We were half way through the movie; Jackson is sitting on his phone watching and texting. Meanwhile I'm lying on my back with my feet planted on the wall and my head facing the TV.
"Jackson! Nicole!" Mom shouted from downstairs.
"We have been summoned." I laugh looking at Jackson.
"We ordered Chinese food, come eat!"
Takeout, especially Chinese is our family's go-to for a lazy night meal; it also just so happens to be our favorite. Jackson and I looked at each other suddenly realizing how hungry we were. We jumped from watching the movie and raced down the stairs.
Of course Jackson won, curse his long legs. The smell was intoxicating as we made our way into the dining room and sat down at the table to eat.
"Hey kiddos! After this you two should probably head to bed; school is tomorrow and we wouldn't want you go to sleep too late especially since you're probably Jet lagged with the time difference." Dad suggested.
"Alright" Jackson and I said simultaneously; we then looked at each other… "Jinx, double jinx, triple jinx, quad..." we both recited before Jackson messing up at the quadruple part.
"Ha, I win!" My smile so big my cheeks hurt.
"Oh whatever… I just wanna eat and sleep." Jackson replied sheepishly.
"You kids are too much for me," Mom laughed and glanced at dad who was also smiling.
************
After dinner, Jackson and I went upstairs and into our rooms saying a quick "goodnight" before closing our doors. I went and brushed my teeth and then lay in bed.
I never go to sleep right away, I usually take 30 minutes to think. It's not intentional, the gears in my mind just keep on turning and never really let me relax. I think about EVERYTHING, the past, this move, my worries. I just kept thinking and something dawned, it's time for a change... I need to change. I need to look more like a badass but more importantly… I need to be that badass. I can't continue living in fear. It's time to be different from the shy and reserved person I've now become.
It all starts tomorrow, yeah tomorrow… I whispered to myself as sleep descended on me.
First Day of School:
Darkness, I could feel the switches and damp leaves slapping my face as I ran. My legs aching; I was being chased by a dark shadow... I couldn't make it out completely and I dared not stop to study it too close. I ran and ran and ran as far as my legs could take me my lungs burning… my whole body aching. I didn't stop until I couldn't see anything in sight.
I sat down in an alley trying to catch my breath. Suddenly the shadow appeared at the end of the the alleyway; I could feel the panic and fear build inside me. "P-please n-no" I begged as it crept closer and closer until everything went black.
I was awake still, yet I couldn't see anything the panic became more intense and I started screaming. I felt something… a weight being pressing on my shoulders a distorted voice call out …
"Nicole!"
"No! No! Please!" I begged yet again.
"NICOLE!" It yelled the voice becoming less distorted sounding more familiar.
I sat straight up drenched in sweat and saw Jackson's face; he was shaking my shoulders. His eyes radiated concern, I started to sob. My whole body was shaking, Jackson grabbed me and held me tight.
"Hey hey hey, it's ok. It was just a dream. Everything's ok." Jackson whispered into my ear soothingly.
After continuing my crying for about a minute, I calmed down.
"Thank you" I said letting out a sad sigh.
"Anytime" Jackson answered sympathetically.
"Mom and Dad didn't happen to hear that did they? I don't want them to worry about me anymore."
"No, they left a note saying they were going to work early and left us money for lunch."
I nodded and glanced over at the clock realizing we had 40 minutes until school.
"I'm gonna get ready now, you should do the same. You're looking a little uh.... ratchet." He stated holding in his laughter.
I gasped loudly and I full force threw my pillow at him right before he left the room, causing it to hit the door a millisecond after he closed it behind him. I grabbed what I needed and some clothes for the day and rushed into the shower. I played some music on my phone…. I needed to get hyped for the day.
I stepped into the steaming hot shower as my Spotify club playlist began. I sang along as I grabbed my coconut scented shampoo and began lathering it into my chestnut brown hair and finishing my hair care process with my conditioner. I exfoliated, shaved, and washed my body with my rose body wash. I stepped out of the shower and brushed my teeth. Feeling fresh and knowing I smelled great; I got dressed.
I decided to go with a look that I wouldn't usually wear. I chose an old long sleeved shirt of Jackson's that I stole a while back. I grabbed the scissors and cut the mid stomach to turn it into a crop top. Grabbed a pair of blue plaid cargo pants with a black and silver belt and my black combat boots. I straightened my hair and put it in a high pony tail then I added some silver hoops and switched my nose ring from multicolored to silver do it would match my hoops. I did some light makeup; just some concealer, mascara, and a light gloss.
I looked in the mirror, which I rarely do. 'I look cute' I thought to myself… and I believed it… which I also rarely do.
I walked down to the kitchen to see Jackson already eating cereal; I walked past him to get a bowl and spoon. I turned around to sit down and he gave me this weird look.
"Can I help you?" I said with a light giggle that I couldn't contain from seeing his expression.
"You look....." he seemed at a loss for words so I helped him.
"Different? Yeah I know. That's what I was going for." I said while pouring cereal.
"Why?" He asked with curiosity in his voice.
"Well, I decided it was time for a change and I need to be more confident in myself. I don't wanna be considered the timid girl; you know, the girl with no friends… the mute girl… or the freak anymore. In order to fix all of this; I need to change some things about me and I need to suck it up so that's what I'm doing!" I stated proudly.
"Well I think it's great you're trying to better yourself and I'm happy about it… but, I think you're going about it the wrong way. You seem to just want to push every emotion and feeling away and hope it helps. I don't think it will." He looked at me concern in his eyes.
"Well it's a good thing that's not your decision to make isn't it?" I said in a tone I've never used before, it felt nice.
"Ok well we have to leave for school, you wanna carpool or ride separately?" "Wait, I thought we couldn't drive because mom and dad didn't have our cars transported at the same time as theirs?" I was confused. "Well they somehow pulled some strings to get them here overnight," he had a sly smile.
I looked at him and laughed.
"I guess we can take separate cars because I wanna listen to music that I know you'll hate." I winked at him with a smile.
He nodded and said "Ok, see you there." I watched as he grabbed his backpack and started out the door. I wasn't far behind and hurried after him. I hopped into my military green jeep rubicon at the same time he hopped into his lifted black Ford F-150. We loved our cars, they were our 16th birthday present from our parents… needless to say we were slightly obsessed with them.