Finally Free

06

C A R T E R | first glances

"Get your ass up Carter." Natalia yells stomping into my room. Half asleep I manage to toss my pillow at her face.

"Let me sleep, vete." I'm barely speaking, I'm mumbling. "Ma said you have to." She says as if she is the boss of me, but she's five years younger than me.

"Ma gave me permission to dump water on your head if you don't get up in two minutes." She says in her sing song voice.

With that sentence I jolt up. I stand up and head to the kitchen, lightly punching Nat in the arm as I pass by her.

I hate the first day of school. I am glad that I'm a senior this year. I can try to not screw up as much as I did last year. I want to try again. Eloise dumping me really messed with my mind.

"Buenos dias mama, qué hay para desayunar." I ask even though I'm not in the mood for breakfast. My mom immigrated from Cuba when she was a teenager and my dad was from Puerto Rico so they taught me Spanish the minute I could speak.

I sit down at the table and a fully ready Natalia sits her happy, go lucky self down next to me. I roll my eyes at her perkiness. Nerves rise in my stomach and I've lost my appetite. I get up to get some coffee and some fruit. "Siéntate y comer." Ma orders by directing me with her spatula. I groan.

"Mamá tengo que irme." I need to get ready.

"Carter ever since your father died, we haven't spent as much time together as a family." My mom scolds, her thick Spanish accent coming through extra strong today.

It was a car crash. It happened last year. According to other people, I've been angry and lashing out. "Ma, I love you but I don't want to be late." I take one bite of breakfast and get up to get ready.

"Ay dios mio, what am I going to do with him." I hear her say as I leave the room.

"Don't ask me." Natalia jokes. I shake my head listening to my family.

I head down the hall into my bedroom. I throw on a pair of faded blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a large tan plaid shirt that I leave unbuttoned. My beat up black converse are the only pair of shoes I actually wear. I quickly run a brush through my deep black hair. I decide that I want to leave a little early for school.

"Adios, ma." I say giving her a kiss on the cheek. I walk outside and hop on my motorcycle. I put on my helmet. Turning it on, I ride away from my small house. I love the feeling on a bike. The loud sounds that pass by are hardly noticeable because the wind on my face is so freeing.

The warm California air mixes well with the cool breeze. It feels good and I have lots of extra time on my hand before I absolutely have to be at school so I take a little detour to a park about 10 minutes from school.

I check my phone and it's 7:45 and school starts at 8:30. I sit on a bench. I just want to have a few minutes to myself and clear my head.

My phone dings and I look down and see a text from Chloe in the group chat.

Chloe: I've been here 2 mins and everyone is talking about u Carter

Me: i don't want them to

Leo: all the girls want him now that he's available

Me: Eloise could care less, she's partying everyday