Emma and Lenore

Jobs

Chapter dedicated to kayslay12 for being so supportive.

Emma

"Ruby, Rick! Breakfast! You don't wanna be late for school, do you?!" I yell and immediately Rick rushes downstairs with his backpack. He comes closer to me and I peck his cheeks. He mumbles a "Good morning" and I smile. Rick is a quiet boy. He doesn't talk very much. He sits down and starts to eat his pancakes and drink his orange juice.

Ruby, however, comes downstairs and starts acting weird. She looks like she's hiding her face from me. She sits down and I walk over to her chair, and grab her face, turning it to me.

"Really? Mom's makeup? What the hell, Ruby? You're way too young for this. Go wash your face and...." I'm interrupted when Ruby says, "You're not the boss of me."

"I'm your sister! I have every right to boss you around!"

"No, you're not my real sister. My parents just had pity on you; that's why you're here." She says and I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Ruby has said some mean things to me before but this takes the cake.

Rick's fork drops to the floor and he gives Ruby an angry glance. I don't say a word. I just continue to put their lunches in brown paper bags.

After 5 minutes, their school bus arrives and I hand them their lunches. At the door, when Ruby enters the bus, Rick hugs me and whispers in my ear. "Don't take what she said to heart. You're a great sister." He then kisses my cheek and smiles. "Thank you Rick. Have fun at school." I smile back.

"Fun? In school?" He asks and I laugh.

Then he runs to his school bus.

Once I shut the door, I lean on it and I start to sob.

************

In Biology class, the bell serves as a wake up call for all the students. Literally. Mr Larry doesn't care if you listen in his class. He just does his job and leaves when he's done. So now, the bell rings and 80% of the class wake up. I chuckle. I'm not the smartest person in class, but I'm doing fine.

I pack my books in my bag and head out for lunch. Ruby's words are still ringing in my ears. I can't believe she's just 7. She talks like she's 15 or something. I should be angry at her, but deep down I know she's right.

Lana is the only friend I have. She's the only one who knows the real me, and she understands me. Nobody ever gives me a chance, because they believe I'm a stuck up rich girl. Like hello, I didn't ask to be rich.

"Em!!" I hear someone shout from behind me. I smile. Of course it's Lana. I turn and I walk up to her. "I have got great news!" She says and squeals in the empty hallway. Everyone is eating lunch.

"Really? What is it?" I ask, suddenly eager to know. "Okay, so you know how both of us are looking for jobs?" She asks and I nod. "Yeah, so, I went to McKay's Ice Cream Shop and I got us jobs there. The pay is really good." She says and grins.

I'm impressed. She's way better at being independent. "Wow. That's great." I hug her. I can feel her smile but when she pulls away, she's not smiling.

"What happened to you? You're not happy. I can feel it. Did anything happen this morning?" She asks.

"Well, yeah. Ruby hurt my feelings." I say, then explain what happened.

"What? Girl, if I were you, I'd have slapped her right across the face. Who does she think she is? She needs to learn some manners. Look, Em, I know you're hurting and I understand but you shouldn't let this get to you. It's not your fault, okay?" She takes my hand in hers and rubs it slowly.

"Okay." I sigh. She smiles then pokes my tummy. I try not to smile. She pokes it again. And again. And again. And let's just say that right now, I'm laughing so hard in the hallway.

Lenore

"Harry! You forgot your lunch!" I yell and he rushes from the door back to the kitchen. I giggle. "You should have remembered you had an exam today, dude. But you're putting on quite a show."

He shoots me a deadly glare and I continue laughing. He rushes back to the door and yells,  "Bye!"

I shout the same. He shuts the door and I wait for my own bus to come. Harry says he prefers walking to school. He says it makes him think better than in a bus with a bunch of noisemakers. He's got a point but I prefer not stressing myself. I'm thin enough as it is.

Mom walks downstairs and yawns loudly and I chuckle. She smiles and I greet her with a "Good morning." She just nods and prepares herself some coffee.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"Uh, I was, um, wondering where I could get a job. When school ends. Before college."

She sips some coffee, and she says, "I don't know, Lenore. That's the last thing on my mind right now. Your dad and I have debts we need to repay and the money we have is not enough to settle it all."

"But mom, a job could help us." I say and she laughs.

"No. Lenore, you're a teenager. You won't find any job with a decent pay right now." She says and I hear the horn from my bus.

I'm not a child anymore. Mom doesn't get that, does she? I just sigh and hug her before going to the bus. And immediately I enter, I receive stares from everyone.

Madison laughs and I hear her say to her friend Chelsea, "She's so...poor. I mean, who wears the same outfit twice?"

Yes, I know I wore this same outfit last week.

Madison is the school's Queen bee, rich and spoilt.

I sit down on an empty chair at the back of the bus, close my eyes and inhale the fresh air.

****

Chapter 2!

Hope you like it.