The Shadows of Time

Chapter 1

My eyes open and I see sunlight once again. Breathing heavily, I lift myself from the bed. I feel sweaty and scared. I guess it was another bad dream. Ever since Mom died two months ago, that has been happening more and more.

I look at my alarm clock, it's 5:55 in the morning. Pretty horrible timing, I could have slept 5 minutes more and I feel like I needed it. But still, I should probably get up now before I change my mind about going to school again. After two months of doing nothing, my grandma says it's really time to get back at it. I guess I do feel like seeing my friends again, but I can't bear the thought of people knowing about my mom. Just seeing the pity in their eyes would be enough to make me leave again.

I finally get out of bed to get myself ready for the day. Walking through these halls still feels weird to me. I've been here so many times as a child, but it doesn't feel like home. It was always just my rich grandma's Brooklyn apartment; she wasn't even here that often, let alone me. I am grateful that Gran is trying to be here for us now. I can't imagine going through foster care. I might have even lost Sam and after everything we've been through I don't think I could've taken much more.

When I get to bathroom, I look in the mirror. I find myself doing that a lot these days, as gran has a mirror in every corner of the house. I think she's trying to relieve her glory days as model, but I wouldn't be sure. To be honest her past is a mystery to me. I look again and see my face, with eye bags to the floor. The insomnia has really taken it's toll. These days I barely recognize myself. I used to like the way I looked: I was pretty, with brown eyes that looked green in the light. Now I have other things on my mind. Things that most sixteen-year-olds shouldn't have to deal with.

I see the same long chestnut brown hair that Gran used to have; mom did too. She used to always say how much I looked like my dad, but I wouldn't know. He left us when I was just a little kid, but that was so long ago I don't even remember what he looked like. I never forgave him for it. Sam never even knew him and that must have had some kind of impact on him, no matter how much mom and I tried to make it work.

I turn on the shower. The hot water feels nice against my skin and it washes away all the sweat from the night. Unfortunately fate has it out for me today and I hear my alarm clock go off just I was reaching the curly hair shampoo. Every time I see the bottles I think of mum and how I used to never use it before. Just another thing I was ungrateful for. I hurry to turn the alarm clock off, so I don't wake up Gran. The walls here in Brooklyn are thinner than I'm used to.

After my criminally short shower, I go to wake up Sam. He doesn't have to go to school as early as me, but I still like to wake him up at this hour. If he refuses to buy an alarm clock for himself, he leaves his fate in my hands. As soon as I open the door of his bedroom, I know he hears me. Sam tries to pretend he's asleep, but after a few nudges he gets sick of me. When It's clear he'll get up, I leave. But as soon as I walk through the door I feel the air rushing next to my ear. That kid threw a shoe at me! Ungrateful little teenager. "Brat!" I yell.

"I told you not to wake me up before seven, Nell!" He answers.

"And I told you to get your own clock." I say as I walk out of the room. I frankly don't have time for this. I'm already late as is.

As I hurry to the kitchen, I get a message from my friend, Rosie. She's been my best friend since third grade and has been really patient with me during this time. I shut myself off from most of my friends for a while, but she never left. I open my phone.

You better get your ass here soon. Our 'Regina George' has been acting up again. break. you. me. the courtyard. bring waffles. xx

I sigh. I guess I have to go to the store before school too now. After eating and dressing I'm ready to face my first day back. Ready as I'll ever be, I say to myself. Closing the door softly behind me I walk out the door. The subway station I need to get to is just around the corner, but in stead of that I go in the opposite direction. The store is ironically on the other corner of my street. I go quickly, lest I invoke Rosie's wrath.