Darker Then Light

Life Rush Hour

As a kid I blocked my memories. I use to think of nothing but cartoons to keep me sane. I guess you can say I had to grow up in shadows. My older brother Marshall by the age of eight was creating high tech apps on his phone and my other older brother Zane was wining every football game for his team the trailblazers. My sister the beautiful makeup queen specialized in art. And then there was me. The middle child who couldn't pick anything. Who couldn't do anything right. Every word I uttered disappeared over my siblings voices. Every success was attention granted there way. My grades are average as is my looks. As is everything I do. I was the one in the family that cheered them all on. I still do. My parents own there own bakery company. I know they think I'm gonna end up running it when I get older. But I can't stand cooking. I learned to see my mother smile and my father laugh. Something's it feels as if I were made to make everybody happy and to make them laugh. I had discovered in 6th grade something about myself. I had the ability to stand out and to disappear within sight. I often joked it was a superpower of mine in my thoughts. Which made me happy many times at trying it and being childish. I never really fit in a category like my siblings. I wear glasses and read. Nerd? No. My grades are too average and I don't enjoy school all that much. Arts? I'm okay in it. Nothing compared to my sister Flora. Her name is even art. Sports? I play but in everything I'm only okay worthy. Writing? I never like to explain my inner thoughts. So we're in boxes do I fit? In different? It never occurred to me. In school people paid so much attention to my famous siblings that I faded into the background. I used my power to hide so much that I fell off the radar and not even my teachers tended to remember me. I try to thing of what i want to be once I graduate in two years. I see myself in a different place. It's vague. But I have this feeling that things will fall into place. I enjoy being alone. I love the calming way my heart settles and the way I can think clearly. It's like a warming feeling to not have the stress of entertaining people. So to speak. I sit up in bed all groggy eyed and prepare for school. He sun shines threw my curtain as if I called for it. I laugh and move my lazy achy limbs to my closest. After I take a shower I go back to the outfit I picked out and I slip on dark jeans and a pale purple shirt. The outfit fits my slim frame. I get my height from my mother. When I am reaching things I'm short and when I'm around short people I'm tall. Walking over to the mirror in the back of the door. I fix my curled dark hair not a back ponytail with my brush. I grab my backpack and shrug it on. As my sister walks into my room with a towel over her body. I always set the time on my alarm clock early since Flora was making me late at first for school. She has straight strawberry hair from my mother. Her and Marshall have it. Me I have dark hair and Zane gets light brown hair. My sister glances at me and smiles hugely. " hey Nomi! Your up early a lot lately," 
I nod at my older sister staring into her brown eyes.  "The sun called and I couldn't resist," I shrug. She doesn't know I am; because she takes hours in the bathroom.
She shakes her head walking into my room. "I'm having my art presented today Nom and I was wondering if I could borrow your purple shirt, it's the cutest,"
"As many times as you've worn it practically yours now Flora," I snort.
She walks over to my closet and she plucks it out. Knowing the exact location.
"Yo!" My older brother says: Zane.
"Get your butts down stairs in five our I'm leaving and your walking to school two hours and all," he warns. His dark brown eyes serious.
He wore a dark red shirt and Grey pants. His hair short in waves on his head. He moves quickly almost closing the door when he sees Flora with a towel around her. She glares at the door.
"That's why you knock first!"
"This isn't your room!" He shoots back.
They always go at it. If they ever gave each other complaints and worked together I would think aliens stole my brother and sister.
"Well that's why your looking stupid inconsiderate! You have a fist knock,"
He huffs. "I would love for that fist to knock your forehead, I hope you enjoy walking! your not even dressed yet and I'm leaving your ass! "
"Mom!"
I sigh.
kinda annoying sometimes and kinda funny sometimes.
Now was not the time of hilarity.
"Zane she's coming right out five minutes top."
"Her hair is wet," he grumbles from the door irate.
I nod. "Five minutes,"
I hear him sigh. "Okay five minutes,"
Turning to Flora I see her eyes widen. "That's impossible I have to look great today! This is going in the school news paper Mya is taking pictures!"
I clap my hand together. "I'll blow dry your hair while you put on your make up, hurry up get dressed," I rush her into her room. Both our rooms are connected by the bathroom. Zane and Marshall share a bathroom as well.
She hurries and slips on black skinny jeans and the purple blouse that makes her hair look even more red. I sometimes wonder how that's even possible. She runs over as I turn on the blow dryer and comb threw her hair. She hurries and puts on foundation and mascara.
Her skin a light golden tan.  She throws on pink lip gloss.
Zane wasn't kidding about leaving us. He's done it before. He leaves everybody. Even Marshall who threatened him that he would hack into the schools database and give him all f's so he can't play at his upcoming game. Which shocked us all. It takes a lot to get Marshall hot headed. He's usually pretty indifferent about everything.
"I'm leaving!" Zane shouts from down stairs.
I grab the fat iron and motion to the door. "We have to go Flora! You can flat iron it at school,"
Flora curses under her breath as she scrambles to get her backpack from her room. She races out of the door with me and we almost fall down the stairs as Marshall calmly walks by us and glances our way. His red hair gelled and subdued in its lose waves. He wore a polo black shirt and dark jeans. He's the nerd in the family and even he doesn't have glasses. He shakes his head at us. His sharp hazel eyes like mine except less soft and wondering and more cool and analyzing.  " I thought you were better then that Flora I would've stalled him,"
Marshal always does that's why Zane leaves us now. Are parents leave super eagerly to get the bakery ready before it opens. We rarely see much of them really. They try hard and they go to all of my siblings events. So there here when it counts. Marshall tosses us potion bars I hadn't noticed was in his hand as we ran out the door. Zane looked out the window as Marshell opened the front.
"That wasn't five minutes Naomi why you gotta lie like that!" He wines jokingly.
I hold in a laugh and roll my eyes as I slip in the back seat with Flora. And marshal climbs in the front closing my door and his.
"I feel like a freakin car pool," Zane complains pulling out of the driveway.
Flora scoffs. "More like a fucking tool,"
"Language," Marshall comments looking back at Flora who gets quiet.
He has a arched brown that says really.
She groans in annoyance and sits back.
Nobody really believes it at my school but Flora and Marshall are fraternal twins. They both have the same red hair so I don't think they should find it that hard to believe. But they do. Zane us the oldest then Me then Flora then Marshall. Zane doesn't go to Westmill High anymore. He's in college now. A very nearby college that is known across the world for its football. He's still childish and now in his second year. Mom hopes he'll grow mature but I've lost all hope of that. Zane is Zane.
I stare out the window the moment Zane switches on the radio.
I turn invisible and i become engrossed in my thoughts.
I feel the warmth settle through me.