Sky
I awoke to my sister shaking me vigorously. "Hey, idiot, wake up," she called, her voice grating against my half-conscious mind.
Groggily, I reached for my glasses on the nightstand, blinking away the blurriness as my vision cleared. Yawning, I tiptoed through the maze of my sleeping sisters sprawled across the floor and made my way to the bathroom.
"Sky, you have 30 minutes to get ready," Grace, my older sister, reminded me as she dressed.
"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled.
Last night's late work session was still weighing on me. After a quick shower, I threw on a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and my trusty black hoodie. I grabbed my books and phone, texting Eugene that I'd meet him at school, and shook one of my younger sisters awake.
Grace called out, "If you're coming home late from the school trip, text us, okay?"
"Got it," I replied as I slipped out the door, the cool morning air biting at my face.
At the bus stop, Trevor greeted me with a playful punch. "Grumpy already? What's up, bastard?" he teased.
"Don't worry about it," I replied.
Trevor grinned. "Today's the day. I'm gonna ask her out."
"Really?" I asked, skeptical.
"Yeah."
Trevor's crush, Victoria Zee, was a sophomore like me. She was ordinary but had a mysterious charm, especially after showing interest in basketball.
"Share some intel on her?" Trevor pleaded.
"Eight bucks."
"Really?"
"Just kidding. I owe you from Saturday, so I'll give you four pieces of info."
Trevor lit up as I pulled out my phone, scrolling to my notes on Victoria. "Her favorite food?"
"Pizza."
"Seriously?"
"Trust me."
"Her favorite color?"
"Red. Same as mine."
The bus ride passed in a blur until I spotted Olivia—my crush. Trevor noticed and chuckled. "Looks like I'm not the only one crushing."
"Yeah, screw off."
My eyes drifted back to Olivia, her dark hair styled into a voluminous afro that framed her face perfectly. The soft glow of the morning sun streaming through the bus window highlighted her striking green eyes, which, to my surprise, met mine briefly. She smiled—a radiant, genuine smile that made my heart flutter uncontrollably. A wave of warmth washed over me, sending a swarm of butterflies through my stomach. I couldn't help but smile back, feeling almost breathless in that fleeting moment.
Olivia settled back into her seat, and I slumped down further into mine, even though I was already sitting. My body relaxed, but my mind was anything but calm. Trevor gave me a puzzled look, clearly noticing my dazed expression. I turned to my reflection in the window, catching sight of my own goofy grin.
"It's weird how no matter how many times you see her, she always makes you like this," Trevor commented, shaking his head with a smirk.
"I know, right?" I replied, my voice distant as I continued to stare outside, my mind replaying that brief, magical moment over and over.
When I arrived at school, I split up with Trevor and made my way upstairs to the second floor, heading straight for the restricted science section. The usual bright yellow caution tape was gone, but I barely registered it as I walked past without a care. My destination was the second lab, and as I pushed the door open, the disarray hit me immediately—shattered glass from broken test tubes scattered across the floor, and the faint, sharp smell of chemicals lingered in the air.
Eugene was perched on one of the lab tables, lazily puffing on a blunt. His bloodshot eyes and slow movements made it clear—he was already high.
"Eugene," I called out.
"Whaaaat uuuup, lil broooo," he drawled, grinning like a fool.
Internally, I sighed. Yep, definitely high.
"You good, big bro?" I asked, trying to keep things casual.
"Same shit, same shit," he muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke. For a moment, a flicker of melancholy passed through his glazed-over eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.
Deciding not to waste time, I cut straight to the point. "Big bro, the location?"
"Oh yeah, you right," he nodded sluggishly, rubbing his temple as if trying to jog his memory. "If I remember correctly... Sam's garage today."
"You sure?" I pressed.
"Yup," he replied, drawing out the word as he took another drag.
"Thanks, big bro," I said, pulling out $60 from my pocket and handing it to him. He accepted the cash with a slow nod, his lips curling into a lazy smile.
I nodded, giving Eugene one last glance before leaving the lab. As I headed downstairs, the bell rang out, signaling the start of the next class. On my way to my locker, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Checking the caller ID, I saw 'Savage.'
"What's up?" I greeted casually.
"Where's Eugene?" he asked, straight to the point.
"The broken lab," I replied, unfazed.
"Is he high again?"
"The usual."
A sigh echoed through the line. I understood his frustration, but playing babysitter wasn't my job.
"I have some information," Savage added, instantly piquing my interest.
"Go on."
"One of the new girls—can't remember her name—got into a fight last night."
"Last night? Wasn't there a party?" I asked, piecing things together.
"Yeah, Sam's party. Only the football team was invited."
"I know that much." I reached my locker, swapping out my books for the ones I actually needed.
"Right, well, the new girl got outed as bi. Most people were cool with it, but then Annika—yeah, that bitch—told everyone the new girl has a crush on Winnie Davis."
My eyes widened. "Isn't that aiming a bit high for someone who just got here?" I slammed my locker shut.
"Exactly. Everyone laughed at her. Winnie's boyfriend lost it and confronted Natasha, and—well—she snapped. Now she's injured."
"Is that all?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, I'll pay you later."
"Nah, don't worry about it."
A girl's voice chimed in from his side of the call. This bastard was clearly busy, probably skipping school entirely.
"Anyway, see you at the trip meet-up," I said.
"Sure."
I ended the call, turned the corner, and headed to class—only to bump into someone. "Sorry," I muttered reflexively.
The guy shot me a glare, but I kept walking, not in the mood for any more drama.