The Unpredictability of You and Me

four - first day of school

In the morning, Mom and Dad are already gone to work, so it's my job to help Carter get ready. He knocks on my door before I'm even awake, asking how to tie his tie for his Ardendale Elementary uniform.

"Just loop it in through this way," I instruct, showing him as I do it.

He stands up from his chair where I just tied it and goes to look in his mirror. "That's so hard."

I laugh. "I can keep helping you until you get it right, don't worry."

His face lights up. "Thanks, Jade."

This kid gets so happy at the simplest things, I love it. "No problem."

He turns to fix his uniform in the mirror. "Hey, are you and Adrian going to the same school?"

"Yeah, why?"

Carter looks surprised. "Adrian is going to your fancy school?"

I almost laugh again. "Why are you so surprised?"

"He went to his old school, like, once a week. How did your parents get him into Ardendale?"

I raise my eyebrows. "He doesn't go to school?"

"Well, I guess he has to go now. He was saying how his probation officer is on his ass about everything."

"Carter!" I exclaim. "Don't say that word!"

He turns around, looking confused. "What word?"

"The bad one."

Carter giggles. "You're more innocent than me."

"Curse in front of my mom, and see what happens. She got mad at my dad for saying crap in front of me once. I was fifteen," I say, and he giggles again. I get up from the floor in his room. "Come on. The car is outside."

"Car?" He asks, following me into the living room.

"To take us to school." I grab a granola bar and throw it to him. "We're going to be late. Eat in the car."

He catches it with one hand. "We're not walking?"

"Do you want to be sweaty and tired before your first day of school?"

He shakes his head furiously. "No. It's just that I've only been in a car, like, three times before. We used to walk or take the subway everywhere."

I scrunch up my nose. "I don't like the subway."

"You're definitely missing out," he says with a mouthful of granola. "Where's Adrian?"

"Here," a voice says from the hallway. Adrian walks out, looking the same as always, but in a matching blue suit, just like mine. He holds out a yellow tie to me, his face set in a scowl. "I can't figure out how to put this on."

"Jade put mine on," Carter intervenes with another mouthful of food.

I grab the tie from Adrian's hand and loop it around his neck. As I'm tying it around him, I say, "What happened to I'll figure it out?"

The corners of his lips turn up and he almost smiles, but not really. "This doesn't count. School hasn't started yet."

"Whatever you say." I loop it in and push the knot up to his chest. Up close, I realize he smells like cologne, but the good kind that's not too overpowered. I quickly snap out of the daze when I feel his stare down on me. "Now come on, we're going to be late."

Carter is the first to jump up and practically run out of the building. Adrian follows, and I make sure to lock up the apartment. Downstairs, the driver is already waiting.