A Rude Awakening

"Car!!!!Carmen!!!!Carmen Kingston!!"

Carmen was lost in the world of her dreams where she was with her father and her brother again;they were all playing together in one of Baby Joe's favorite amusement park;her father was just about to pick her up....when a slap shattered her fairytale.

Whack!

Jolted out of her daydreaming,Carmen awoke to find her English tutor,Mrs Clarion staring at her viciously like an angry cat.

"Oh..hello Miss"she greeted,feeling a little confused as she rubbed her cheek which ached a lot.

"Now would you mind telling the class why you are sleeping at this time of the day?!And in my class too?!What is wrong with you Carmen?!"Mrs Clarion barked.

'I was sleeping again...oh no,now she's going to tell the principal and they'll call mom and she'll start worrying 'she thought,going into a state of panic.

"Oh Miss Clarion I am truly sorry!I didn't realize I had dozed off....it must be all the late night stress of taking care of my step sister"Clarion lied through her teeth.

"Your...your step...sister?What's wrong with her?"Mrs Clarion questioned,looking a bit sympathetic.

"Oh Miss!You can't imagine that the poor girl has a terrible sleep walking disorder!And she can't be awoken from her slumber or else she finds it hard to go back to sleep for hours!"Clarion lied dramatically,feigning tears as she covered her face and prayed her tutor bought her 'tale'.

Sighing deeply,the tutor said sympathetically"I'm sorry about that Carmen,I didn't know you were under such stress....please,just get enough rest when you get home and you can read up on the topic in your leisure time,okay?"

"Yes of course Miss..thank you Miss!"Carmen replied quickly,thanking her stars for the narrow escape.

As soon as the tutor left the class,the SS2A Class fell back to its usual noisy chatter and Carmen relaxed a little,rubbing her head and wondering why she always fell asleep at the worst possible timings and could never sleep when she actually wanted.

'Because you're a psychopath who refuses to let go of the past and live freely' she thought bitterly.

"Hey Carrie!"Vicky,her best friend and ultimate savior through many tough times,squealed as she jumped into Carmen's desk.

"Hi V"Carmen said,feeling a little cheerful at the sight of her best friend.

Vicky Pius had been her best friend since the day the 'larger' than life,skinny girl had walked into Broadway High.Carmen remembered staring at her and wondering how someone who looked like she was malnourished;managed to look so audacious and overly happy.She herself had just been admitted into the school as a first year and was feeling incredibly lonely and lost without her mom by her side.She had just lost her father and baby brother to a car accident which had also left her mom at the mercy of a wheelchair and her feeling traumatized beyond measure.She had prepared to be an absolute snob and just be a lone wolf in the school when the skinny girl had walked over and sparked up a conversation with her.She would never forget the day Vicky Pius entered her life with her sweet nature.

"Hi!"the skinny girl had squealed excitedly at her,as she stood at the front of the crowd of the first years,who were all waiting for a welcome address from the principal,Mr Danish,at the assembly hall.

"Um..hello?"Carmen had replied uncomfortably,wondering what the other girl wanted.

"Oh hi...!My name is Vicky but you can call me V!I'm new in town and this school too,do you mind showing me around?"Vicky had asked,smiling brightly.

"Well...i...I'm new as well in school and um...my name is Carmen...so..I don't.."

"Oh really?!We'll explore the place together and we're going to be best of friends not to worry Carrie!"Vicky enthused and hugged the other girl super tight.

And since that day,four years of friendship had passed and Carmen wondered how she would've survived all alone at Broadway High without Vicky Pius.

"Getting into trouble again,huh?"Vicky asked,waggling her eyebrows mischievously.

"Well you know how it is V"Carmen replied,shrugging lightly.

"I was sitting with Chris at the time,he needed help with planning a surprise birthday dinner for his mom and was wondering if Pops would help out....I would've sat with you and alerted you of the impending doom"Vicky explained,apologetically.

Mr Pius,Vicky's father was a big time event planner and a very good one at that;he was always getting contracts within town.

"Oh V..!I totally understand you told me about it earlier;it's my fault for always falling asleep in class and not yours!"Carmen replied,feeling sad that her friend felt she was her 'responsibility'.

"Don't you dare give me that 'I can manage alone' bullshit! I'm your partner in crime;don't even think of facing the world on your own Carrie...V's got you"Vicky said,feigning a bossy tone,as she hugged Carmen tightly,giggling.

"How could I ever forget mama bear?"Carmen mused,as she hugged her friend back.

Just then,the bell rang for break.

***********************************

Broadway High's cafeteria housed all of it's students in one sitting and was therefore always a cacophony of noise and chaos.Lunch time was very important at the school to the students because it gave them one hour,thirty minutes of unhinged relaxation,a free pass at noise making and so much delicious food.The food served at the cafeteria was always so tasty and it was one of the things the students looked forward too every single day.

Today's menu was: Jollof rice,fried rice and plantain frittata with helpings of salad,vegetable sauce and peppered chicken with a bottled water and any soft drink of your choice;and as usual,Vicky was having a hard time deciding what to eat.

"V just pick something already,you're holding up the line "Carmen begged her friend for the umpteenth time,as she stared back the angry faces of students who looked like they were one minute away from battering an indecisive Vicky.

"Oh Carrie!It's not soo easy...I'm trying hard to make the best decision here"Vicky said,pouting childishly.

"My sweet girl,you do this everyday..why don't you let me help you decide today,huh?"the lunch lady asked,looking amused at Vicky's tantrum.

"Okay...Mrs Ambrose"Vicky replied,perking up at the prospect of the lunch lady's help.

"Why don't you have fried rice,peppered chicken and a large helping of salad ?You can have a can of malt to accompany it"the lunch day suggested sweetly.

"Yes...yes...yes!Of course!I love fried rice...yes a zillion times!"Vicky squealed.

Chuckling loudly,the lunch lady served Vicky,who walked to her table cheerfully and then turned to Carmen"What would you like dearie?"

"I'll have plantain frittata please,a piece of peppered chicken and a bottle of Sprite"Carmen stated.

After getting served, she took her lunch to her table with Vicky where the best friend was stuffing her face happily.

"Don't eat so quickly...you'll choke and die,and I'll have to find a new bestie"Carmen teased,setting down to eat.

"Oh Carrie!You know I need the extra carbs,I'm so skinny it's painful"Vicky complained between mouthfuls.

"Is this about your mom body shaming you again?"Carmen asked worriedly.

"Oh Carrie,she's gotten worse...she doesn't feel like I should be helping Pops anymore..she says it's something her 'son' should be doing"Vicky stated,looking a little bitter.

Vicky Pius was not Mr and Mrs Charles Pius' biological daughter.Mr Pius had adopted her when she was still an infant from an orphanage home and loved her dearly like his own;whilst his wife adored and favored her own two children,the twins,Charles Junior and Cindy.Vicky was an exceptionally bright child despite her step mother's antics and helped her father out with his business occasionally,while the twins were always up to no good.Carmen knew her friend was suffering serious emotional strain and physical abuse from her step mother and siblings;but the young sixteen year old didn't seem to be fazed one bit;she always carried about her business with a brave smile;this was one of the reasons she adored Vicky Pius.

"Well you're extremely pretty just the way you are"Carmen encouraged,smiling sweetly.

"Not as pretty as my best friend, I mean girl...you're so gorgeous...if I wasn't straight,I'd make a move on you" Vicky mused.

Despite what Vicky thought of her personal appearance,the sixteen year old fair skinned girl was extremely pretty.She was tall,with a round face,perfect dimples that appeared when she smiled her megawatt smile,she had the most beautiful green eyes and always smelt like flowers.

"Okay..!Whatever you say,V!"Carmen replied chuckling as she took a bite of her frittata.

"Ugh....I just wish you'd become my sister in-law although that brute calls himself my older brother isn't quite a gentleman for a such refined lady such as yourself"Vicky complained,scrunching up her nose in disgust.

"Omg V!"Carmen exclaimed giggling.

Carmen was what could be described as an epitome of beauty,she was chocolate in complexion,she had the perfect set of white teeth and a beautiful set of blue eyes;she was curvaceous and was tall as well;but not as tall as Vicky who would tower over her if she were on heels.

"It's true milady and I don't apologize"Vicky said shrugging as she took a swig of her drink.

"What ever am I going to do with you Vicky Pius?"Carmen asked in wonder.

"The same as always Carrie..same as always"the cheeky girl replied stuffing her face nonchalantly.