Chapter 1

    I wasn't sure if I should wake up at that moment. I felt stiff and I didn't want to get out of my comfortable bed. Still half asleep, I reached my arm out and hit the alarm clock to make it stop buzzing. I rose from my bed and stretched, cracking some bones in the process. I looked at the time reliezing I woke up 15 minutes late. I had a half hour to get to school and it takes me a long time to get ready.

   "Oh s**t I'm late..." I groaned as I got out of bed. I really wasn't in a mood today, considering I stayed up most of the night doing a last minute project for Social Studies and only slept for 2 hours.

    I put on my school outfit, which consists of a white blouse with a red bow and a red skirt with the same shade as the bow. I put my hair up with another red bow. I looked in the mirror and checked myself over. Mostly, alot of my classmates and townspeople tell me I'm very pretty but I thought I looked average looking. I have light brown hair down to my shoulders and have hazel eyes. I was skinny and tall so maybe that's why most of the boys seemed attracted to me. I thought I looked ok as an average high school girl. I ran downstairs to go make breakfast before I left.

     I walked into the kitchen noticing something strange. Usually when I wake up in the morning I will have to make breakfast but I smelled something burning. I saw Ren actually trying to cook pancakes...which I could tell he was failing really bad at. I couldn't help but laugh.

     I walked over to see what he was doing. He was flipping the pancakes when they weren't even fully cooked yet. He turned to look at me with piercing blue eyes. "What? Hey, since you woke up late, I thought I cook breakfast this morning," he explained.

     I chuckled. "Ren, you didn't have to do that. We still got plenty of time. I still have to get Sora ready for school."

      Ren Sanjo was my best friend. He is only 16 years old and a junior. Me and him go to high school together. You may have guessed that we must live together. We do, but we are not related.

      About a year ago, both of our parents were murdered mysteriously one night while they were out. No one knew how they died. The police just found their bodies while out on patrol already getting calls about mysterious crimes going around town. The bodies of our parents were all found together strange enough and were brutly beaten to death by something. But no finger prints were found. To this day, we don't know the cause of their deaths. Once me and Ren found out, we were given the choice to either stay with one of other family members or become an adopted child to another family. Well, on my side, none of my family members would take me and my younger brother, Sora, in. For Ren, he didn't have anymore family members. Since Ren was 16 and he could live on his own, he decided to live in his house and he took me and Sora in since we have been good friends for a long time.

       I helped Ren cook breakfast while he went to go wake up my little 10 year old brother up for school. By the time they both got downstairs, I finished making the pancakes and served them breakfast.

       Ren sat himself at the table while putting his seriously long, blond hair back into a ponytail. I have to admit, Ren with long hair looks really good on him. He always gets attacked by the girls. I bet that if he were ever to get his hair cut off the girls would get a heart attack seeing their crush with a short, boring hair cut.

       I ate breakfast while I watched over Sora. Sora was in the 5th grade so I had to get him up early with me and Ren for school. Sora was the only person in my family who I loved. Like other siblings who have their common fights, Sora and I never get into fights and we copperate to live by ourselves with no adult supervision.

        Sora finished his breakfast first and got up to put on his coat. I looked up at him. "Are you taking the bus toay or do you want me and Ren to take you?" I asked. Sometimes Sora likes to ride the bus to school but other times he much rather perfer walking with me and Ren.

      He shook his head. "I'm going to ride the bus today if that's ok with you sis," he answered softly. For a boy only 10 years old, he can be very mature then the other immature boys who spend most of their time getting in trouble.

      I nodded. "Sure no problem. Just make sure you call me when you are on your way home because I believe me and Ren have Anime Club after school today." I glanced at Ren to make sure I was right. Ren was the president of our school's anime club so he would know.

      "Yep we do. We won't be home until around 4:30," Ren said to Sora.

      I heard the bus parking in front of the house outside. Sora grabbed his bookbag and lunch and ran to the door. "I'll see yah later sis, Ren!" he called over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

      I smiled. I felt like a mother to Sora. He was the only person I have left and he was growing up right in front of me.

      I got up, cleaned the dishes, and grabbed my coat. It may already be spring but it stil gets a little chilly in the morning. I grabbed my lunch, put that in my bag, and went outside to meet Ren, but locked the door on the way out before I left. Ren was waiting by our bikes that we usually ride to school. I kicked down the kick stand and me and Ren took off.

      Riding my bike in the morning was ok. I much rather perfer riding it when it's warmer and there is a nice, soft breeze. The wind blew against my face, blowing my hair back behind me. It helped me wake up a bit which was good. I was still a bit sleepy.

      "Hey Hotaru, why were you up so late last night?" Ren asked me.

      I sighed. "I forgot I had a last minute Social Studies project due today on Russia. It wasn't hard but still it took forever the finish." I always seemed to do my projects last minute. I thought Ren would have guessed that was the reason I stayed up late.

     He laughed. "Smooth. You gotta learn how to do your projects once you get them."

      I glared at him. "I know. I just hate doing projects." I really did. I ten to do homework and other school work last minute because I didn't feel like doing it earlier. Then when I relieze the work is due that day, I quickly try to get it done. I'm surprised I'm even passing school with the effort I put into my work. I guess the teachers like to give me a break since I have to take care of my brother alone.

     Now the only people who know that me, Ren, and Sora live in the same house together are the town's police and our school board. Not even out friends know we live together. Ren and I promised not to tell any of our classmates so rumors don't spread. Our classmates just think that we are just living with another family member. It makes me feel kind of guilty that we have to lie to our friends but it was for our own good.

       Once we arrived at the school, I chained my bike with the other bikes. I waited for Ren to chain his and we walked into the cafetria. We always go there before the bell rings for school to start.

      I walked in, thinking to myself that oday will be a good day. But I was wrong.

     

      

Author's Note

so what did you think? i was planning on making the chapter a bit longer but I think this is enough. more to come soon :D

Reviews

[Martina]

Real good Lauren. I liked it. Sound really interesting and I'm going to read the next chapter XD

[Spirithunter]

Great story so far! Hope to see more flowing in! I need to make my first chapter longer I'm just running out of ideas.... (ALREADY!??!?) lol