Beyond the Spotlight

Chapter Nine

Nadine

I wake up to the sound of my alarm at 4:30am chuckling as I turn to see Kate wincing and trying to get a pillow to cover her ears. I get out of bed, make it and say my prayers before taking my toiletries for the bathroom. Most reason why I set my alarm for this particular time is to avoid any form of struggles with the others and avoid getting late. I check my day's schedule and I have History by 7 o'clock this morning.

I sigh before moving to Kate's side. The pillow still over her ears, I pull it away tapping her. She winces again an expression of when she's annoyed by something.

"Get up. The weekend's now a past."

"Don't be so wicked Nads...I haven't even gotten enough sleep yet" She says drowsily obviously still heavy with sleep.

I sigh in defeat really feeling for her. "Okay fine. Twenty minutes". I hurry to the bathroom. I see few people there quite the nerds I say. I finish after ten minutes and hurry back to my dorm room. I glance at my alarm and it's five o'clock already. I do the necessary and randomly pick out my clothes for the day. A black T-shirt and grey cargo pants before I apply my lip gloss and pack my hair in a high pony tail, a something I'm getting used to recently since it fits my face perfectly. I pick out my books and sit on my reading table to complete my assignment which I didn't do cause of the weekend's stress. I wince, the memory of my night with Phil and the breakup flash before me. I shake the thoughts out and try to concentrate.

Minutes pass and when I check the time it's six. I look at Kate who's dead asleep. I move to her side and shake her roughly laughing at the way she jumps up abruptly somewhat scared.

"You are something else" I say in between laughter. Her curly hair which is now in total mess with the eye liner scattered over her eyes only adds to my feat of laughter. "You look so beautiful damn..."

Kate rolls her eyes at me obviously getting my sarcasm. She stands up moving to the mirror to look at her reflection. She shrugs anyway. "At least I'm not ugly"

I laugh again.

She rolls her eyes again, sticking out her tongue at me. "Get over it"

Clumsily, she picks up her toiletries dragging her feet along, out of the room.

Still laughing, I slump on my bed staring at the ceiling.

I reaaally miss the aura of school and stepping out of Kate's car, I breathe in fresh air feeling like I'd just come back from a dream-like weekend. Back to me.

"See you around bitch" Kate says walking away and I give her the middle finger.

By the time I arrive my lecture room, it's still scanty and students are just filling in little by little. I find a suitable spot some six seats away. I take out my books to review my assignment and suddenly a thought hits me.

Mum. I haven't spoken to her in a while.

"Hey mum..." I say in a high pitched voice on the first ring.

"Oh sweetie...how are you dear?" My mum's smooth motherly voice gives me an instant calm to the tension I didn't know I'm feeling till now.

I rub on my temple. "Guess I'm fine. School's stressful."

"Yeah...I get it. Been in touch with your dad and Tommy?"

Shit! I curse inwardly. Tommy. I promised to call my big brother back.

"Uhmmm...not really, but we're still in touch err Tommy I mean, we chat on Instagram this" I lie to avoid any long conversation.

"Okay, your dad's out of town for business and I'm hoping you've been calling him"