Defying Gravity

Chapter 9

Ethelia's pov

I woke up to something other than an alarm clock this morning, surprisingly. My dad had to give two weeks notice on his night job as a security guard, so he's going to be working the remainder of the month, unless someone came to replace him. And for his day job as a teacher, well, he gets up the same time I do. So when I rolled over to look at my clock to see it was six in the morning, I nearly had a stroke.

Why am I awake? I shouldn't be awake. This is not happening. This is like that one nightmare I had three months ago when I had to wake up at four in the morning for a week straight so I could go to the meetings of a club I didn't want to join.

Unlike the ninja academy, our school starts at nine in the morning. Something about teens needing extra sleep. Whatever the case, I was thankful. No more waking up at six in the morning hating yourself. I got to wake up at seven and hate myself instead. Today, it wasn't my alarm clock breaking me from the best hours of my life. It was our doorbell. Someone was ringing in over and over again in a rhythmatic sort of way. 

I didn't pop up immediately. I laid there for a good five or so minutes, hoping to God they'd leave. And once there was a pause that lasted a few seconds before it started up again. After that I hopped right up, cursing whoever it was. My dad already lacks in the sleep department as is! The things I do for that man. Family low-key sucks. You're obligated to take care of them and shit like that. 

My hair was once again a bird's nest, but that was no surprise. The strap of my black bra was falling off one shoulder, and my over-sized sweat pants flopped over my feet. I almost walked out of my room without a shirt before realizing I couldn't be caught dead in this. Now if I was a hooker, I would take off the sweatpants too. But I'm not, and I really like my dignity. It was just a really hot night and the air conditioning unit in my room stopped working.

I stormed down the hall, ready to unleash hell's wrath on whoever's on the other side of that door. I have a vague idea of who it could be, but I can't be sure. There's only one way to find out, and boy oh boy are they going to regret coming to my door at this ungodly hour. I am ready to beat them to death with a doormat. Or even that broken ladle we still keep around for no reason at all! 

"For God's sake, Jacob, who have you killed now?!" I shrieked as I yanked open the door. Jacob is the sorta-creepy kid next door. I think he's a year older than me, a freshman in highschool. I'm not sure. We only talk sometimes. Like at three in the morning when he shows up at my front door needing to use the bathroom, and then remembering that he has his own. Or that one time he raided the fridge... he's an odd character. And I hate him for taking my pudding. 

I paused when I realized it was indeed not Jacob, but something worse. Team Minato stood on my front porch, dressed and ready for action. Obito slowly lowered his hand, which had been hovering over our abnormally-large doorbell. I coughed a little into my fist. "Fancy meeting you here." I tried to say casually, ending up nearly choking on air. "Good morning, Ethelia." Minato chirped cheerfully. I hate him and his optimism. 

"Care to tell me why you'd provoked me and are trying to wake up my father with that monstrosity?" I looked at the doorbell. I'll have to cut the wires later. We rarely have company anyway. "Oh, we're sorry! We didn't realize you'd still be sleeping. We should have told you what time we start." Rin apologized. "...Right." I don't like this at all. When did they have to wake up? Five in the morning? Ethelia says no.

"Your clothes don't look like training clothes. Do you have anything better?" Obito's eyebrows scrunched up. I stared at him for a long second. "Obito, can you do me a favor?" I asked slowly. "Sure!" He grinned brightly. "Go be stupid somewhere that's away from me. Thank you. Goodbye." I turned to close the door. I heard Kakashi scoff and mutter something under his breath. I nearly lost my shit. I'm angry in the mornings, especially when I'm half asleep. 

"Another word and I rip off your face, you uneducated peanut." I hissed at him. He narrowed his eyes. "Peanut?" He scoffed. "Because that's how big your di-" I was cut off by Minato. "Whoa! Okay, let's be nice now, okay? We don't want any fights or explosions." He laughed nervously. I let out a sigh. "Come back in like, an hour." I muttered, once again attempting to end the conversation by closing the door. "That's a long time." Obito pointed out. "I don't care." I sighed tiredly. They need to actually tell me when they're going to show up.

"Do you have any common sense at all? Picking a fight with me?" Kakashi stepped forward like the little bitch he is. God I need to cool it. Morning Ethelia is mean Ethelia. "What I lack in common sense I make up for in sarcasm. Leave me alone. I need cereal. That and I haven't shaved in four days. Or eaten any real food." I realized before shrugging. "At least I'm not dead."

Rin giggled as though I were actually joking. "It's only fair we give her an hour to get ready. We didn't tell her when we were going to meet after all, right?" Minato smiled. I'm lucky we aren't waking my dad up with all this racket. "Yeah, that makes sense." Obito said proudly as though he'd accomplished something. "The one day he's actually on time and we still have to wait." Kakashi grumbled grumpily because that's how he is. "Hey, now we have time to decide what to do with Ethelia for today!" Rin cheered. I slammed the door. They're too awake. The sun isn't even all the way up yet.

"I never though I would say this, but I think I'm going to miss school."