Joe
I stare at the ceiling and start counting down.
5
4
3
2
1
Beep beep beep
My alarm clock goes off like it's actually the one waking me. I turn it off and climb out of bed.
First day of grade 11....
First day of school without Zoe...
I'm usually not scared for the first day. I may not be popular but I could be a lot worst. I do pretty well in class and all in all I kinda like school. But not today.
Today I don't like school. Today school will suck. Because today my best friend will not be there, my sister Zoe, will not be there.
Zoe was the reason I was not unpopular in school, she was popular, very popular. She was a protective big sister as well, so no one at school would ever bully me. But now she's gone. And honestly that not worst part of not having her at school wasn't that I would be beat up but that I would be lonely. She was who I went to with my problems, she was who I walked to school with, and like I said she was my best friend.
I look around my boring room for something to wear. My room was navy blue and small single bed against one wall a desk with my laptop against the other and my dresser which I was currently pulling clothes madly out of in the middle of the two.
I ended up picking some black skinny jeans and a white shirt. I could hear Zoe telling me to be sweet and simple.
I ran downstairs to find my mother holding a plate with some eggs. "Eat up" she said a big smile on her face.
I took my plate and sat down at the table and began to eat.
"Does he have to drive me." I say deciding to take one last stab at getting out of the awkward car ride. "I could walk by myself or Jim could drive me!"
"Come on Joe he's a nice guy, he feels bad about Zoe and he wants to be there for you. Don't push him away." She said. "But you are 16 now Joe if you don't want him to drive you it's your life."
She said it like I had a choice, but I knew I didn't. So I just nodded.
"Now go brush your teeth and get your stuff he will be here soon." She said patting my back and smiling.
I got up from the table pushed my chair in a put my plate in the sink. Besides my room my house was pristine my mom was a bit of a neat freak so everything had to be tidy all the time.
I do as she says and half way through doing my hair I hear the door bell ring.
"Hello Ms. Sugg!" I hear Alfie say.
"Hi Alfie." I hear my Mum say. "Joe! Alfie is here!"
I decide that my hair looks good enough grab my backpack and rush down the stairs.
"Ok bye Mum." I say as I rush out the door and pasted Alfie.
"Joe wait up!" Alfie calls as I rush down my drive way and get into the front sit of his car.
Alfie gets in and finally get to say what I have been waiting forever to say.
"I am doing this for her Alfie for my Mum and for Zoe. Because it would make her feel better to think her daughters not dating a jerk. And it would make Zoe feel better that I'm taken care of but I know the truth. You are doing this for bonus points with Zoe, and if it wasn't for Zoe you would be beating me up with the rest of the gay kids you beat up." I say unable to control my rage.
See Alfie is my sisters boyfriend and him like many of the kids at my school are very homophobic and believe in kicking the crap out of anyone who could be at all gay, and as a gay guy, this pisses me off. I wasn't beaten because of Zoe, but to know that it was happen to people for being well, something I am, makes me want to be sick.
"Joe I swear it's not like that. This whole thing, with Zoe it made me realize how precious life is. I am not going to waste mine hating anymore. It's going to be a different year to a different me" Alfie says quietly not looking at me.
After a moment of silence he starts the car.
I don't know what to say or do. Does he really mean it in the end I decided to say this and only this.
"We will see."