I can’t believe it, seven more months until graduation, my God, high school has passed so fast, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re having fun. My best friends are what made it bearable, the girls, Val and Michelle and the guys; Matt, Brian, Zacky, Johnny and most of all, my best friend in the whole world, Jimmy.
I groaned and sat up in bed, slamming my hand onto my alarm to shut it off, I stretched my arms above my head when a wave of nausea hit me causing me to jump out of bed and run to my bathroom, shoving my head down the toilet and emptying my already pretty empty stomach. Once I was sure I was finished I sighed, this was the fifth morning in a row, I knew why this was happening but I didn’t want to admit it. Maybe checking once more wouldn’t hurt. I reached into my medicine cabinet above the sink and reached to the back, grabbing the long cardboard box, I sighed as I took it out, pulling down my pyjama bottoms; I sat down and did what I had to do. 3 minutes later and it was time to look.
“Yep, there it is,” I said to myself. That little pink plus sign is so unholy.
“Charlie are you awake? You’re going to be late for school!” My older brother Emmet shouted from down the stairs.
Emmet is four years older than me, making him 21, I moved in with him when my parent’s got divorced and I didn’t want to live with mom anymore because she became an alcoholic and I didn’t want to leave my friends to go and live with dad in Washington, so Emmet offered me a room at his place so I took it and I loved my life with my brother.
“Yeah I’m up, just a little bit sick is all!” I called back down to him
“You wanna take the day off?” He asked
“No I’m good, I feel better now anyway and I have homework I gotta hand in too,” I said as I started to get ready for the day.
I’d showered last night, knowing I would most likely be too tired to shower this morning, I pulled my long, black hair with blue bangs back into a loose ponytail, dressed in my slightly baggy Metallica t-shirt, black skinny jeans and black converse. I applied minimal makeup, grabbed my backpack and my phone and headed downstairs. Emmet handed me a plate of toast which I took hungrily before unlocking my phone and sending a text to Jimmy.
‘Yo Jimbo! You need a ride today? X’ I hit send and set my phone down next to my plate and waited for a reply as I ate.
“You sure you don’t want me to call in sick for you? You look like shit,” Emmet said after swallowing a mouthful of toast
“Thank for that bro, but nah I’m good, I can always come home if I need to,” I said taking another bite
“Alright, well I’ll be at the store all day so just text me if you’re coming home early,” He said and I nodded in response as my phone buzzed on the counter
‘Hun, I need a ride every day ;)’ was Jimmy’s reply
‘Nice little innuendo there Jim, alright, I’ll see you in 10,’ I sighed as I locked my phone again, taking my plate to the sink and rinsing it off before putting it back in its place. Emmet and I were pretty tidy considering our mother had OCD and hated having messy, sticky children.
“Alright, I’ll see you for dinner,” I said, pecking Emmet on the cheek as he texted his girlfriend Rosie.
I grabbed my car keys from the table at the front door and headed out with my bag over my shoulder, I walked across the grass and onto the drive where my baby was parked, I may have just got her, but she’s my baby nonetheless. My white Box Chevy sat in the drive just begging to be driven to school again. I climbed inside, throwing my bag in the back seat, I plugged my iPhone that dad sent me as an ‘I’m sorry your mother is a failure’ present, he sent Emmet one too, and started blasting some Metallica to take my mind off of the mess that is now my life.
Five minutes later I pulled up outside Jimmy’s house where he was standing on the sidewalk waiting for me, his eyes were glued to his phone and he didn’t even notice me arriving, even with the loud music of a band he loved so very much. I beeped the horn twice making him jump almost right out of his skin.
“There you are,” He smiled as he climbed into the passenger seat and threw his bag in the back beside mine.
“You wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t turn up for another hour you were so busy on that damn phone,” I said with a laugh
“Oh shut up, I was just texting Alexis about hooking up on Friday,” He said with a smirk, lady’s man.
“Jim, I love you and all but you’re a whore,” I spat as I felt a pang of jealously surge through me
“You know it baby girl,” He sang
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped as I started to drive away from his house in the direction of the school.
“Oh, someone’s on her period,” he teased
“Something like that,” I muttered to myself
Another ten minutes later I pulled into the parking lot of Huntington Beach High School next to Matt’s truck, I cut the engine, unplugged my phone and climbed out of the car grabbing my bag from the back seat and Jimmy did the same.
“There you guys are, what took so long?” Brian asked cockily as we walked over to the guys. Brian was smoking a cigarette, Zacky was absentmindedly playing with his snakebites in his plump lips, Johnny was humping Jason Berry and Matt had his arm around his girlfriend Val.
“Mr Man Whore over here couldn’t stop texting a Miss Alexis Spooner,” I teased, my mood lightening a little from being around my best friends “Hey Jason, where’s Matt?” I asked, referring to his twin brother
“He got sick, mom said he could stay at home,” He sighed, obviously wishing he weren’t here either.
The bell rang and we all headed into the large building. I had music first period with Zacky and Brian so that’s where the three of us headed after separating from the rest of the group.