For Sam, making others laugh was a way for her to cope with the confusion and darkness she felt. Sam would always try to put a smile on your face. She's witty, outspoken, awkward, but most of all lost. Growing up biracial caused her to have her own...
"Sam! Samantha, can you hurry up in there? SAMANTHA DRAKE"
"I am here, I am awake." Shit, I fell asleep in class again. I do not think I can talk my way out of this one. Maybe I can make up some story, maybe if I cry they'll go easy on me. No one wants to deal with a crying, just woke up, teenager. Wait, shower?
"What do you mean? Did you fall asleep on the toilet again? Oh, I cannot wait to tell everyone about this. Did you push too hard?" My twin brother Ethan gets out between laughs.
"Shut up Ethan, I was up late getting everything ready for the first day." He does not need to know that I binged an entire season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and spent way too long trying to teach myself how to twerk off of TikTok. It seemed like a valuable and important lesson at the time but now I am regretting it. I do not understand how it can go from midnight to 5 am so quick.
"Sam we are going to be late to school if you don't hurry up. You think you would have figured out how to get ready on time by senior year." Ethan huffs.
"You talking to me is distracting me. I will be out in 5... ish." After finishing my business I decided to take a look at the rat's nest that is currently sitting on my head. I love my father but I really wish I got my mom's super straight and white hair. Having to deal with these crazy curls every day is exhausting.
"Sam just put it in a bun. You know that's what you are going to end up doing." Ethan yells.
"How do you even know that's what I am doing?" I huff.
"Cause little sis you're talking at loud and yelling at yourself again," Ethan laugh. "Stupid curly hair, my names Sam and all I do is complain about hair." Ethan mocks. You would think he would stop with the little sis stuff, just because his big head barely came out of the womb first doesn't mean he's my big brother. I think.
"Hey, be nice or I am cutting off your phones again," Mom yells. For once I would just like to get ready in the bathroom without it being a family reunion on the other side of the door.
After a lot of bobby pins and a cute scrunchy, I finally get my hair into a cute half up half down style and head to my room. I really hope it doesn't frizz. After going through my closet I find the perfect first-day outfit. My handy dandy BLM shirt, mom jeans, and my favorite black vans.
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As I make my way downstairs to grab a banana, which is a superior breakfast fruit, I can hear Ethan spouting his usual lies.
"Mom I really need the car because I have football practice tonight and I do not want to have to walk home or find a ride after working so hard. Can you please tell Sam to let me have the car." Ethan then has the audacity to hug her.
"Absolutely not!" I yell. Naomi and I are supposed to go to get Chipotle and gossip about the first day and I refuse to miss out on a free burrito bowl. "I have important plans with Naomi and her car is still getting fixed. Ethan always gets the car. He can ask one of his teammates for a ride."
"Sweetie, your brother is working hard to get a scholarship. Don't you think you should cut him some slack and let him take the car?" Mom brought out the mom tone. Great, so I already lost. Again.
"Good to know who is the favorite." I huff.
"Sammy." My dad warns. I just look at him and give him my innocent smile. "Nice shirt Sam, but do you really want to start the first day being that girl?"
Here we go, the lecture about how I am making it harder on myself. I feel like this and 'give Ethan the keys' is all my parents have been saying to me.
"If that girl means solid in my beliefs than sure. Do you really want to start the morning being that dad who's wife finds out he hides the wine when her sister comes over?" I whisper with my grin growing.
"What was that," Mom asks.
"Nothing sweety, just talking about Sam's first day." Dad quickly spits out.
I decide that I have had enough of all of them and head out to the car. At least if I am there first I can pick the music. Don't get me wrong I love my brother's Dababy obsession but I really need some Arctic Monkeys so I can calm the fuck down. First day jitters are real right now. As soon as I sit down and get the music on my phone vibrates.
Naomi: Hey chicken, ready for your first day? We're seniors now. You know what that means?
Me: What does it mean. Also, stop calling me chicken.
Naomi: I will stop calling you chicken when you end your obsession with chicken nuggets. And.... It means that its time for your bitch ass to get a boyfriend.
Me: Touche. Chicken nuggets will always be the only thing I need.
Me: Can we not have this obsession of trying to pair me up with someone? The last time this happened you made me get Tinder.
Naomi: What was so wrong with Tinder?
Me: The very first message called me Mamacita and said they'd never been with a Mexican before. Their offensiveness wasn't even based on the correct race -_-.
Naomi: That is why I am a lesbian. You can always come over to the dark side. We have me and less "yeehaw boys".
Me: Or you could just fuck off and stop trying to set me up all the time.
Naomi: I need help dealing with your emotional ass. Fine. What if senior year means we focus on being the best us. Like, make a goal or some shit?
Me: Deal. See you soon Nay.
"You are not picking the music if you are listening to your angst stuff." Ethan huffs. I didn't even hear him get in the car.
I think I rolled my eyes so strong they did a 360. "Oh shut up, it's on shuffle. Let me have this. You get the car. Again. Pleeeaaassseee." I think I sound like a toddler. No wonder Nay needs help with me.
"Whatever. Get your own car and this won't be a problem."
"Why me? If you say it is because you are older I swear to god I will yank your man braid so hard you will cry." I threaten. Damn Nay is right.
"Shut up." He huffs.
The rest of the ride is in silence. God, I can't wait for this day to start, because then it will be over.
