Situations Change [1]

Situations Change
                                   Chapter One
   I shoved a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth as I finished brushing my teeth. It was the first day back to school after winter break and I wanted to get up before Bethany started to hog the bathroom to herself. I pulled the straightener through my long brunette hair as part of my morning routine. After finishing in the bathroom I decided to wake Bethany. Not an easy task. I walked into her room and pulled her drapes apart, letting in the muffled sunlight.
   “It’s time to wake up, Beth,” I called. She groaned and covered her face with her hands. I chuckled and turned her radio on to the highest volume. Her favorite CD started blasting through the speakers. It almost always got her up.
   “Can’t we just stay home one more day?” She yelled at me as she sat up in her bed. It was hard to say no to her, but with me acting as both parents now, I had to do what was best for her, no matter what she does to protest.
   “No, we have to go, so get up and get dressed,” I ordered before wandering back to my room to pick out an outfit. After five minutes of debating I decided on a black, pleated skirt with my favorite leggings and a pink shirt I got from Aeropostale to match, with my favorite ballet flats. I grabbed my bag with my school supplies and my personal belongings in it and left my room. I checked on Bethany and found she was in the shower. I smiled at myself in satisfaction.
   Making breakfast was my next task. I was never a great cook, but we get by. I took some eggs out of the carton and broke the shell to release the eggs into a bowl. I separated the eggs and put the egg whites in the pan, while pouring the yolk down the disposal. I popped some two bagels into the toaster oven and waited for them to crisp before putting them on a plate with some Philadelphia Cream Cheese and the egg whites. Just as I put the plates on the table Bethany entered the room.
   “I do not know why you insist on making breakfast every morning. We could just grab something on the way to school,” she suggested as she put a forkful of eggs in her mouth.
   “Mom liked it when we ate breakfast together in the morning. Just because she is dead it doesn’t mean we can just give up old traditions,” I chastised her. She wore a bored expression on her face and continued to eat. I sighed and gave in to the silence. Bethany resented me for taking over as her parent. I considered it a necessary change after mom died since dad was living in France with his boyfriend.
   After breakfast I drove us to school in our mother’s old Ford Explorer. She climbed out of the vehicle as soon as she could, all just to get away from me. I sighed and pulled my stuff from the car. I walked into the courtyard to wait for the school doors to open. I spotted my best friend, Caitlin, sitting at a table near the door and took the spot in front of her.
   “Good morning, Leigh,” she said to me. “I see the spawn of Satan is sitting with her usual cheer bimbos,” she commented about Bethany.
   “She just hangs out with them because she knows we detest them. Anyway, have you seen Ryan this morning?” I ask her about my boyfriend. She shakes her head and looks back to the screen of her phone and starts texting someone. Before I can pull my phone out and call Ryan a pair of hands cover my eyes from behind me.
   “Guess who?” He says in his harmonic voice. I grin as he plants a kiss on my cheek before removing his hands. “So, my parents are going to let me have the lodge to myself this weekend. I was thinking we could have a little party and then you guys could stay over.”
   “Sounds like fun. I’m in,” Caitlin said immediately. Ryan held out his knuckles to her for a fist bump and she met his hand. They were so childish, but they have been friends since before I moved here when I was eight.
   “I don’t know if I should go. I have to worry about Bethany and everything,” I told them. They both sighed and I knew the speech I was going to get.
   “You always worry about her, babe. She’s seventeen and she can take care of herself, but if you must, you can always bring her with you. Just have some fun for once,” Ryan begged me. I sighed. I always said no to everything he wanted to do.
   “I’ll think about it,” I told him. He smiled and kissed my cheek again. Maybe I should go with him this weekend, just to celebrate our eleven month anniversary.
   I remember the night we got together. I had just woken up from another nightmare, reliving the moment I watched my mother die and what she said before she died, and I called him for a shoulder to cry on. He was there within five minutes, holding me and letting me cry as much as I wanted to. I felt so close to him that I just pressed my lips to his.
   The bell interrupted my thoughts about that night. I sighed and walked off to my class, still thinking about that night. I had dreamt mostly about the meaning of my mother’s words. The doctors said it was just a bunch of meaningless words, but what did her words mean? They had to have meant something. Her words floated into my mind once more; Secrets in the Patsy Cline. I had thought about it for a year now and still couldn’t understand. The most I could understand was that Patsy Cline was her favorite record in her collection. All of the sudden, I knew what she meant. Part of it at least. The answers I had been looking for were in the Patsy Cline record at home. The urge to leave the class was overwhelming, but I fought to stay. I had waited a year for answers and I could wait seven more hours.

Alright, I know it's kinda boring right now but it's the first chapter so just give it time. I love you all!

~Danieee