Why is it that no matter how bad you think your life can get it can always get worse? Here I was living in a small apartment in the middle of New York city with a mother completely obsessed with her job, no father and a ceiling with a water stain forming in the corner above my bed I had no idea what I was in for. I was only sixteen, a sophomore, only a couple weeks past the age old enough to drive and yet my life was about to turn into something I had never dreamt of.
The morning my life changed seemed like any other day. I was in a deep sleep thanks to a small prescription pill when I heard my alarm clock screech in my ear. I had never been a morning person. My nights watching pay-per-view usually lasted until my mom got fed up and forced me to go to bed. Beating the clock into silence I sat up staring into the light coming through the drawn blinds. Pushing away the blankets I staggered over to the dresser hopefully to find something cute inside. Thankfully my mother had picked up the dry cleaning yesterday and a freshly washed blue cashmere sweater was folded on top. Quickly changing my clothes I listened to the sound of footsteps coming from downstairs. My mothers' heels echoed off the walls with every step. "KAYLA ARE YOU UP YET!" Hearing her screaming for me I grabbed a pair of flip-flops and ran down the stairs before she decided to drag me down. Halfway down the steps I stopped. The smell of something being burnt seemed to be a constant in this house. How I survived these past twelve years was a mystery. Already the sounds of New York were filling the apartment. Car horns sounded with every tick of the clock. Staring out the small window of the landing I watched as a giant yellow bus rolled past the building picking up the students that lived far from the school. A sign that read "good luck Thunder Mountain seniors" hung off the side already stained from exhaust fumes. Summer. The season every teenager in the world treasured. No school, no homework, you didn't have to worry about being caught by the hall monitor on your way to class, and it would all be mine in just seven hours. For the sixth year in a row I would spend summer hanging out with my best friend of seven years Caitlyn. I was still wondering why her and I were so close. We were complete opposites. Caitlyn preferred to go for the more punk look while I remained slightly conservative in vintage but not afraid to flaunt. She hung out at the mall and stuffed her face full of fast food while I was the complete opposite. Stepping onto the ground floor I looked into the kitchen to see a cloud of smoke being fanned out an open window by a scorched dishtowel.
"Are you alright mom?" I asked wondering if somehow she had come in contact with the right orange flame smoldering in the pan.
"No I'm alright. But you going to have to pick something up on your way to school"
"Well if you want I can whip something up"
"No don't bother yourself. I have to meet with a new client and I'm already late. I don't want you burning down the apartment. Lock up when you leave." Handing her the briefcase sitting on the floor next to me I watched as she grabbed a coffee cup off the counter and disappeared out the front door without another word. I looked around the kitchen wondering what was hidden inside the ancient cabinets. Stale, frosting covered, jelly filled pop-tarts was the only edible food in the whole apartment. It was either that or cream of chicken soup. Tearing open the glossy thin wrappings I broke off the bare unfrosted edging and tossed it into the trash. Why they even left that part blank was beyond me. No one cared about anything that wasn't covered in frosting and filled with jelly. Hearing the phone ringing from the living room I grabbed it wondering who could be calling so early. Recognizing the familiar phone number on the caller I.D. I picked it up wondering what Caitlyn wanted.
"What's up?" I asked falling onto the couch. Hearing Caitlyns mother screaming in the background I winced. "Your brother?"
"Oh yeah. Do you know how hard it is trying to get a six year old ready for school?" laughing I broke off another piece of pop-tart and placed it in my mouth wondering why she was calling.
"So how did your date go last night with Trevor?"
"The boy is about as interesting as a mop. All he talks about is that stupid car his parents got him. The tires, the rims, the engine, do I look like someone who cares about a hunk of metal?"
"Definitely not. So did you just call to talk or was there something important you wanted to talk about?"
"My date with the boy that could put a shoe to sleep isn't important?" Caitlyn snapped sounding annoyed. Laughing again I stood and grabbed my bag off the floor. "Ok I'm kidding. But seriously I didn't turn in my homework from Bio last week and I lost that stupid little piece of paper the teacher handed out. Please tell me you remember what the assignment was."
"Page four ninety one chapter review questions one through thirteen."
"You know it scares me how you can do that. I have to go but I'll see you soon?"
"Like always." Replacing the phone on the cradle I grabbed my cell phone off the small table by the front door.