Do I love her

Chapter 3

I flash back.
***
"Dad...!" He smiled from the front seat.
"I'll play one song, than I'll change it to the radio." We're on our way to the Statue of Liberty in my dad's car. It was a small, blue Jeep. I was thirteen. Lilly was six. She had her curly blond hair pulled into pigtails and a pink my little pony t shirt.

My mind flashes white. Like a camera taking photos. Everytime the white faded, a new memory appeared and was flashed away. The CD of little kid music getting stuck. FLASH. Dad attempting to eject it from the CD player. FLASH. The car sliding on the black ice. FLASH. Me reaching out to hold Lilly against a seat. FLASH. Sudden pain engulfs my head. FLASH. Waking up in the hospital. FLASH. The nurse telling me my dad was gone. FLASH. Me yelling at my sister at the funeral. FLASH.
***
I open my eyes to see my crying face in the mirror. The tooth brush dropped in a sticky mess on the sink.
My phone vibrates, and I read the text. It's my friend Chase. He says,

"Hey, I'm waiting for you at the bus stop." I look at the time. Oh crap, it's 7:00. I have ten minutes to get ready. I yank my hair brush through my hair, and put it in a rushed braid down my back. I scramble out of the bathroom as I shove on my glasses. I grab my red hat from the coat hanger and pop it on my head, backwards. Quickly, I put on a black north face jacket. The door is stiff, but I yank it open and look into the light snow. I hear behind me,
"You forgot your sandwich!" It's actually my step-dad. I turn and he under hand throws it to me. I surprisingly catch it and close the door. Then I make my way to the bus stop down the road just in time to catch the bus. The bus rides and lunch are the only pleasant thing about school. I am panting after racing down the road to the bus stop. My best friend, Chase, is waiting for me.

     "Whoa, nerd girl! Slow down, your not in a 5k!" I smile at him.
     "But I coulda missed the bus and had to get a ride from Mrs. St. Region-McLeavin without you." he laughs and takes my cold hand in his.
     "God girl, your hands are freezing!" He says and holds my right hand in both of his.
     "Well I forgot gloves today."
     "Did you have another flash back?" I nod, taking a shaky breath.
     "Hey it's okay! You're fine!" I nod again.
     "Other than my beast of a step sister, my unfair mother, and silent step-dad I'm fine." I say sarcastically.
      "Exactly!" Chase replies. I can't help but smile at his unlimited supply of optimism. His straight brown hair was short in the back but his bangs were longer and gelled into a swerve to the one side. He had a Penn State hat on his head, and his breath turned to a misty fog as he spoke.

     "Wait, you actually remember your lunch today?" He jokes, though I do forget once or twice every week.
      "Actually I almost forgot! Francis tossed it to me on my way out the door!" Chase grinned a half smile.
     "So your step-dad was helpful for once?"
     "I know right!" I say. It's great to be with a friend. SOMEONE who finally understands. I've known Chase since third grade when I moved to Pennsylvania and we've been friends ever since. The bus comes to a screeching stop in front of us. We climb on and into the back seats. I sit in the one seater and Chase in the seat next to me.

     "So, Nerd Girl, any incidents with Lilly today?"
     "Don't even get me started with her." I groan.
     "Oops, too late." I sigh and explain. Chase listens. When I finish he sighs,
     "Little sisters can be so annoying..." I raise an eyebrow.
     "Okay one, she's my STEP-sister. Two, you are so close to Amberli she doesn't count!" Chase is lucky. His little sister is actually pretty chill, for a sixth grader anyway. I some times tutor her in math after school. And Chase and I eat mac and cheese shaped like sponge bob or Star Wars characters as she does her homework. She struggles a little in school, but she's a bomb athlete. You name it, she can do it. Minus golf-but you can't blame her for getting bored with golf.

     "I may be close to my sister, but it doesn't mean she can't be annoying." Chase says matter of a factly. I sit back in my seat and think about MY brat of a step-sister. I can't believe at one point in my life I actually cared about her.