"Good morning, Momma!" She smiles tiredly at me.
"Morning Nevy." I take the french toast off the skillet as a pair of Pop Tarts come up from the toaster.
"Mine!" Nico snatches it before Sam can get to it. I giggle.
It's the only non-circular thing he'll eat.
"Nico, I put that in for me!" I put french toast on Victoria's plate then give Gina her sippy cup.
"Boys, there's two Pop tarts in a package for a reason. Share." Nico pouts while Sammy cheers. Mom laughs.
"Oh, Momma! I got your breakfast right here." She grins.
"Thanks, you're always so helpful." I nod then look at the clock.
"Okay guys, we have five more minutes." They nod, eating faster as I take my apron off. I open the fridge so everyone can take their lunch.
"Momma, I made your lunch this morning. I hope you like tuna salad." She takes her lunch then hugs me.
"You spoil us too much, Nevy. I can do some work too." I shake my head.
"You already do enough. Let me do this." She smiles then kisses my forehead.
"Okay, we're off then."
Mom kisses everyone's forehead then waves us goodbye.
"I call shotgun!" Sammy groans.
"You can't even spell shotgun!" I chuckle.
"Nico, shotgun is for Sam." Nico pouts, crossing his baby arms. Victoria carefully gets in and straps Gina into her car seat.
"Yup! Good job, V." She smiles nervously as her cheek turn a pink tint.
She's a shy one, that girl. Gina mumbles then cheer as she puts up her thumbs for Victoria. We laugh when everyone buckles up.
"Okay, what's the music choice of today?" My younger siblings all look at each other then smirk. Even Victoria.
Oh, no.
"SpongeBob's Greatest Hits!" I groan while they snicker.
"You guys really hate me, huh." Their snickers turn into giggles. I look in my driver's mirror.
"Even you Victoria. I thought we had something special." She giggles softly, covering her mouth.
"Sorry, Nevy." I shake my head.
"Leech-Sally, it is."
"It's SpongeBob!" I laugh.
"It's not funny." I turn back.
"Then why are you guys laughing?" Nico shrugs, trying to keep straight face.
I chuckle, turning on my car and drive out of the driveway.
"You guys are wild." They ignore me they sing along to The Campfire Song Song. I playfully roll my eyes. Off to school, we go.
⚀
It's selection. Lines are formed and the best are chosen while the others are throwaways.
You'd think because I'm a good girl and loner that I'd be picked last, but nope. I wanna say it's all 'cause of my ability to play activities efficiently but then I'd be lying.
I mean, yeah, that's part of the reason...
"Damn, Adams. Where you been hiding those!" I blow my hair out of my face then adjust my glasses. I gym booms with pubescent chatter.
Yeah, can you believe, they chose me for my legs?
I honestly despise these gym uniforms.
"If she wasn't such a wallflower she could get it." I try to add some more inches to these shorts.
I'd like for this game to start already.
"Everyone settle down and let's play some dodgeball!" This increases the noise in this already loud room.
"Okay, one, two—" Mrs. Davis holds up a fist and we're off.
"You guys are so going down!" I swiftly grab a ball and hurl it at a boy.
"Fuck!" Mrs. Davis blows her whistle.
"Language."
He sighs as he leaves the playing area. I don't waste my time as I go for more people. Someone gasps.
"I swear, Ricci, you're dead!" I duck and feel the force of the ball attack the poor victim behind me.
"Oh, shit." I don't have time to look back while I grab another ball.
Chucking it, I watch the ball strike a boy with two balls of his own.
"God damn." A girl points at him.
"Suck it." Then she winks at me.
"Nice shot." I awkwardly nod, getting back into the game. The guy drops his balls then goes over to the girl.
"I don't need to do what you've already done multiple times." A wall of a body blocks me as they throw ball after ball. I push my glasses up.
"Oh, fuck off Ricci!" Mrs. Davis blows again.
"Hannah, language. And Adriano," I step aside while the person in front of me falls back and hits the ground.
Damn, people are ruthless.
"Keep it PG." I throw a ball once the poor guy gets off the court. It hits the person with the angry arm.
Good, I don't have time to get even more bruised and bloody than usual.
"We're 18, doesn't that mean M for mature?" I hop over a rolling ball then hit the last man standing.
"Dammit, Nevaeh!" I sigh once the game is over.
"Don't make me give you detention." The people left standing on my team pat me on the back.
"Nice, Nevaeh." I brush my glasses up then wipe my sweat and hair from my face.
People hit hard. I straighten my back, heading to the locker rooms. Let's get out of these god-awful clothes.
⚀
I need to hurry up and get the kids. My little feet try to keep up as I make my way to my car.
Dammit, I just had to stay after class and ask a question. Curse me wanting to be a good student.
Body's flood out of the school as it comes to a closing.
"Who's house is it gonna be at?"
After I open my door, my phone rings.
"Hello." My glasses finally decide to end it so I help them.
Honestly, I don't even need glasses.
"Do you think Jenny actually did that behind the school?" When my hair gets in my face again I pull a clip from my cup holder and trap them in it. I would choose a wig with bangs.
Gosh, I'm dumb sometimes.
"Nevy, we got another fight for you." Getting into my car, I close my door.
"When?"
"Leon Norton? Yeah, he's coming back to school. Look, I don't care if he is a jailbird, I'd totally let him hit." My car breathes to life as I give it my key.
"Tomorrow at 6." I nod.
"I'll see you there, then." Buckling my seatbelt, I drive off.
"See ya." We hang up and I speed up. I hope Nico's not mad.
⚀
"Nevy! I'm mad!" I playfully frown as he crosses his arms.
"Nico, Nevy's sorry." He huffs, turning away from me.
"Nico doesn't accept." I pout through my driver's mirror.
"Sammy, tell him I'm sorry." He puts on my glasses and plays with my wig.
"Why do you wear this to school?" I giggle.
"You're the cutest." He rolls his eyes then turns to Nico.
"She had to ask a teacher about school related stuff." I gush.
"Aww, Sammy. You lil' man." He sighs, ignoring me. Nico continues to pout.
"What do you think—" He un-crosses his arms.
"Victoria and Gina are asleep!"
Sammy laughs as Nico looks so shocked. I shake my head, focusing back on the outstretched pavement. He makes it seem like they don't do this every time I pick them up from school.
"Nico, stop poking your sister." He freezes and looks as if he was caught taking a cookie from the jar before dinner. Both Sam and I chuckle. My family's the cutest.