Never Stop Trying

Chapter 2

Present
*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*
I slam the snooze button still half-asleep. I barely got any sleep after that nightmare.

"It's six already!" groans Abbie.

"I know, but we have to get up," I say, dragging myself out of bed.

"I got dibs on the shower," says Katie.

"Go ahead. Didn't get a lot of sleep?" I ask, noticing the bags underneath her eyes.

"Yeah," she says as she shuts the bathroom door.

"C'mon Abbie, you have to get up," I say shaking her.

"I don't want to, I want to sleep!" she groans.

"Don't make me drag you out of bed." She makes some sort of a grunt and throws the sheets over her head. "Fine, be that way." I grab her arms and start pulling. I have to drag her so far out that she falls out of bed and hits the floor with a soft thud.

"Ok I'm up!"

"Was that so hard?" I ask grinning.

"Yes."

"Drama queen," I tease. We wait about 10 minutes before we hear the bathroom door open.

"I'm done." Katie comes out drying her dripping wet hair with a hand towel.

"Ok I'll go next."

"Did you drag Abbie out of bed again?"

"Yep," I say as I pick up my school uniform.

"Man, that girl loves her sleep."

"Tell me about it," I say as I shut the bathroom door. I take a quick shower and finish the rest of my morning routine. Before I go, I take a quick glance at my outfit. I hate uniforms but at least this one's not as bad. The whole outfit consists of a white-buttoned up shirt underneath a royal blue blazer with a lion (West Valley High's school mascot), a red plaid skirt, and white knee-high socks with black flats. After I'm satisfied with everything, I go into the living room where Katie is waiting. When Abbie's done getting ready, we head out to get breakfast at the school's cafe.

On our way there, we run into Samantha Richey and the other brainwashed Barbies, or as I like to call them, the Tweedles.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the tomboy and her two idiot sidekicks," she says to Katie.

"What do you want?" Katie asks through gritted teeth.

"Oh you know, the usual. To tell you that you're a pathetic loser with no friends."

"I'm gonna-"

"Katie..." I say in a warning tone.

"You know I can take her," Katie whispers to me.

"I know, and that's why you have to be the better person."

"Whatever. I'm done with you weirdos." She flips her bleach-blonde hair and sashays past us, followed by the Twiddles doing the same.

"I can't stand that girl!" Katie seethes.

"I know, me neither. Let's just go get some breakfast and head to class."

"Yea, I'm starving," says Abbie.

"You're right. Let's go."

***

After breakfast, I part ways with Katie and Abbie and head to AP Government. Time seems to fly and before I know it, school's over. I head to my locker to put my textbooks away when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see a guy with a blonde, spiky haircut and dark blue eyes.