Dandelioness

One

I peered into the mirror, scrutinizing my appearance. I adjusted my hijab to fit my face, so that it wasn’t too loose or tight. I spot a small tube of lip gloss, lying around. Grabbing it, I apply a small amount onto my lower and upper lip. I end up wiping all of the gunk off my lips anyway. I guess I will never understand makeup. Yeah. I’m that kind of girl.

 I scrunched up my face in disgust as I spotted a forming pimple. I reached for my spot reducing gel when I heard a loud groan.

"Nora! Please. We'll miss our bus. Besides, you've been in front of that mirror for way too long. People would think you were going to a party, not school, with amount of time you spent getting ready,” my older brother Omar exclaimed.

He shook his head in irritation. I glanced at my digital clock, frowning.

“But we have another hour. And what are you on about? You aren’t even dressed yet!” I cried indignantly.

“Ok. Little sister? You are definitely overthinking this. Just hurry, go have breakfast,” he replied.

I stared at him beadily, waiting for him to explain himself. But my brother’s one of them creepy people who can hold a poker face for ages.

“You want me to make you breakfast, don’t you?” I muttered, gathering my phone and iPod to pocket.

I spare Omar a glance to see him moving toward the door, out of my room.

“Thanks for offering Nora! Oh and make sure you mix some of my protein powder with the pancake batter,” he called over his shoulder.

“Wait- what? No- urgh. The things I do for you, brother,” I grumbled.

Ok. Well maybe I had spent a long time in front of the mirror, but for completely valid reasons! Today would be my first day at my new school. Year 11 at Eldridge High, to be precise. My first impression had to be good, or else the rest of high school would be utter hell. I knew that much.

I wasn’t acquainted with anyone there, except my older brother. And I was very aware of how prestigious Eldridge is. An opportunity at a school like this is basically a key to an office in N.A.S.A. This place was very selective, to say the least. Rumour has it, they chose students with high iQ's , and possible genetic link to Albert Einstein!  

Ok. Slight exaggeration. But I was excited, in that weird kind of way. I hoped that people saw past my modest clothing choice and did not stereotype me, but accept me, not like at my previous school. My brother was already in year 11 at Eldridge High and he fit in perfectly, apparently. He isn't the one in the hijab though.

After much contemplation, I decided to make my brother his highly desirable breakfast- or so he says. Careful not to wake up my sleeping parents, I tiptoed toward the kitchen. Now let me tell you something; I come from a family where we are generally not morning people. Toss in a couple of late night work shifts, and I can guarantee that an early wake up for my parents is not a wonderful thing. Many years of experience had taught me that morning clumsiness wasn’t worth having your DS taken away for a week.

I make breakfast for my brother and me, and endure a full session with him making disgusting noises of appreciation while eating his meal. He knows just how much it pushes my buttons, yet insists that it is a ritual he must undergo daily, or else he wouldn’t feel Beckham enough- his words, not mine.

Finally, when we are dressed up and packed, we exit the house uniformly. Within two minutes, we arrive at the bus stop.

I looked around, at the very clean and pretty neighbourhood we lived in. Aside from the crazy mutt that lived a few houses away, I had never had any problems here. People here were lovely muggles. HP moment!