Secrets Until Someday

Chapter 1

  Sydney's POV

 It's 7 am on a Thursday and my phone that was strategically stuffed under my pillow is screeching at me for the sixth time this morning. 

Six is excessive I know, but mornings and I do not go hand in hand. I hit the snooze just one more time, 8 more minutes of sleep that's all I need to feel ready to take on this day. 

 8 more minutes and I'll be ready.

 Before I can even close the lids on my tired eyes my dad is bursting through the door.

"Sydney Elizabeth Graves, I swear if you don't get out of that bed right now there's a cup of ice water with your name on it coming straight for your head!" He yells with laughter in his voice.

    I let out a groan...a long, painful groan and slowly drag my feet out from under the blankets. "I'm up. Don't get yourself all worked up now Terry." Using his first name really stirs the aggravation. I feel him rolling his eyes as he shuts the door.

    Well, this first day of senior year is off to a stellar start. Might as well get up and see what the rest of this day has in store for me.

I head over to the closet and settle on my favorite pair of dark jeans, and a black scoop-neck shirt. Paired with a nice pair of flats and of course my favorite necklace. It's a delicate gold chain with a flat rectangle charm connecting each end with a simple heart engraved on one side. My best friend gave it to me last year on my 17th birthday. Neither of us having sisters of our own she said, "It's just proof that we don't have to share the same DNA to be family, you'll always be my sister at heart. And that's way better than what I can say about most of the people I'm related to." As she laughed and clasped it around my next.

 Something so simple, yet so meaningful...but that's Quinn for you. All 5'2" of her, with her tiny build and wavy mess of auburn hair, she has a way of making even the smallest of things carry so much meaning.

 
    I glance at the clock and realize I better get my ass in gear or I'm going to start the last year of high school with a tardy. Not surprising to anyone but still, I'm hoping to aim a little higher this year, or at least for the first day. After that, no promises.

 
    I rush into my bathroom, brush through my crazy mane of dark brown hair, and heat up the curling iron. As I wait for it to warm up, I wash my summer-tanned face and start the lovely process of making myself presentable. I lightly layer on the makeup, not too heavy and just enough to accentuate the natural features I was blessed with. Some glow on the cheeks, some grey eyeshadow to make the light blue in my eyes pop, some mascara to bring it all together, and lastly my fav pomegranate ChapStick. I touch up some curls around my face and with a couple of sprays of perfume, I'm down the stairs.

 
    As I reach the kitchen my favorite smell in the whole world hits my nose and my mood is slightly improving already. I grab a to-go cup and fill it to the rim with some steaming black coffee.

 Who needs breakfast when you've got the elixir of the Gods at your disposal?

 
"All ready to get this year started?" My mom asks as she looks up from the book, she is reading at the kitchen table, sipping her own cup of brew.

"More like getting it over with," I respond in a dramatic tone.

My mom and I don't communicate about much, we keep the topics on the surface level subjects, school, work, cheer, Quinn...the basics. Ever since I started to try to become my own person our relationship has become more like a minefield just waiting for one of us to land on the wrong subject and watch both of us explode. 

So, we keep it light and try to save my dad from having to referee another argument about her trying to control my entire life and me reminding her that I am a big girl and can handle my own shit. 

 I love my mom, I really do. But her having to control everything makes me feel claustrophobic and me trying my hardest to resist her control makes her look like her head is going to explode off of her shoulders. Which usually never works out well for me but who cares? 

In a matter of 179 days, I will be free and finally able to leave this edge of a cornfield town.

"Well, I better get moving or I'll be late," I say as I pass my mom and head out the door to my silver hunk of junk on wheels waiting in the driveway.

"Have a great day, drive slow, and wear your seatbelt!" She yells after me returning to her book.

 The drive to school is short but that's what happens when you live in a town that's the size of a pinprick. I pull into my spot in the front row, one perk of being a senior.

 As I am getting out of my car and collecting my bag, I hear a loud whistle and a couple of obnoxious yells from down the lot. I see Max Hargrove and a few of his new freshmen minions with the dumbest grins on each of their faces.

"Looking good Graves" he smirks as he walks by and gives me a wink.

"Looking like you may be overdoing the steroids a bit, huh Hargrove?" I throw back with a sarcastic smile.

He throws his arms up in the air and flexes so hard his eyes could pop out of his head. "These are all-natural baby." As he kisses each arm. I roll my eyes and continue on my way. He's a tool. A harmless tool, but nevertheless a tool.

    I reach my locker, grab my books for Econ, and head to class. As I go to put my phone on silent, I notice a text I missed about 10 min ago.

"Waited for your ass this morning but I figured you'd cut it until the very last minute. See you at lunch." -Q   

She knows me too well.

 
I move quickly down the hall and take one step into the classroom just as the tardy bell sounds off. Thank goodness. I made it. Now only 6 hours and 59min of this day left to go.

Author Notes

Hello Sydney Graves! I love writing this character. She is a ball of fire, coffee, and sarcasm, my favorite.