two's company, three's a crowd

As I awoke to the sound of a half broken alarm, I realized that yet once again it was the first day of school. I looked at the blinking numbers that said it was five O'Clock, a time at which no human soul should have to arise from bed. But, I knew that if I didn't drag myself out soon that I would never have the time to use the bathroom. As I walked across the hall I looked into the boy's bedroom. James was still asleep and the drool was trickling down to his pillow. In less than a half hour my mom would have to wake up and start the ritual of getting him to walk out into the living room, where he would be still half asleep on a chair with a blanket wrapped around him. At least he didn't sleep on the couch that night, which he had been accustomed to doing during the summer. Chris was sleeping in the bed adjacent to him. He was home from college for another week, much to my dismay. He had been up all night playing his music and practicing his bass guitar. This I heard through the paper-thin walls as I worried about the very first day and how I would perform in school with no sleep.  My mother couldn't control him, even though I have suggested so many times that they throw him out. But, do they listen to me? No. So he comes home leaving his things wherever he pleases, (especially in the doorway) and brings all the disgusting habits home that college guys do. 1

I got two new towels from the basement because somebody was too lazy to go down there earlier to get their own, and then  decided that I wouldn't mind. I came back up and made it to the hallway and walked past a pile of dirty laundry. A few steps later I passed the half full laundry basket. Finally I managed to get to the bathroom. I was glad that I was too tired to think of how much hair was in the drain, or about the crawling thing on the other side of the shower curtain. I hurried as quick as I could, and when I stepped out I tried not to step on the mounds of shorts, boxers and shirts that Chris decided to leave on the floor. 2

I dried off and got dressed. By that the time rest of the dead had risen and made it to the kitchen. I looked in the fridge, no milk. I closed the door and saw James eating a nice big bowl of Fruit Loops. Grand. Now I journeyed on to the bread cabinet. All I found were a few pieces of bread. There's nothing like just toast for breakfast on your very first day of school. After putting the fire out of the toaster, I got ready for the long wait for the bus.3

James didn't quite make the bus. I would have loved to hear my mom's speech about how she can't be driving him every morning. I guess that's the price I pay for punctuality. The bus rolled up to school and I walked into my first class. My teacher went through the attendance and when he got to my name I heard the dreaded words "Hey, aren't you Chris's sister.?" I smiled and  nodded. What a hell of a first impression. My last name itself was a curse upon what my teacher would think of me. 4

At the end of the day I walked onto the bus. I sat down and looked out the window. James walked on minutes later and I asked him how his day was. "Horrible," he replied. "I got suspended. Mom is going to kill me. And it was only the first day." Then I thought to myself "God, I love my family."5