Too Many Secrets

Chapter 8

I wake up to my alarm blazing its annoying ringtone. I blink a couple of times to get used to the light coming from the window next to my bed. After peeling the warm blanket off my body I sit up in bed preparing myself to put my feet on the cold wooden floor. After one deep breath, I shift my weight from the bed to the floor and hear a small creek. I quickly walk to my dresser and immediately put on white socks and feel the nice warm sensation around my toes again. I put on the outfit that I picked out last night. I look in the mirror and I feel confident for the first time in a while. I grab my backpack and hop down the stairs excited for the day.

Once I sit down at the table Cole puts a plate of pancakes in front of me. The smell is mouth-watering. Seeing the melted chocolate chips in the pancakes and the sugary syrup slowly falling down the sides makes my stomach growl. I look at the plate and then back at Cole and Zack. They give me a look. I feel their eyes trying to read my thoughts and shoot lasers into my brain. I see the shiny metal fork next to the plate. The cold metal touched my soft skin as I picked up the fork and knife. I cut the food into small pieces and slowly eat what I can. After about ten minutes I'm three quarters done and I give up. I throw out the extras and I feel full and happy.

"You ready for your first-day little sis?" Ben asks me while he ruffles my hair.

"Hey," I whine, "I just got it perfect".

"Don't worry you look, great sweetheart," Cole smiles at me.

I can't help but laugh because of his infectious happiness. Today is the day. My new life is here now. New school and a new family. This better be a good year.

"You look like you're about to vomit," Ben says.

"I'm just a little nervous. What if the new kids don't like me?"

"Awe is my baby sister nervous for her first day of school," Dylan says when he comes downstairs.

"Stop being annoying, Dylan. You'll do great. Everyone will love you. Don't worry," Ben says, having my back.

Jake comes down the stairs wearing a suit looking as presentable as ever. His blue eyes match his blue tie and he looks very put together. Not that I would expect otherwise. He scans his eyes around the room with a stern look but when his eyes fall on me he softens his gaze just a little.

"Dylan and Ben will take you to school today Skylar," Jake says in his authoritative voice. I nod in response and Jake gives me a look. I forgot about the verbal answer rule.

"Okay."

"Whenever you're ready little sis," Ben says.

I put my plate in the dishwasher, grab my bag from the floor and throw it over my shoulder. Today is off to a good start, I hope it stays this way.

"I'm ready," I shout to Ben and Dylan in the other room.

"Woah. Inside voices Sky," Zach says while walking down the stairs rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Sorry."

"Have a good day at school. Remember no boys!" Zach says. I laugh in response but then the look on his face shows he was not joking.

"Um, okay."

Maybe this saying won't be as good as I thought. If Zach, the brother that doesn't seem to care about much, is being weird about boys I can't even imagine how Dylan and Jake will react. It's not like I've never had a friend who was a boy before.

I leave the room and meet Dylan and Ben in the front. They are fighting over who gets to drive. Ignoring them I go sit in the back seat and decide to call Kelsey. It's been a while since I talked to her. The phone rings a few times before I hear her voice. I miss her so much.