1 FRIGID AIR

On a cold January day, I woke up to the sound of my alarm. Scrambling through the blankets that were wrapped all around me searching for my phone to turn the annoying noise completely off.

"6:45 am. Ugh." I said sighing to myself feeling so sleep

I turned off my phone leaving it on the nightstand. I hop out of bed rubbing my eyes going into my bathroom. I look at my pale, fair skin in my dirty old mirror. I took out the elastic that was holding my hair in a high bun and ran my hands through my stiff but messy hair then decided to take a quick shower.

I test the water out on the palm of my hand to watch it slowly trickle down my bare arm.

"Amber, Rose, Grace. School is in less than 20 minutes. You better start getting ready!" I heard Dad shout out to me and all my sister and a soft but harsh tone on all of our bedroom doors and the

Being the oldest in my family is probably the best. I'm just able to boss everyone around and get away with it. Also one of the cons is having a lot of responsibilities. Rose is the middle child. The most annoying fifteen-year-old I have ever met, and I'm seventeen. Getting under my skin she never fails at doing whatsoever. Then my favorite, Grace. Only being 9 years younger, she can make any serious situation laughable and bittersweet. She's the most carefree and selfless person I have ever met. How I miss being that young.

We aren't related by blood, but she's still going to forever be my sister in my heart. When we adopted two years ago we found out she had autism and other learning disabilities. The day I and Rose laid eyes on her and saw how happy she was. I just knew she was going to the new member of our family.

Also, ever since mom left for her job when I couldn't even speak a syllable my dad became lonely. She's an international aid worker and travels all around the world risking her own life just to help others. From what I know about her she seemed so selfless.

She's always on my mind. I'm always wondering if she is proud of me. I don't even remember seeing my mom's face in person. Not even a simple memory comes to mind that I have of her. When she left it was right after she gave birth to Rosie.

I only know stories and see pictures my dad has shown and told all three of us. Secondly, my dad gave me something she wrote to me before she left with a necklace I wear every day that has her initials embedded in it.

J.R.D

Jennifer Rose Davis.

I always look at this picture of her and my dad on a field just laughing. Living in the moment. Her auburn hair, mesmerizing smile, and the most beautiful hazel eyes. She is indescribably perfect in every way.

Around the holidays we get postcards and money. My mom is always on the run. It's like we never had time for her. Or at least that's how it makes me feel.

I do wonder if she even cared about me or any of us. I see my dad looking empty and alone without her. I sometimes question if I'll ever see her. If she ever worried about what I was doing or any of us really.

This unwanted feeling consumed me as I walked out of the steamy hot shower leaving me feeling goosebumps that traced my body in the frigid air.

I grabbed a towel out of my closet and wrapped it around my body and felt the warmth of it absorb my damp body.

I go back into my room and check how much time I have left on the clock

7:05 am

"Shit!"

Me being me, my immediate reaction to that was sprinting to go in my wardrobe. As I do that I bolt straight into a wall.

I ran over to my rusty mirror again and saw a gash on my forehead that was slowly starting to see blood ooze coming out.

"I don't have time for this." I said trying to clean it

I grab a grey hoodie and black leggings. I never really put effort into my style, especially going to school. I mean, what's the point anyways? It's not like I'm going to know these losers.

I scurry downstairs as well as swing on my jacket and backpack. In the corner of my eye, I already see Rose outside with a crowd of people around her waiting for the bus at the near end of our street.

I put my black vans on loosely as I opened the front door and slammed it shut behind me. Today was one of those crappy days where I just want to scream in a pillow and binge watch The Notebook so I can actually make sense of this cruel world I'm living in.

As I'm sprinting to catch up with Rose, I heard my dad's angelic laugh as he saw me looking like I was in my first ever play fight, or I had some "rough reputation" that gave me this scar.

I am getting closer and closer every millisecond that passed by and thought for once I'm not going to be late arriving to get on the bus. When I was about more than halfway there to the line of crowded people waiting, I felt my shoe fall right off and I immediately caught balance and collided with someone that came right into my direction all of the sudden. I roughly shove accidentally which made us collide and fall right on the floor.

I got up, looked for my shoe, and brushed off all the cold icy snow that was caked all over it. I turned and bumped into this figure more gently now. I looked up, our breath was stone cold in the frosty air. Me getting caught off guard, he is a dark brown haired freckle face-filled boy with the most innocent stare.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to I-" I said slide on my somewhat soaked black shoe

"No, it's completely fine. You definitely didn't almost push my arm out of its socket" He uttered as he scratched the back of his neck with his left hand

I laughed off that comment.

We still were dumbfoundedly staring at each other. Then, I realized that everyone was staring at us.