1 Joyce Ryan

Tuesday

Breakfast. Done.

Dishes. Done.

Laundry. Check.

Alrighty... What else? I scan around to look if there are any chores left to do before I go to school.

You see.. this is what it is like to live with a single mother. I have to do house chores, before and after school..

Why?

Because my mom has to be a mother and a father at the same time. Work to support us during the day, and at night, she does what a normal mother does. Cook and everything. But, yesterday, she come home late. So, she must've been exhausted, she doesn't even changed her nurse uniform before go to bed. I guess, the hospital must be hectic because of the accident involving two busses yesterday. She's lucky got to go home. So, I decided to help her out a bit with the house chores.

"You don't have to do it, honey." Mom said rubbing her eye and yawning at the same time.

"Its okay, mum. I'd like to play mommy's role once a while." I winked. Honestly, I'm feeling like I'm a mother watching her daughter wakes up.

"Ohh.. Pumpkin. I'm terribly sorry. You can't imagine how crazy yesterday is. It really is. Patients keep coming to the ER like pheww pheww." She's explaining with her whole body. I can't restrain myself from giggling watching her reaction.

"Its okay, mom. I know that. Besides, that panda eyes of yours really explain everything." I said while pointing at her eyes.

"What?! Oh no! Screw that. I have to get back to the ER now. Want me to drop you at school?" she said while fixing her hair up ready to get a bath.

"No, thanks. I'm good." I reply.

But my mind can't help thinking about those Alvaro's High School student who involved in the accident.

Alvaro's High School for Talented Elites, AHSTEs for short .

Yep, more like Alvaro's High School for Rich Bums. You are lucky if you are rich, but also talented ? Thats not fair, duh !

So, yesterday they decided to go out of town maybe and got into some nasty accident just right before the Alvaro's Hill. How unfortunate. But, the accident is really weird, though. The busses were both Alvaro's. One bus was full of students going to a trip and the other, was empty. The police say that they can't find the driver of the empty bus, despite the witnesses say that the empty bus was on full speed when it hit the bus full of student. It doesn't make sense. How can an empty bus can work by itself?

Oh well, I can just ask mom.

"Hey, mom. What happen to the Alvaro's kids?" I yelled hoping she can hear my voice in the shower. But, weirdly, silence hits me. The shower still running, but mom is quiet. I'm pretty sure I yelled very loud just now.

"Mom?" I yell again.

"Yes, honey." This time she's answering right away.

"Those Alvaro's kids. Are they alright?" I asks again.

"oh yes, honey. They are fine. No life casualties. Nothing to worry." Took a while before she answers. Oddly, she sounded nervous. But, she's right, nothing to worry about. I bet those student's rich parent must be squirming the hospital ER last night demanding their children to be transferred to the best hospital in the world.

"Glad they fine. See you tonight, mom." I said as a sign that I'm off to school while walking to my room.

I take my bag off my bed and sling it over my shoulder. Adjust it a bit, making sure it tightens enough so that it won't fall off during the ride.

"Nice." I speak to myself while looking at myself in the mirror.

The mirror is as tall as myself, so I can see my whole body. I tied up the upper half of my jet-black hair into a little bun. And let the lower half untied. I've tied my hair this way since I can remember. I love the way my wavy hair moves against the wind, but I hate when my hair get in my face, so I decided, half-half! Half tied up and half untied. Done!

"My lens! Where is it? Where did I put it last night?" I rummage through my drawer to find my lenses. I was born with this genetic disorder called heterochromia iridium. I lived my life with different eye colour. One is bright blue, and the other one is light reddish-brown. So, basically, I've been hiding it since we move here, Aldhard town three years ago. Beside that, I've also born with strands of silver hair at the right side of my head, so I had to dye it over and over again every month.

"Found it!" while rummaging my jacket pocket. Why am I so forgetful? Gosh!

I stand very closely to the mirror to get a perfect look of my eye while I'm putting the lens in my left eye. I only wear left side of the lens to hide my reddish-brown eye. That way I can save up some money. Instead of buying lenses after lenses every three months. This way, I can wear one set of lenses for half a year. Just switch the lens.

White shirt.

Black jean.

In complement with my black hair.

Light blue jean jacket.

In complement with my eyes.

For completing the look, I wear a silver necklace and gold love ornament pendant with letter "B" carved in it. Mom said that this necklace is a family heirloom. Its been in handed down in my family for generations.

Why letter "B"? I have no idea.

I walk out of my room heading to the kitchen. Grab a cheese sandwich to eat on the run and heading to the living room. Biting my sandwich, I look at the room. Look neat and tidy.

Carefully, I open the sliding window and I can see my bike in the lawn just a few steps away from the window. I bite my sandwich preparing for the act I'm about to do. Silently and quietly, with the sandwich in my mouth, I climb and jump out of the window.

Suddenly- "Joy, are kiddin' me? what's wrong with the door?" mom shouting from behind me with towel wrap around her body.

"Hehe Nothing. Sorry! Love ya!" and with that I bolted out the window and heading for school.

....................