Lena’s POV
*Buzzz Buzzz BUzzzzzzz!!!*
My hand hit the alarm clock as I let out a groan. My eyes opened slowly and I stared at the ceiling. Another day in hell as usual. I sat up in bed staring at my itchy white sheets that had been kicked from the bed while I slept.
I moved over to the closet digging around for something to wear. “Jeans, jeans, where the hell are my jeans.” A small hand tugged on my spotted pajama pants and I turned to see my little cousin Cassia. She was small for a soon to be seven year old but most definitely smarter than what people gave her credit for. In her hands she now held a pair of my black skinny jeans. I kissed the top of her head and smiled at her.
“What would I do without you munchkin.”
“I dunno sissy.” She mumbled quietly.
She had an older sister, Katrina, but she didn’t seem to take much interest in her, calling her a stupid brat whenever she got the chance. So I kinda got the role of big sister and I didn’t mind. It helped me pretend that the family who did care about me wasn’t dead. I doubt Katrina even remembered it was Cassia’s seventh birthday.
I slipped on a loose white tank top, a red plaid shirt, and a gray beanie on. I ran into the bathroom hopping around trying to pull my pants up. She followed me the whole time letting out a soft giggle when I stepped on a lego and had to hold in a scream from the fear of waking my aunt or Katrina and getting stuck with a crap load of work when I got home. I finally zipped up my jeans then setting Cassia on the sink.
“Don’t move and close your eyes.”
She obeys silently and I pull a matching outfit in a much smaller size from the cabinet. I had bought her new clothes as a birthday gift and I knew she loved this outfit especially my beanie.
“Open.”
Her eyes fly open the light making her eyes look green instead of their normal bright blue like mine.
“Go get changed munchkin there’s more surprises to come.”
I left leaving her to get changed and ran down to the kitchen. It was fairly spacious with a large island at its center with tons of counter and cabinet space. I had stayed up late the night before baking muffins so Cassia could feel special. Also so she would have a treat at school that she could share with her friends. I was set on making sure she had an amazing birthday.
Just then she came skipping into the kitchen, the beanie clutched in her hand. She came over and I set it on her head straightening it out a bit. She looked like a much younger version of me and I smiled holding out the largest muffin to her.
“This is breakfast, and then these,” I stepped back gesturing to the tray of muffins behind me. “are for your class. Any left-overs we will eat tonight okay?”
She nodded furiously and then pointed at the clock. Shit. Only five minutes to get her to class on time and I’d have to be late.
East River school district had its elementary, middle, and high school in the same building. It’s separated into three different section so that it’s somewhat divided between age groups. Being a Sophmore I was in the East wing and since Cassia was only in first grade she was on the complete other side of the building in the West end.
I drove into the West end parking lot and parked my car. It was an old Volkswagon bug that I had saved two years for. It wasn’t anything fancy but it worked and I was proud.
I grabbed the muffins and balanced them in my one hand and held Cassia’s hand in my other. We half ran half walked through the parking lot. It was mid October only a week before Halloween and there was a slight chill to the air. Leaves followed us as we ran through the front door and to her class. She walked in and I sat her muffins on the back counter. She waved as I then ran out of her room down the long length of hallway between the West and East ends. High school starts five minutes later than the elementary so when I reached my locker there were a few stragglers still in the hall.
About ten feet away from my locker there was a group of people surrounding a boy at its center. All I could tell was that he was tall with long-ish blonde hair and he had Katrina hanging onto his arm. I hurriedly grabbed my books and began walking down the hall to my first class. It was my least favorite. Needless to say it wouldn’t kill me if I didn’t have it but sadly I had to be there.
Suddenly I was being slammed into a locker and was then on the ground. I looked up to see one of the jocks kicking all my books around. Then the blonde boy was in front of me. He was a few inches taller than me, tall, with bright blue eyes that shone like stars.
“Here, let me help.”
He started picking up a few of my books and I saw him staring at my song notebook that was full of chords and lyrics. I snatched the books away and smiled weakly.
“Thanks, but I got the rest. There’s only a minute till the bell rings and you wouldn’t want to be late.”
He smiled and then was gone. I had collected all my things in my arms and was going to stand when I was pushed back down.
“Don’t talk to him ever again or you’re dead. Then you can rot in hell with your fucked up suicidal parents.”
A sound came out of my throat I didn’t know how to explain.
“You would know what hell is like wouldn’t you Kat? You have a season pass.”
She huffed and stomped away. I sat there shocked for a while not exactly sure what to do. Just then the bell rang.
