Nap Queen

One

Pic is Evie's Oufit on first day of school (Since y'all kept BULLYING ME for my first choice lmao)

Light floods my room and I hiss pulling the covers up over my face.

"Evangelina you're going to be late," my mother warns. I sit up and bid her good morning. Her eyes narrow. I slide out of bed to appease her. Satisfied she leaves to go wake up Brandon.

I head to the bathroom to take a quick shower and think about what I should wear for my first day of Junior year. 10 minutes later I emerge with my hair up in a towel and an outfit in mind. I rush around sitting at my vanity, swiping some mascara on and a light dust of powder.  I stab diamond studs into my ears and let my hair out, throwing it up into a pony tail.

By the time I get downstairs my hair has almost dried and I'm tugging my Docs on. I brush off my pink sweater and throw on my jean jacket. I plop into my seat at the breakfast bar and shove forkfuls of pancakes into my mouth. Mom eyes me from the sink in front of me in a stop eating like an animal way. I slow down a bit.

"Are you sure you can handle the stress of Junior year Evangelina?" My mom asks concerned. It's Evie.

"I'll be fine Mom, I'll take my medicine, I have my salts in my backpack and an Epipen" I assure her.

"I'm just worried, you've just switched meds and you had an attack only last month." She replies. How could I forget? I have a scar forming on my eyebrow now. An addition to the gallery that is my head. Scars, concussions and all. Not to mention I'm exhausted from switching meds, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Mom, I will be okay. I know the consequences of going to school, but I also know the consequences of staying. I'd rather have an attack while with friends than be miserable and lonely but safe" I argue. I end the conversation by stabbing my scrambled eggs.

Brandon jumps down the stairs lacrosse helmet in hand, devours his food and throws back his gummy vitamins washing them down with milk, he pretends he didn't hear but I know he did. I finish eating as he circles the bar to kiss mom's cheek and grabs his lunch. I throw my new blue pills back and follow suit.

My brother gets fruit snacks and I get antidepressants.

"Let's go, E" He calls swinging his keys on the way out the door.

"Bye Mom!" We call out together. I grab my backpack on the way out the door and stuff my lunch into it.

I slide into his black jeep and buckle my seat belt and turn on the seat heaters. Brandon starts the car, carefully backing out of our paved driveway. Once we are on the road, we have a 10 minute ride to Somerset High School. I text the girls and ask them to meet us in the courtyard to compare schedules and locker numbers.

"How you feeling?" He asks after a bit. "Tired?"

"I'm always tired," I point out, faking bliss. "I'm excited for the new year though!"

"Don't push yourself to much, Evie. Mom will take you out if you don't slow it down." He calls my bluff. I nod my understanding. He's worried, and he has every right to be. It's not like he asked for a sister who practically drops dead every time she's flustered, angry or scared.

"Oh before I forget, I can't take you home after school, lacrosse practice. "He laughs changing the subject. I'm grateful.

"It's okay I'll stay and watch." I reply. We pull in the parking lot and I see that the bell rings in 30 minutes. Brandon's face lights up.

"Will Mia come? Not that I care." He asks. It's no secret that he has a crush on my best friend. Mia likes him back, but of course neither of them know it. 

"I'll ask, you dork." He parks and we swing out together. We walk to the main office bumping each other all the way.

We pick up our schedules and head to meet our friends in the courtyard. I spot Mia and Lauren in their cheer outfits, Ollie, Boston, and Camille are there too. The girls squeal and run over to me, I'm happy to see them too.  We sit in our own little group and talk about our summers. Mia and Lauren reminisce about cheer camp, Camille and I share a look. The two of us enjoy smaller things. Camille is a photographer and I am a bookworm.

When they are done, Camille gushes about the shots she got while she visited her cousin in Italy. Nobody asks me about my summer, they know where I was when I wasn't with them. In and out of hospitals and psychological research centers.

Meanwhile the boys are fangirling over the new long pole Ollie got. Eventually they leave to go put their sticks and helmets in the locker room before school. Its not even technically lacrosse season, and preseason scrimmages don't start until November, but who am I to burst their bubble?

The bell rings and we all walk together to first period. Mia and I have English, but Camille and Lauren have different classes. As we walk, people start to talk.

It's them

Stay back

Hi Lauren!

Their all so beautiful

I wish I was them

You're so cute Mia!

They got even hotter

Get out of their way!

Evie! Will you come to my party?

Cami? Do you love me? ( She glares at the speaker, she hates being called Cami)

I get most of the attention for some reason, I just accept it and keep walking. They call me elusive. Maybe its because I don't care to be fawned at like a priceless artifact. Camille has her camera out taking video of the people in the hallway cheering for us like its a parade. Mia and Lauren are ahead of us milking the attention though blowing kisses, smiling, and shaking their red and gold pom poms. That's just their bubbly personalities.

Our little group has won the Spartan Spirit Sisters award twice in a row and I smell a third year. I have very little school spirit but with two cheerleaders and a skilled photographer that manages to "capture the essence of SHS" they apparently thought that was good enough for me to be spirited by association. We say our goodbyes and go our separate ways.

Mia and I walk into English, and my perfect morning goes down in flames.