It's exactly ten past seven when my alarm buzzes a little louder than usual. Jenkins isn't there though, must have already left to help out his dad. I get off the bed and wobble to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later I'm heading down the stairs to get some breakfast ready as I wait for Jenkins. A sweet scent shoots up my nose as soon as I walk into the kitchen. Pancakes!
Who...?
'' Good morning Alya. '' i hear behind me.
'' Regina!'' I exclaim '' Good morning, I didn't know you were working today.''
She's carrying a basket of already done laundry which she sets down when I move in for a hug.
Regina is '' the help'' as my mother states. To me, she's a friend whose life didn't quite turn out the way she hoped. She dropped out of college in her first year because she got pregnant at a party and couldn't remember who the baby daddy was. She was a finance major.
She didn't go back home, she was too afraid of what her parents would do. Probably throw her out and she sure as hell wasn't gonna abort. So she stayed in her apartment and would work at a coffee shop across the street.
Without her parents and baby daddy's support it became harder for her to pay rent and stay healthy enough for her and the baby. Her parents would call her constantly, asking her to come back home no matter what happened but she knew better.
Months later the guilt was killing her from the inside out. Her parents had done everything for her but there she was locking them out of a very important part of her life.
She gathered up courage and went over to her parents. One look at her and they just slammed the door in her face and she's never been there or talked to them ever since.
'' Tomorrow is Danny's birthday and I want to spend the entire day with him.'' she says as she wipes down the counter.
'' What do you have planned?'' I take a seat and fill my plate with pancakes.
'' He really loves watching animals on TV so we're go to the zoo then have a small party at home where I'll give him a puppy.''
While she tells me all this, her face lights up with a beautiful smile it's so obvious she loves him unlike some mothers.
'' I miss the little guy why'd you stop bringing him over.'' I ask after taking my last bite.
'' Your mother made it very clear that this isn't a homeless shelter.'' she says and I can tell that it's left a bitter taste in her mouth.
'' Don't mind her, she's never woken up on the right side of the bed.'' we both let out a simple laugh.
'' By the way, your invited to Danny's party. ''
'' I'll definitely be there.''
I sit at the table for a few more minutes scrolling through my phone when Jenkins finally arrives.
'' You ready to go?'' he hollers from the entrance.
'' Yah, pancakes?''
'' Yes please.'' he sets a book down then forks a pancake.
'' You've been reading?'' I raise my eyebrows questionably at him.
'' Thought I'd try out something new.'' he shrugs.
'' Okay!, so it's a bet?''
'' Exactly!'' he replies hastily ''Now can you let me eat my pancakes.''
I sit back in silence watching the time go by...we're so gonna be late for school.
'' Your still here?'' exclaims Regina as she walks back into the room and spots Jenkins neck deep in her incredible pancakes. '' Now I see why.''
'' Hey Gina.'' he says with a goofy smile and a full mouth.
'' Seriously Jenkins, how many times have I told you not to talk with your mouth full.'' I scold
'' Sorry.'' he shrugs.
'' Y'all are gonna be late for school.'' says Regina as she walks over to Jenkins to give him a quick hug.
'' Right!'' we say in unison.
'' Jenkins is invited to.'' yells Regina when we leave the house.
When get to the car Jenkins speeds off and we've gotta make it to school in ten minutes.
'' What am I invited to?'' he asks
'' Danny's birthday party.''
'' Oh!, how is the little fella, how come she never brings him over anymore?''
'' Take a wild guess!''
'' You know things would be alot better if you and your mom would just work things out!'' he says giving me a think-about-it look.
'' And what exactly would we be working out, the woman has made it extremely clear that she can't stand my presence. "
A needle is jabbed into my heart as I say that. No kid ever wants to say that.
'' If you make the first move, she might meet you half way.''
'' Yeah, just like she has the last seventeen years!'' I bite back.
'' Not everyone gets as many second chances at patching up there lives as you do, so why not swallow up some of that pride and actually do something.'' he says and I sense a tinge of anger as he pulls up to the school parking lot and gets out without another word.
This topic has always struck a nerve with Jenkins and understandably so. He never got the chance to meet his mum, she died in labour and it still crushes him to this day.
I think it gets harder for him when he has to watch how my relationship with my mum is not one of the best. And that's just it, he doesn't get it. He never met his mum so he can paint her as the prettiest picture.
A mum who always attends your games, one who stitches up your wounds and kisses your bubu till it's all better. One who loves you so much and always reminds you how your birth was the greatest moments of her life.
I, on the other hand, already met my mum and she's far from what any kid would what. She hates me and won't even bother hiding it. She's always trying to forget she has a kid, what kind of mum does that. So he has no right to scold me for my situation plus it's not my fault he's built to see good everywhere but I'd still never hold it against him because in a way he's been more of a mum to me than my own mum!
Always checking up on me, always ensuring am fine and always reminding me that I'm loved.
A knock on the window yanks me out of my thoughts so fast, I get startled. I'm so far gone I forget we'd already made it to school.
I turn to the window and Aidan is there standing, hands in his pockets probably waiting for me to get out. I sling my bag over my shoulder and get out all while he's staring at me attentively.
'' Hmm...hi.'' I say hoping he'll stop staring at me.
'' Hey!'' he replies blandly and still staring at me.
'' What! '' I practically yell. Stop staring at me.
'' Just wanted to see how long it would take you to snap.'' he grins and slings his arm over my shoulder giving me a slight shake.
'' Your a doof!'' We head towards the main building where they've already started hanging up banners for valedictorian week which is one of the best moments at school because of how relaxed the rules are.
'' I knew I should have skipped school!'' I mumble
'' There is gonna be a start of valedictorian week party, you gonna come?'' he asks. We have now made it to the hallway and are moving to my locker.
'' I was already invited to a better party.'' i smile cockily as we make it to my locker where I pull out my bag and place in my Chemistry books, it's my first class today.
'' No one throws better parties than me!'' he replies with a confident grin. '' Whose party is this anyway? '' he says a little too seriously and I can't help but laugh.
'' What, afraid of a little competition?'' I laugh!
" Fine,don't tell me!" He shrugged with a childish pout. " So...Zeke!"he stated.
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