"Today is the day" I tell myself as I crawl out of bed and make my way to the washroom. I open up my medicine cabinet and search for my tooth paste, "no time" I say aloud as I slam the cabinet shut and make my way over to the shower. I turn the knob as far right as it goes to make the water nice and hot but of course I'm disappointed because no water comes out of the faucet. "of course" I groan as I walk out of the bathroom and down the long concrete stairs. I tiptoe around the corner of the poorly lit room to see if my mother was still asleep on the couch, as she usually was most of the day. My mother has been basically immobile for months now, after my brother Anthony died in the spring she sat down on that couch as hasn't moved much since. The doctors say she is in some sort of sadness induced trance but I think that's just a nice way of saying she had a mental breakdown. She has gained a lot of weight since she's been this way we have only gotten her out the house a few times since Anthony died and that was just to take her to her doctor appointments. She has some very severe breathing problems and has smoked like a train since she was in her twenties and now she's paying for it. My grandma Edith has moved into our house to help take care of me after Mom had her breakdown, she is a kind and gentle woman and she really doesn't deserve having to drop everything just to take care of me but she never complains and I love her for that I don't think I could handle two people in my life constantly upset. After I checked on Mama to see if she was awake I made my way to the front door and across the lawn to my neighbor Ms.Maes' house to beg her to let me use her shower.
I knocked firmly three times and just after the third knock the door swung open and Ms. Mae appeared in the doorway, her face just as gray and wrinkly as it always was. Ms. Mae was the neighborhood crazy lady, she always yelled at children and animals and wasn't very well liked by most but I think that's how she likes it. Ms. Mae has always taken a liking to me and I'll never know why, I have a horrible personality and absolutely nothing to offer that women. Maybe she likes my company or maybe she takes pity on me, I can never be sure. Once I had enter her home she greeted me the casual banter we always passed back and forth. After a few moments she asked me why I was over at such an early hour and I explained to her that My grandmother must have forgotten to pay the water bill and that I desperately needed to shower before my first day of high school. She understood and pointed to the washroom that I had used many times before. Ms. Maes' home was a small little house with yellow walls and little knick knacks everywhere you turned. Her bathroom was loaded with everything anyone could ever need when it comes to hygiene products. Ms. Mae is always there for me whenever I need anything which is something I think we all need. My grandma tries her best but she cant remember everything.
After my shower I quickly changed into my Gray T-Shirt, jeans, and black converse. I thanked Ms. Mae for letting me use her shower and I scurried out the door. As I entered my home I look to see Mama with an inhaler in one hand and her oxygen mask in the other. She started to say something but I couldn't understand her through the mask. As quickly as she had started to speak to me she fell asleep. I noticed out of the corner of my eye someone moving behind me and then my grandma jumped forward in an attempt to surprise me. I pretend to be surprised when she shouted she always loved playing tricks on me when I was younger and I always loved playing along. She was holding something behind her back but I couldn't tell what. It was small and square and wrapped in bright blue paper that I recognized from last Christmas. She quickly holds the box in front of her and hands it to me. The second that gift landed in my hand I ripped that sucker open and it revealed a box for a cell phone. I looked at her in disbelief, " Grandma how did you afford this" I asked. "I've been saving all summer! I think every teen should have a phone in high school." I hugged her and said thank you probably a thousand times. The look of joy on her face really showed how happy she was to see me happy. After a moment she hurriedly rushed me out the door and said " You cant be late for your first day of high school! I grabbed my bag and my new phone and race down the street to the bus stop.
I wasn't very nervous about high school until this moment, I suppose I never really thought about until now. I have heard many stories here and there, some good and some bad so I wasn't really sure what to believe. After a few minutes of me being trapped in my thoughts, the school bus pulled up and snapped me into reality. I've always hated the bus. It has always made me feel very uncomfortable but fortunately, most kids are driven on the first day of school so there were plenty of open seats. I live in a fairly close vicinity to the school so the bus ride was only about ten minutes. Once we finally arrived everyone flooded off the bus, some seemed miserable and some seem happy to be here. We all entered the building together and entered the gymnasium. All I is a room full of several hundred students. Some of the students are acquaintances but most are total strangers. After a few moments of confusion I find my friend Monica although I hardly recognize her because she decided to give herself a total makeover before school started back. I quickly grabbed her and we made our way over to the bleachers and waited for the first day of school to officially begin.
