Chapter 20: First Day (Skywriter's Point of View)
"Why Johnston?" Darry asks me, mixing in chocolate syrup with milk for Pony. I'll tell you one thing, I thought I was grumpy in the morning, but Pony! Man that kid is feisty when he wakes up.
"Uh…well, my mom didn't want me to know about her, and my dad didn't want me around, so I never took either one of their last names. Figured I'd go with my aunt's last name." I answer. I cradle my head in my hands and wish I could die. My face looks a little better from last night, but it's still swollen. Not to mention this hangover is killing me.
"She was Mom's aunt? The one that was 'sick'?" Pony asks. I shrug.
"Don't know, I guess." I answer, wanting to end the conversation. I get lucky too, because the phone rings and Darry goes to answer it.
"It's for you." He says with a hint of aggravation. I take the phone, slightly aggravated myself.
"What?" I bark to whoever is on the other line.
"Hey, you okay?" Kate asks. I sigh wondering where to begin.
"Yeah, fine." I answer. Darry goes back to scrambling eggs, as Soda gets out of the shower, and sits at the table.
"He hurt you?" Kate asks, referring to Darry.
"Nope." I answer, not wanting to say much. I don't want Darry to know we're talking about him.
"Really? I thought he was going to flip yesterday!" Kate answers.
"Well…everything's fine." I answer, considering each word carefully.
"Okay well, here, Chris wants to talk to you." Kate says, a second later Chris is on the phone.
"Hey." She says.
"Hey. What're you doing up so early?" I ask. Normally we would sleep until noon.
"Haven't gone to bed yet." She answers. Yep, go figures.
"Oh okay, well, you okay?" I ask. Pony finishes his breakfast and puts his plate in the sink. I try to do the same, but point back to my seat at the table.
"You have to eat something." He tells me. I roll my eyes but sit back down, and mess with the eggs on my plate.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay? I was afraid I wouldn't have a boyfriend after last night." Chris tells me. I take a bite of eggs and swallow down some orange juice.
"Well, don't worry about me. Everything's fine." I tell her. I'm sure Darry knows we're talking about him now.
"Sky, you need to get ready for school." Darry tells me, hinting for me to get off the phone.
"Kay well I gotta go." I tell Chris.
"Ugh, you have to?" She whines.
"Hey, it's not my choice. I don't want to go to school." I tell her, earning a glance from Darry.
"Fine. I'll talk to you later." She tells me. I tell her bye, hang up, and get my stuff together.
"Do you guys take a bus or something?" I ask from the living room, putting my shoes on.
"No, Soda rides with Steve. Two-bit, Johnny, and I walk." He answers, already ready and getting ready to leave. Steve honks his horn, and Soda leaves to ride with him.
"Bye Darry, I'll see ya later!" Pony calls, walking to the front door.
"Bye kiddo. Stay outta trouble." He answers, and I swear he's looking at me at the last part. I try to follow Pony out, but Darry stops me.
"I'm takin' you." He tells me. I roll my eyes and prepare myself for a long ride.
Darry's Point of View
Sky says little to nothing on the way to school, as I lecture him about not getting in trouble, staying at school, and doing his work. However, if I could have a dollar for every time he rolled his eyes, I'd be rich.
"Oh, and when you get home, go straight to your room and start on your homework." I tell him.
"What if I don't have homework?" He mutters.
"Then go straight to your room and review what you learned." I answer.
"Why do I have to go to my room? Why I can't I do it in the living room or something?" He asks me.
"Because I told you yesterday. You're grounded." I answer. I can't even believe he asked that after last night.
"So I can't leave my room?" He asks incredulously.
"Have you ever been grounded before?" I ask, parking at the school to let him out.
"What do you think?" He asks bitterly, hopping out of the car. He stomps off into the school and I can't help but think what a hellish day this is going to turn out to be.
Skywriter's Pont of View
This school is not near as big as my last one. The kids aren't near as big either. They all look like a bunch of preschoolers, walking around with their colorful book bags and chattering with their preoccupied friends. I bet none of them have been drunk before in their lives. My head pounds against my eyes and I suddenly think how lucky they are. They should never drink.
I look at my class schedule and find room 103, Mrs. King, Literature. Lit isn't bad. You just read and stuff right? I like to read. I walk into the class room and the teacher spots me instantly.
"You must be Skywriter." She says, and I swear I can think of a million sarcastic things to say back to her.
"Lexan." I answer instead. "Just Lex or Lexan.
"Well, okay just Lex or Lexan, your seat it the third from the last in the second row." She says, point as if I can't count. I'm not that dumb!
"Yea, okay." I answer, carrying my stuff to the desk she said was mine. The girl in front of mine smiles.
"I'm Nik." She tells me. I'll admit that she's kind of pretty. Not as good-looking as Chris, but she's okay.
"Uh, hey. I'm Lex." I answer. I didn't want to be rude.
"You're new here right?" She asks.
"Nah, been going here awhile, just nobody could see me before." I answer. I couldn't help it. She smiles and tosses her hair over her shoulder. It's obvious she's one of those stuck up cheerleader types.
"Oh." She answers. Is she kidding me? 'Oh'?
"I think that was a joke, Nikki." The guy beside her tells her with arrogance. She only smiles again and turns around.
"I'm Bran." He tells me. I nod and unpack my things.
"How long have you been here?" He asks.
"First day." I answer.
"Oh, well, I'll have to introduce you to some guys." He tells me. Whatever, I think, but don't have time to tell him. The teacher tells us to take out our books, and starts teaching.
"I'll find you at lunch." He whispers, and I kind of hope I die before then.
Do I die? No. My luck could never be that good. I managed to get through Lit and math without a problem, I figured lunch would be a breeze. I've never been so wrong in my entire life.