𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚡𝙱)

Track 11 | 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?

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After taking another shower, brushing my teeth, and dressing in today's outfit this Monday morning, I raced downstairs and headed for the front door while simultaneously shoving notebooks into my backpack and tying my shoes.

Rosie was eating breakfast in the kitchen. My mother was sitting on the couch by the front door, looking out the window as she sipped from a mug of steaming hot coffee. She must've seen the reflection of me in the glass, which made her turn around to set her sights on the commotion I was causing. I hopped on one foot over to the front door, fitting my right shoe over my heel as I shoved my left arm through the strap of my backpack. My mother sat up and placed her mug of coffee on the coffee table.

"What are you doing?" She signed as she walked over to me.

"Going to school?" I said aloud, knowing she could read my lips. I positioned my paw against the wall to steady myself, tripping over my shoelaces.

"You're so early, though." She looked down at me, a mix of worry and confusion on her face. She always looked like that, no matter what.

"And?" I leaned over and shoved the loose shoelaces into the crevice between my foot and the shoe flap, not bothering to tie them.

"Did you eat breakfast?"

I stood up and held up my paws to communicate with her. "I'll stop by the cafe on the corner. I have money, I got my paycheck in the mail last night." I leaned in, giving my mom a hug. I kissed her on the side of her face and left the embrace, reaching for the doorknob and opening the front door.

Before leaving, I looked back at my mother and lifted my right paw up, sticking out the thumb, pointer finger, and pinky. She saw the gesture and nodded emotionally, showing the same gesture back to me with her paw. Anything could make her emotional. In the background, my sister showed me another gesture, but instead, it was the middle finger. I glared at her out of the corner of my eye for only a second, quickly returning to a smile for my mother.

I left through the front door and closed it behind me, heading over to my bike. There's no doubt in my mind that they'll be okay.

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"HEY, HARVARD!" I heard a loud voice call from the distance as I rode my bike across the street, the morning sun still brisk over the concrete. I looked over at the congregation of students, standing around on the sidewalk in front of the set of stairs that led to the front doors of the school.

Our school's population was incredibly diverse personality-wise, a mix of everything and anything. There were the students who were insanely tired and not enthusiastic to start another excruciating week of learning, the students who were excited to get to work, the nervous straight-A squires who just want to get good grades to please their parents and get school over and done with, the batshit crackhead bitches who literally vape in the school bathrooms, and then the kids who don't give a shit about school and were just trying to survive. That was my group.

I looked over to see Rian, Torrence, and Levi standing by the bike rack, waiting for me. Rian was the one who screamed my name. He was smiling cheekily as Torrence waved to get my attention. I waved back and rolled up to the rack, resting my bike beside the other three that were chained up to the frame, belonging to the three boys in front of me.

"Hey, guys," I sighed, jumping off of my bike and chaining it to the rack.

"You ready for another week?" Torrence asked, holding his hand out for me.

"Hell no," I responded, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a small hug. The "hug" could've been seen as just a pat on the back, but Torrence and I saw it as a hug.