I felt myself come round, it was still dark in my room.
looking over at my bedside table and squinting my eyes as I tried to focus on my vintage alarm clock, telling me it was 4am.
I groaned into my pillow as I had been waking like this for the past few months.
I prepare breakfast for me and my younger brother Austin a while later before attempting to wake him.
Yes he can be a little moody first thing, but that's just something I've gotten used to now.
At 16, he's almost 6ft. blonde hair and deep blue eyes,to me he's a typical teenager. Full of hormones and thinks he knows the world, along with an attitude to match sometimes.
But I love him just the same, he's the only family I have .
Not that anyone would know, nobody's ever really been interested in me or what's going on in my life.
My mom skipped out on us a couple of months ago when I finally hit 18, leaving me to get through school and of course, raise Austin the best I can.
I work every hour I can to pay the bills by holding on to two part time jobs and sometimes, my dear little brother can get himself into a whole lot of trouble if I'm not around.
It was Monday morning and the start of term after the summer break when I drove us both to school after breakfast.
"Thanks, see you tonight" Austin said to me as he stepped out of his door.
" Hold on, here's your lunch money and remember I'm going to work straight after school, so you'll have to catch a lift" I handed him a $10 note, before he gave me a nod in understanding.
I know he feels bad taking it from me,like he should be helping me out with the money instead.He starts at the store this Saturday, so maybe things will get a little easier for us now.
" Hey Maddie" my best friend Jess caught up with me at my locker, just as I was pulling my biology books out.
"Hey you, have a good vacation?". Jess smiles at me, from the noticeable tan she was now parading, the answer to my question was a definite yes.
"Great thanks, how was yours, go anywhere nice?" Jess maybe my BFF but I haven't told her about my mom.As far as she needs to know my mom works shifts. Giving me the perfect excuse to why she was never around to see her.
I'm not purposely lying to her, but if anyone found out she was gone, they'd might try and split Me and Austin up and I wasn't going to let that happen.
"No, just stayed around and chilled at home this time, maybe I might do something at thanksgiving" fixing my bag onto my back, I closed my locker door and smiled back at Jess.
But of course she wasn't paying any attention to me as she and her football star boyfriend were, in my point of view, trying to eat each others faces off.
" Hey s'up" Lucas asked me as they separated .
" It's all good Lucas , I'll catch you later Jess " leaving them to their PDA moment, I headed towards the biology lab.
I hadn't made it far when I found myself falling forward. I held out my hands to stop be hitting my head against the floor.
"Awww, fuck" I said,the laughter got louder as I pulled myself up from the ground.
I don't know why but Alisha Green has had it in for me since day one.
She had it all, beautiful face, perfect body and was the head of the cheerleading squad . Her school grades were perfect, just like her. The captain of the football team was
her boyfriend and her family had money, lots of it.
So why was she so hell bent on making my life a misery?, I have no idea.
I looked us to see her and a couple of her clicks bunch making the most from my incident.
I said nothing as usual and carried on towards my next class.
The last lesson rolled in and I sat at the back of the class, trying to look inconspicuous .
I hid behind my long dyed black hair and hoodie .
The teacher entered the room , seeing it was Mrs Trammel, I sat up and paid attention,she was one of my favourite people here.
" Hello everybody, good to see you all again.This is Jack Mason, who'll be helping me with classes this term".
I look over to the teaching assistant , I recognise him from the hardware store I worked at. Over the break he had been in and out almost everyday for supplies.
I think he must have recognised me by the small smile he threw in my direction.
To which, of course, I returned the acknowledgment .
That was all it took for Alisha to give me the ' your so dead' look she always loved to bestow upon me.
He picked the empty seat next to mine " hi" he said as he took off his jacket.
I could make out the beginning of a tattoo just at his collar bone and seeing the remains just peeking out from the turned up sleeve of his white shirt on his right arm.
My concentration was taken up the whole lesson by watching his restless foot moving side to side. Resting my head on my right arm, relaxing for a moment, closing my eyes.
I think I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was
Jumping at the sound of the bell, causing the whole class to turn and look at me.
I felt my cheeks flush, I never did like the attention.
I quickly packed my belongings away,if I didn't hurry I was going to be late for my shift at the diner and I couldn't afford to do that.
I made it with only a couple of minutes to spare, that power nap had refreshed me surprisingly.
I slipped into my routine, serving and clearing tables until I was dead on my feet.
At 10pm I was finally finished for the day, I changed in the locker room, hen to my dismay,caught out by Mike who worked in the kitchen.
"So, you free Friday night?" he asked as he leaned up against the frame of the exit I was trying to get through.
" Sorry Mike, I'm working" I shook my head at him.
" Your always working, you need a night off" folding his arms at me, indicating he wasn't about to move anytime.
" Yes well, maybe some other time Mike okay ?, excuse me please I have to get home". I fastens up the buttons of my denim jacket, so I was covered from his perving eyes.
" I'll hold you to that Maddie" he stepped aside,allowing me to leave.
Mike was a large man, broader and bigger than Austin, jet black hair and eyes that were almost black to look at.
The guy made my skin crawl and it was getting more and more difficult to turn him down every time . Something about him was wrong,but I just couldn't it my finger on it.
I made it home and got in safely, but not before noticing an Audi sat at the bottom of my drive, I hadn't seen it around before. I shrugged it off as it probably belonged to a friend of a neighbour.
