Rachel woke up to the sound of her loud alarm clock, striking her up and out of her bed. Andrea had set it to the loudest setting because for quite a while Rachel stopped wanting to get out of bed to get ready for school. Rachel was in the 6th grade, her first year of middle school. She hated it, everything about her school irked her. She did have Emma by her side, Emma was always her person to pick her up during her worst days.
With a sigh, Rachel got dressed for her walk to school with Emma. It felt like a normal boring morning. It was finally starting to get warm as it was May approaching June. She was happy she got to wear short-sleeved shirts, they made her comfortable in her own skin. Rachel headed downstairs and into the kitchen to see 4-year-old Annie sitting in her chair waiting to get her breakfast.
"Have a good day guys" Rachel said with a smile as she grabbed a water bottle from the freezer and headed out the door. As Emma and Rachel began the walk to school, Rachel heard her phone ring.
"Hey, Rachel! I have work today so I won't be able to see you until later. I love you though" Rachel listened to her brother's soft voice. She loved her brother, he was always there for her whenever she needed something. They had an amazing relationship and at one point all they had was each other during the times when their dad ended his life.
"Okay! That's fine. I love you too, have a good day Brandon" She said with a smile as she hung up the phone, not letting him respond. They continued their walk to school, looking up at the blue sky with no clouds to be seen. It was a beautiful morning. They laughed together as they walked into their middle school building, not even thinking about anything else but living in the moment. Rachel and Emma parted ways as they did not share the first period together, which always upset them both ever since school started in the beginning of the year. They did the little handshake they always did every morning and headed off to their separate classes. Rachel walked into first period English class and sat down in her seat near the back of the room. Rachel always loved sitting in the back, she felt more at peace there. She opened her notebook and did whatever she had to do that morning, which usually was a writing assignment. Rachel loved to write, she always found herself good at it, no matter what she wrote it all just connected and made sense. Rachel had 3 classes before she had lunch with Emma, she was just excited to spend time with her best friend before the school day ended. Rachel never liked being in school anyway. Her classes were short, only being 30 minutes each, so she was excited to just get to lunch.
Finally, the bell rang and she packed up her things and headed out of her 3rd class which was science. Emma met up with her in the middle of the hallway leading to the lunchroom. They always got so excited to see each other as if they haven't talked in years. Rachel and Emma entered the lunchroom, finding their table. They both sat with nobody but each other because at this time in their lives they thought that's all they needed. Emma took out her pink lunchbox and Rachel took out her purple one. They both traded lunches, it was the everyday school routine. Rachel took out her phone as Emma ate her lunch for the day. Rachel's face went from being rosy red to pale.
"Why do you look like a ghost?" Emma asked with a chuckle as she looked over at her phone. Rachel put her phone down onto the table and broke out into tears. Emma was confused until she read what was on her phone. Her heart sank to the floor.
"My brother's dead.." She was barely able to make the sentence out as she laid her head on the red table.
"I'm...sorry Rachel" Emma said as she wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulder. Rachel couldn't believe it, the news was so shocking to her and it made no sense. Students walked by, giving her looks but Emma shooed them away. Emma didn't want Rachel to feel hurt, but she knew how hurt she was. Emma was there the day her dad died as well, she knew how painful it was for Rachel to come across the death path once again. They were only kids, so understanding the death was super hard for them, especially Rachel. Emma packed away their lunches and got Rachel up from the table. She walked with her to the office so Rachel could talk to Andrea.
"Come on, talk to your mom," Emma said as she watched Rachel sob endlessly on the sofas in the lobby. Emma felt there was an important role to play, so she stopped everything to play that role for Rachel.
Minutes passed by, but the minutes felt like hours.
"Her mom is on the phone," The lady at the front desk said to Emma in a calm voice. Emma nodded and walked over to Rachel, tapping her shoulder. Rachel looked up and wiped her eyes.
"Your mom" Emma said as she pointed to the phone being held out. Rachel stood up and walked towards the phone taking it and placing it up to her ear.
"I'm so sorry" Andrea said in between sobs. She knew how close Brandon and Rachel were. Two peas in a pod close.
"It's okay," Rachel said. This was one of the first lies she ever remembered telling. Rachel wiped her eyes and blew her nose, finally taking a deep breath. Her breaths still get cut off but she was able to take a real breath in between the crying.
"I'm gonna come to get you," Andrea said in a soft voice to Rachel. She wanted to make her feel calm, that's what everyone wanted to do with her. Rachel was nowhere near a calm child.
"Okay..stay safe," Rachel said. She thought she would never have to tell her own mother to stay safe. Ever since that day, she began to use that phrase quite often. She made her last words more memorable, and worth it.