Grayson Smith | ✔️

Chapter One.Better Than Nothing

*Edited*

Song for this chapter: One Republic:  What you wanted.

I was woken up by the annoying buzzing sound of my cheap three dollar alarm. I put my cushion over my head trying to block out the repetitive sound of my alarm but it wouldn't work, groaning in annoyance I hit the snooze button hard but it still wouldn't stop buzzing. I hit it again and again until I couldn't take the annoying sound any longer and threw the alarm at my wall making it smash into a few big pieces.

Stupid cheap alarm.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and quietly made my way into the only bathroom in the house not wanting to wake anyone up and have to fight to use the bathroom first. I had to share it with my older brother Jackson and younger sister Gabriela. There used to be five of us sharing the one bathroom but that is if you include our alcoholic Mother and my Dad who passed away a few months before Gabriela was born.

I brushed my teeth with my black toothbrush I got in dollar tree, then splashed water on my face to help wake me up. In school they said using some herb oils in the morning would help refresh yourself and make you feel energised but I'm not going to spend over one dollar on something when I could just use something for free- Water

I took my hair out of the plaits I had in since last night making my hair look like I had beachy waves, I ran my fingers through it a few times so they looked more natural and flowy then I quickly did my makeup using makeup I may or may not have robbed in some fancy dancy shop called 'Euphora' or 'Sephora'. I don't know, I can't quite remember, it was something like that anyways.

After putting on my eyeliner and mascara, I gave myself one last glance in the mirror before walking quietly back into my room which I also share with Gabriela. She gets up really early in the morning and goes downstairs to make cereal for herself, something I taught her to do since our so called mother is too busy getting drunk and sleeping with anyone and anything that walks. I quickly got dressed putting on my tight black skinny jeans, black vest top, red flannel and lastly my white converse.

When I walked out of my bedroom and was about to walk down the stairs my brother Jackson just opened his bedroom door, he walked out and brushed passed me making his way into the bathroom. Usually it would be the two of us arguing about who gets to use the bathroom first but that's why I got that stupid alarm clock in the first place- So I could get up earlier and use that damn bathroom.

I sighed and walked down the stairs and low and behold there was Gabriela sitting down in the living room eating a bowl of fruit loops while watching some random Disney show I didn't even recognise. What happened to you Disney?

 She was already dressed and had her hair done, again something I taught her to do. I practically raised the girl, the moment my 'mother' came home from hospital with her seven years ago,I was handed her while my mother went to get drunk spending the money we needed for food on alcohol. What a great role model, right?

When I walked into the living room I sat down next to Gabriela, she smiled when she seen me and I smiled back. I was waiting for her to be done eating so I could walk her to the bus stop and wait for the bus to come. When she finished her bowl of fruit loops I switched off the television making her pout at me. ''Sorry Gabriela, we have to stick to the schedule''.

She nodded her head in response while she went to get her school bag. I already had her lunch made, something I do every night. When she got her school bag she walked back into the living room and I got up off of the couch and looked at the clock above the TV, it read 7.55 am perfect timing I thought to myself. I walked over to her and took her hand and opened the front door.

We walked down hand in hand to the end of the block, waiting at the bus stop. The bus driver Glen lets her on it for free since he was a friend's of my Dads before he passed away so he knows what we're going through and how we're tight on money. I knelled down so I was eye to eye with Gabriela. ''Remember Gabriela, what do you do if no one's home when you get home from school?''.