Strength

Chapter One

Great. New day. Another day of spitballs and slurs. First day of ninth grade, as if middle school wasn't enough. I wake up in my blue everything bedroom. It's small, but that's because of the closet, two filled bookshelves, and electric piano near the window. Messy, because of the sheet music and candy wrappers everywhere.

I get out of bed, stretch, and put on my go-to outfit. A black 90's band t-shirt, black jeans with tears at the knees, my favorite green jacket that was two sizes too big, and my dark navy converse.

After adding a little black mascara to my blue eyes, I don't really care for looks, I took a brush to my shoulder length, brown hair, cursing as the curls just frizz up. I give up, grabbing my Sacramento Kings black baseball hat. They are the best basketball team in the whole of California.

I take my blue jean backpack with band pins all over it and race to the kitchen. The hall walls are framed with photos of my mom, me, and my brothers. My eighteen year old brother Corey beat me to the kitchen, taking toast out of the toaster.

He doesn't really look like me, but I was the only brunette in the family. He's tall, built to run, but strong. Even though he doesn't look like it. He's always there for me. Ever since mom died, we've been together. Since he was one year away from eighteen.

"Coffee?" he asks as we move around each other as I put in more toast and he grabs a butter knife. We are so used to the routine, we never run into each other.

"Sure," I answer as I throw two plastic coffee cups over my head. He catches them without looking.

"So, are you joining track again this year?" I ask as I butter my own toast. He passes me the coffee cup, adding a lid so we could take them on the bus. The bus driver gets kind of cranky when we don't.

"Uh, I don't really know. I want to try swim team." he responds while taking his own green backpack and checking his phone. I nod as I check my own. A tab says something has happened on the news.

"A truck company blew up, some say it's the work of Doctor Silent, renown villain and insane fugitive from authorities." Corey reads, "Be careful when walking out in town."

He's talking about my annual trip to Freazy's, a small 60's themed restaurant. I made it a tradition that every year I go and buy the biggest ice cream cone they have. So far, I'm yet to finish one.

"I'll be fine, Corey." I asure as I roll my eyes. He shakes his head. We walk outside, down the apartment steps, and toward the bus stop.

It's not too far from our apartment complex, just past two more, one of those being Michael and Kyle's. They're brothers, Kyle's in my grade, while Michael and Corey are starting their third year of high school this morning.

The bus stop is right on the sidewalk, a bus shelter to stay out of rain, (which luckily didn't have any hobos hanging around) and a few dying bushes.

As we walked to the tree that marked the stop, we didn't say much. We have that mutual feeling that we don't have to talk together to hang out, since neither of us are real talkers. Both brunette boys are there, Michael is messing with Kyle's hair.

"Sup Mike!" Corey shouted, high fiving Michael. He smiles, throwing an arm over Corey's shoulders.

Kyle and I stand awkwardly, nodding with compliment. We're not really friends, but we know each other. I mean, other than being married for two days in kindergarten, we aren't that close.

After a few silent minutes, filled with only the gossip from Corey and Michael, the bus arrives. But as the doors open, a stickly man in a green suit with a clip bored steps out. His head is an upside down triangle framed with balding white hair, and his half moon glass hide beady brown eyes. His name tag said, "Todd Griffins".