Light Me Up

2: High Expections Only Lead to Shallow Disappointment.

I slammed my hand down on my alarm clock, I wasn't even going to hug the sheets today. I skipped happily to the bathroom, brushing my teeth. I was always a morning person when I wanted to be, but today I was feeling especially happy. That's when I knew I still wasn't completely sober. I shrugged it off, I had no problems feeling this great. I got in the shower, which was really the only way of fixing the knotted mess called my hair.

Once all my makeup was applied and my hair was as perfect as I could get it, I toasted myself some cinnamon bread. My sister, Kaylee, was in the grade above mine, and she was sat at the kitchen table eating cereal. My parents were just entering, rubbing it in our faces that it was our first day. Kaylee rolled her eyes, setting her bowl down in the sink.

"Come on Ry, we've got to catch the bus," Kaylee said. I nodded, quickly shoving the rest of my toast in my mouth.

"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad!" I said, heading out the door behind Kaylee. I walked down the front steps and down to the sidewalk to wait for the familiar yellow beast I sure as hell didn't miss.

"So how was last night?" Kaylee asked me. My sister and I were extremely close, she was probably my best friend. We both had our friends, but they overlapped in a lot of places; her friends were my friends. I was pretty much born in the wrong year, I was in advanced classes and everything. She was taking chemistry this year, so was I; the same goes for math and Spanish.

"I got really high," I confessed. "It was so fun, Kay... You should've came."

"You know I can't," she shot me a knowing look. Kaylee was always going to the doctor because the doctors weren't sure what was wrong with her. It was nothing you could see on the surface, there was something irregular with her blood, so she was always getting tested.  I shrugged, seeing the bus coming down our street.

"Is it weird that I"m excited?" I asked her as the bus stopped in front of us.

"Yes."

The ride to school wasn't anything new, except for the freshman. You could see--and unfortunately smell-- the nerves radiating off of them. I know I was just a freshman last year, but these kids were different. They were extremely rude and not to mention they looked like ten year olds. I didn't act like a freshman, I was invisible last year. I watched the kids in my class act like complete assholes, like they owned the place. It was pathetic.

"Hey!" Frank smiled, greeting my sister and I. Frank lived down the road, and the only time he ever talked to Kaylee and me was when his girlfriend wasn't around. They'd be together 2 years now.

"How was your summer?" I asked him.

"I worked the whole time," he admitted with a frown. "I hung out with my friends though. We should've hung out."

"Yeah well, showing up at your house unannounced really isn't our style," Kaylee said with a sarcastic smile.

"Sorry you never gave me your number," Frank stuck out his tongue. They went on laughing about whatever it was they were talking about; I didn't know because I couldn't seem to pay attention. When we arrived at school, we all filed through the halls, going straight to our first class as we were directed. I was sad I didn't see any of my friends roaming around, so I decided to actually go to my first class. Unfortunately it was double period science.

By the time I got to my lunch break, fifth period, I realized that there was nothing to be excited about this year. Chemistry was going to suck, I couldn't concentrate on a word of Spanish, and in art we did nothing but sit there as the whiny teacher explained the rules. My eyes searched the cafeteria, searching for a familiar face, though I knew they wouldn't find my best friend. He moved away over the summer, and I knew this year was going to be tough without him.

"Ryley!"

I turned around to see Brooke walking toward me, smiling. I hugged her quickly before she was dragging me off toward a table all the way in the back.

"I've been looking for you!" she said. At the table sat Jamie, Leo, Alex, Arielle and my good friend Beth.

"Ryley!" Beth squealed, jumping up to hug me. I laughed, returning her hug. Beth and I hung out plenty during the summer, and she was one of my best friends. I knew Jamie had a huge crush on me since last year, but she and I were never going to happen. I was straight, and I just didn't and never would have a thing for girls. I sat down between Beth and Brooke, awkwardly sitting my mess of a bag lunch on the table. "I heard about yesterday, is it true?"

I looked up at Beth with eyes wide, "What? Who?"

"Jesse told us," Jamie added from across the table.

"Yeah, Jamie was pissed that she wasn't there," Brooke laughed. Beth got up, seeing another one of her friends and running her way. Great, one of my best friends just ditched me. Beth and Jamie used to be together, and I think this conversation was about to get really awkward.

"He said you got really, really high," Jamie continued.

"Of course she did," Alex spoke for the first time. "She was with me." I looked at him, meeting his eyes.

"Yeah, thanks for that," I smiled.

"You're very welcome," he smiled back, making me laugh. "How do you feel?"

"I know I'm not completely sober," I said.

"Yeah, give it 24 hours," Alex told me. I ran out of things to say besides 'okay' so I grabbed the granola bar out of my bag and began to devour it. This day wasn't turning out to be as great as I thought. School sucked, I can't believe I forgot.