We continue to eat dinner and everything goes back to the way it was before— minus the fact we’re in Michigan instead of Chicago and there are backpacks on the ground, but still. As normal as it could get. After the meal, we throw out our plastic containers (we hadn’t bothered getting out plates) and dispersed into our typical post-dinner activities. Mom, Dad, and Lily went to watch Dancing with the Stars in the family room.Alaina disappeared into her bedroom. I sit at the bar in the kitchen and started my homework.
First subject: English. I had to continue brainstorming my short story character. I would have been able to get a lot more done in class had the girls at my table shut up. Thankfully, when I’m somewhere quiet, the work gets done faster. I’m done in ten minutes.
Second subject: Social studies. I had to fill out a small exit slip over the notes we’d gone over in class. Although I hadn’t been there for the beginning of the World War I unit, I’d already finished it in my home-school work. I don’t feel behind in that class at all. The exit slip cost me ten minutes, again.
Next subject: Spanish. Sra. Marian decided that I would have to make up all the recent vocab sheets she’d given the class. I technically have three days to complete this, but I decide to get it done now. It can’t hurt to get it over with. Plus, she said I could use an online dictionary as long as it wasn’t Google Translate. Google Translate was highly forbidden in her class, as Teagan had told me. The spanish sheets take twenty minutes because I felt the need to study them as well.
Final subject: Science. I need to catch up on the reading for this unit. Mr. Halloran said it was optional. Sure, I have no longer to read ten pages of a science workbook, but not doing it would just send me even farther behind. Besides, it’s only ten pages. I grab a yellow highlighter and get to work. This takes approximately twenty-seven minutes. I may or may not have set a timer.
That was surprisingly easier than I’d expected. I’d expected mountains and mountains of homework and being miles and miles behind. But I’m not. I actually feel okay with my academic position. After putting my stuff back in my bag, I run downstairs to grab my phone. I guess I’m a typical teenage girl. I have four unread messages.
Haley: Becca! School! What??????
Me: Yeah, I had school.
Haley: Ur back at public school?
Me: Um yeah
Haley: WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME?
Me: idk
Haley: Gtg. I have dinner.
Me: bye.
Next person.
Jackie: Mom says hi
Me: lolz
Jackie: So. Tell me about the guys
Me: shut up.
Jackie: One of them has to be cute
Me: idk them
Jackie: sure
Me: ok
Jackie: liar
Me: Not lying.
Jackie: Delaney’s mad you havent texted her back.
Me: k. I’ll text her
Next person.
Delaney: OMG HOW WAS NORMAL SCHOOL?????
Me: It was good
Delaney: TELL ME EVERYTHING
Me: stuff happened
Delaney: s*** we’re at a restaurant w/ some family friends. Gtg.
Me: Have fun with yo family friends.
Delaney: I’m eating italian food. Be jelly.
Me: I ate chinese food.
Delaney: I want chinese food.
Me: Only public schoolers are cool enough for chinese food.
Delaney: I’m not cool enough?
Me: totes not
Me: Jk. Only crew ppl are cool enough. Public schoolers arent
Delaney: lol. I’m gonna eat gnocchi
Me: I’m jelly
Delaney: bye
The final text was from an unknown number.
Unknown Number: Hey is this becca?
Me: Yeah, Who is this?
Unknown Number: It’s Teagan Alwin.
Of course. She asked Camden for my number. I quickly add her to my contacts.
Me: hey
Teagan: hi
Me: so…
Teagan: lol I’m bad at texting
Me: lol same
Teagan: So. First day, huh?
Teagan: lol I used proper punctuation in a text
Me: ur english teacher would be proud.
Teagan: yeah.
YOU ARE READING
What We Lost In The Winter
Fiksi RemajaBecca Kingser almost died when she was eight years old. Ever since then, she's been homeschooled with her sisters. One of them is a bouncy, energetic little girl, the other is a closed-off mystery. But when Becca's mom finds a new job in Michigan, t...
