know about your wild high school adventures. High school to me is literally a prison. I'm trapped with girls who are imagining their next escapade with a badboy and that badboy thinking about everyone but that one girl. You don't even want to get me started on the football team. They don't care about their grades at all! The only worry concerns the football strategies or whatever those are called."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry for bringing it all up again," Izzy's dad sighed.

Looking at the clock from across the kitchen Izzy sighed, "I guess I need to head out or I'm gonna miss the bus."

Izzy's dad shouted, "Well you have a good day. Be safe and stay out of trouble. No principal's office for you!" The statement, again, causing them to erupt into a fit of laughter.

*****

IZZY'S POV

The warm, welcoming air excited me as I closed the front door to the house. I actually want to walk to the bus stop today, even though it is an exact 7 minute walk. I sighed to myself as a I started my trek to the bus. I know my father only wants what's best for me. I also know that I haven't had that amazing high school experience, but who cares! All I have to worry about is getting into Harvard so that I can study law, get an internship at some firm, and become one of the best lawyers in the country. All I have to do this year is focus on my list.

No boys, drinking, parties, or anything that distracts from my studying.

Senior year can't change that, right?