08:03am – Gilbert House – First Day
Aunt Jenna was trying her absolute best, that much was clear. It's a pretty huge adjustment to suddenly be responsible for 3 grieving teenagers; especially when you're barely out of your teens yourself. What was she supposed to do? Say no? Pawn us off on someone else? Well, unfortunately for Aunt Jenna, there was no one else; I'd heard there were a few Gilberts sprinkled up in Western Canada, but I couldn't tell you any of their names; and it seemed a blow too far to ship the orphans out of their childhood home.
"Toast." Jenna nodded with certainty, and glanced back at us, "I can make toast."
"It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna." Elena muttered as she poured herself a mug.
"Is there coffee?" Jeremy asked and took Elena's mug without awaiting a response. It took her a solid few seconds to realise it had been stolen. She merely huffed in retort and poured herself another.
"Oh, hey stranger." Jeremy scoffed at me, half-heartedly, and barely maintained more than a second of eye contact.
"When did you get in?" Elena asked genuinely and embraced me with her free arm.
"Last night at stupid o'clock." I uttered and yawned. I'd spent the summer in upstate New York, as a cheer camp counsellor to snotty rich kids. It was a toss-up between drowning in pity and sadness here all summer or a free ride out of this stifling town, I couldn't exactly say no. It'll look decent on college applications, I suppose, not that I really need to beef them up anymore.
"Coffee, Rosie?" Aunt Jenna offered, pouring herself a cup.
Before I could even muster the energy to shake my head, Jeremy grumbled, "Rosanna doesn't drink that poison. Don't encourage another self-righteous rant."
I scorned at my brother but did not engage. It wasn't worth it. I wasn't going to bite.
"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared." Jenna groaned and squinted, "Lunch money?"
"I'm good." Elena yawned. I shook my head and packed my already prepared lunch into my backpack. Jeremy shrugged and snatched the money from Jenna's hands happily; those bills definitely weren't going on tater-tots.
"Anything else?" Jenna asked, "A number two pencil? What am I missing?"
"Don't you have a big presentation today?" I asked, glancing over at the multitude of sticky notes splattered across the fridge.
"Yes, I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at…now." Jenna huffed, "Crap!"
"Then go. We'll be fine." Elena said as Jenna snatched up her books and bolted from the door. Elena turned back to Jeremy and I, glancing back and forth between us, she sighed, "You ok?"
"Don't start." Jeremy scoffed and sauntered his way out of the kitchen.
"Have to be." I sighed.
"Bonnie will be here soon, if you want a ride? We can catch up on the way." Elena uttered.
"I'm good." I replied, "Natalie's taking me."
Elena nodded kindly and left me alone in the kitchen.
08:25am – School Parking Lot
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𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠
FanfictionRosanna Gilbert, the twin sister of Jeremy and younger sister of Elena, is trying desperately to adjust to their new darkened world. Her survival from that car crash was a baffling miracle, sparking a new phase into a life she never dreamed she'd ha...
