Late Eighteen

02| Chapter two

The trouble to find my school's uniform began as early as 5:30 AM. Everywhere was as dark as a Midnight's witches coven and a bit too quiet. I moved around my room, searching through my wardrobe for my school's uniform as quietly as I could, careful not to attract any noise. There had been a shortage of electricity over the weekend which prevented me from ironing the godforsaken uniform.

Fortunately for me, NEPA decided to bring the light in the middle of the night, just the perfect time to get ready for school. I detest rumpled uniforms, they make me feel like the only odd person out. I skipped through my laundry basket, all to no avail. I sat down, slumped on my bed, my hands on my forehead as I questioned why God had decided to punish me this early Monday morning. Going to school is bad enough, waking up unreasonably early is worse, Mondays just happen to be the worst days too. Just who did I offend?

"I can't kill myself, I should just skip school." Just as I was about to give up, my eyes caught the shabby piece of useless material right on my bedside lamp.

Jesus! How did it get there?

I picked it up, brushed the dirt from the ruffles away, and laid it on the ironing board. Just as I was about to put the plug into the extension box, the light went off.

"You must be kidding me!" I said to myself.

I sat on my bedside stool, waiting to see if the light would come back. You know how NEPA is, they like to mess you with people's mind. Maybe a switch went off mistakenly as they were trying to set it up? Or maybe water got died up in kanji dam where light is generated?

Oh God, please help me. I can't go to school with a rumpled up uniform. My mates would pick on me, not to talk about Zeke. He would be there too!

I heard a knock on my door. It was now 6:00AM, time for my bath.

"Ruth, mum said I should wake you up," Zoe poked her head inside. I barely even paid her any attention. "I already had my bath, what about you? This one you're looking standing like a zombie, is everything alright with your head?"

"Where's Zion?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"The idiot's still sleeping. You know how guys are, snoring like pigs. I have to get ready, see you later."

"Just get out."

"Geez, you didn't have to be so rude." She hissed, banging the door behind her.

"Hey, watch how you handle my door, you two faced monkey." I hollered back.

I was beyond pissed, I didn't know how to keep it in. Stupid Mondays, deprived sleep, rumpled uniforms, you might as well kill me.

Finally, I finished dressing up ten minutes before seven am. Shoving my things down my bag violently, I slung my navy blue cardigan over my shoulder. I opened my door, getting out, before banging it behind me. Tssk, the door can go to hell itself.

"Good morning Dad, Mom," I greeted my parents. My dad's attention was on the punch newspaper before him, and my mom, well, my mom was busy doing what regular moms do. Cooking.

My dad only grunted a reply and I frowned. What's up with the both of them this morning?

I grabbed an apple, biting into it.

"Is that how to greet your parents Ruth, tell me! I carried you in my womb for nine good months, and you treat me like this? You treat us like this?"

I chocked on the apple I was chewing.

"How am I supposed to greet you mum?"

My mum's hand came like a flash upon my face. I merely dodged it, but the apple went flying into the trash can beside me.