ELEVEN YEARS

The Orange Tabby Cat

A loud alarm clock greeted Primrose Elizabeth Roberts Sanchez, affectionately known as Prim by those closest to her, as she started her day at Lightwood Street, Greenview, in their house in her bedroom. As usual, she had trouble sleeping since her mother's passing.

She silenced the alarm.

She asked herself, "Why do they always put the first day of school on Wednesdays?"

She made herself get out of bed and do something to start her day. Naturally, she hasn't given up because she was a stubborn child. 'Sometimes you have to force yourself to get up to be productive and enjoy the things along the route' was a belief she had always held dear. She's not experiencing complete "happiness," though.

She sat at the edge of the bed and stared at the floor for approximately 1 minute. This did unfreeze her. She then made her bed and regained her senses.

Ginger, her cat, leaped and settled on the other side of the bed while she was fixing her bed. Ginger is an adorable orange tabby cat with cute whiskers and orange fur.

Prim just pulled her blanket and folded it without bothering Ginger, letting Ginger continue his sunbathing without disturbance, with the rays of the sun passing through the room's window pane and hitting the bed and the floor. This made Prim smile. Witnessing such simple, beautiful things can make her heart delight with simple but real joy.

Ginger then stretched his body, scratching Prim's bedcovers with his fur spreading in almost every corner of Prim's room.

Ginger continued with his sunbathing, while Prim was getting ready for the first day of what she thought was a 'horrible' and 'terrible' school year.

—

Prim was done fixing her bed.

She proceeded to go to take a shower until she reached the door for the bathroom. She stepped into the bathroom and got her bath towel, hanging by the door.

With her bath towel hanging on her shoulder, she brushed her teeth while staring at herself in the mirror. She knew she looked sad and weary, though. She likes to brush her teeth first thing in the morning, even before eating, because she really hates bad breath.

After brushing her teeth, she goes to the shower area inside the bathroom. She hung the bath towel on the hanger inside the shower area. She prefers putting her towel there so she doesn't need to step out from the shower area to get her towel from the hanger by the door. She always thought,'What if I left the door open and someone came in and saw me naked'. But she's not thinking about it right now because she's still empty, except for the joy she received from her pets.

She turned the shower on but she found it freezing and sudden for someone who had just woken up, so she used the bucket and the water dipper instead.

After taking a shower and drying herself using the bath towel, she stepped out of the shower area and left the bathroom.

She wore her old school uniform from 3rd year because she still hadn't got her new school uniform for this new school year.

Nearly done, she took her shoes from her blue shoe rack and wore them. It still fits and is still as good as new.

She looked at herself in the mirror one more time and took a deep breath.

She went downstairs. Makeup done. Everything is ready.

Her two siblings are still sleeping because their school starts next week.

She was about to leave for school, forgetting to eat her breakfast, and she also didn't have the appetite, when her father, John, noticed her and called her.

She turned her head as a reply to her father. "Come here, eat breakfast," said John. "Erm... no thanks, I don't like," said Prim.

"Eat your breakfast," demanded John, "Do you want to pass out at school?"he added. Prim couldn't answer once more, so she was forced to eat. She rolled her eyes.

Her father cooked breakfast for her. Egg and bacon. He put it on a plate and placed it on Prim's side of the table.

Prim ate the breakfast her father cooked for her, and she was relieved a bit because she thought it was delicious.

She drank water, and then she stood up and grabbed her backpack.

"Thanks," she said to her father. This was everything she said to her father, giving her father a cold shoulder.

John kissed Prim on the forehead for goodbye. After that, Prim just ignored him, and she went to the door, opened it, and went outside to their garage gate to wait for their driver and the car.

Without hesitation, John also followed outside and went to the garage. He told their driver, Bimbo, "Oh, I'll drive her to school, Bimbo," "take a break for now, I'll be driving her to school this week," he added. "Okay, sir," Bimbo replied.

Just the thought of her father driving her to school for a week slightly annoyed Prim, as she was not used to her father acting like that. He was always responsible and caring, though, but he is not that sweet.

Bimbo handed the car keys to John.

After getting the keys and other stuff, John and Prim entered the car. Prim sat in the passenger seat next to John.

"Another year ahead, you ready?"asked John. He is really trying to put up a happy attitude, though he is depressed about the death of his wife, for her daughter.

Prim knew this because she could read people's emotions well, especially her mom and dad, though not at all times because no one could really read someone's mind, but most of the time. "Really, Dad?" said Prim, "No use faking it. I know what you feel," she added. John did not respond. This made him feel important to his daughter.

He was holding his tears for Prim.

After the a-bit-of-awkward conversation between them, they did not speak another word again throughout the whole journey to school.

When they arrived in front of the gates of Prim's school, John exited the car first, then Prim waited for John to open the door for her.

John opened the door for Prim. He carried Prim's bag first to help her exit the car.

When she finally got herself up and exited the car, John handed her the bag and kissed her goodbye on the forehead once again.

"Take care, 'nak," said John. Prim just nodded, then went inside the campus, with her blue earphones plugged in.

Olivia, her Filipino-Chinese best friend who just said goodbye to her parents, followed her from behind. Her curls dancing elegantly resulted in a more attractive demeanor she's giving.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" greeted Olivia to Prim, with a joyful tone. This is when everything begins.