I never liked school, I loathed it, nothing interested me other than literature, art, and music. Though, I was a B average student I never liked the majority of my classes but that didn't mean I couldn't stop trying in them, that's basically deciding to fail at life in which I was raised not to do. My parents were overachievers and hardcore believers in me being successful, to graduate high school and head to a college...excuse me... an ivy league university. So now you can understand why my mom would yell at me one morning after reading an all B+ and B- report card (with the exception of a C+ in Calculus) when she expected A's from me.

"I still don't get why you're so upset." She rose an eyebrow at me and I pursed my lips staring down at the marble table.

"I'm upset because you're acting foolish in school with those friends of yours when you should be focusing on your classes" I wanted to do something as to express my frustration and anger but knew better otherwise I'd end up seven feet under.

"I am focusing on my classes" I say in a forced voice of sweetness laced in it however she could see right through my facade replying "don't get upset that I'm worried and caring about your future".

"Jesus their just B's and one C"

"And I'm just another heartless ginger!" Waving her hands around dramatically.

That was up for debate.

My stomach growled and all I just wanted were some eggs to kickstart my day but instead got a PMSing mother for breakfast and she was a real bitch to me at the moment I questioned if the devil himself was inside of her. I expected her to make a 360 head turn exorcist style so I can take out my makeshift crucifix of two wooden cooking spoons.

"Can I just get my breakfast?" She sighs and nods but in clear annoyance as her light eyes now darkened sourly and she dropped my report card on the table walking out with a frustrating sigh thinking I didn't hear her entire rant when voicing my concern on food. I was about to head to the stove when Anna came in ready to work, tying her white apron around her grey uniform and her curly blonde strands in a bun away from her slight acned face and edgy eyes that never stopped flickering in worry.

"Hey, mind cooking me some eggs" she turned around giving me a look before saying "I may be a maid, but I was hired to clean, not to cook and be a nanny 24/7" most would've fired their maids for being sassy and snarky, however she was my best friend as well. Anna has been working here since she was 19 and I was 15 but now going on 18. I guess it was one of those weird friendships that blossomed with her as the quiet maid and after a while had to endure through my chattiness and soon we got comfortable with one another to the point where this conversation was just playing nice. She was.....special, that girl. A queer one I questioned too much about as to why she was a part of the perfect life that is of Cara Lance. She was always on her feet busy with something, spoke to me but never about her personal life much, however I trust her enough to be considered my best friend.

"Fine then" I mutter dragging my feet over to the stove, opening the oven to grab out a pan before setting it on top and I shuffled through the fridge next for the ingredients. Hearing her behind me as she began to sweep the floor and I was too lazy to bother on asking her if she needed help.

"So what was that about?" She questioned behind me as I began to cook, the aroma of a spiced omelet filling the kitchen.

"Just my mom being difficult" I countered.

"About mostly B's and having one C?" She asked when she stopped sweeping to read the report card.

"I guess, you know how annoying she could be"

"What about your dad?" She asked and I replied shutting the stove off "he's coming home tomorrow night from his business trip and hopefully won't be as bad as my mother" I served my food on a plate and quickly sat down beginning to eat as it was already 7:40 and classes began at 8:30. Quickly dropping my plate in the sink once I finished I grabbed my bag bidding Anna goodbye before heading out on my bike to school. It was a half hour ride, I was licensed and wanted to drive but sadly didn't have my own car. Locking my bike on the rack I rushed into the building dodging the sea of students in the halls to catch Matthew and Toby before my lit class. Luckily finding Toby standing by the classroom door playing around with a lighter flicking it open and closed. She loved playing with stuff like that, lighters, fire and matches intrigue her and she doesn't mind it, neither do I. The lighter with X and triangle given to her by her cousin Matthew on her birthday. Her blue dyed hair was tied in a high bun and chewing gum obnoxiously she turned to me smiling.

"Hey loser!" She ran up to me hugging me and the faint smell of tobacco wafting from her I scrunched my nose in disgust, no matter what, trying to get her to stop was a lost cause. Matthew was a polar opposite to her I mean he was an okay student, not too rebellious like her. But my mother doesn't exactly like them, it's pretty easy to tell she states her opinions very clearly. she always greeted them with a fake 'Hi Cara's friends, you're welcomed to come by anytime and even though I think you guys crawled out of the depths of hell I will tolerate you'.

"Where's Matty?"

"He'll be coming soon, got caught up in traffic down Main Street when his dumbass decided to be white and grab Starbucks"

"But he is --"

"I still have hope in his 1/5 Hispanic" I chuckled and we both entered class taking a seat in the middle of the desks, the back and window seats taken sadly.

"So how's that maid of yours?" She winked, I also forgot to mention the part that Toby was bi and was a strong feminist hence being called Toby rather than Tobiana quote "it's a stupid as fuck name and I'd murder anyone who'd call me by that including my parents". She was very pleasant as you can tell.

"She's fine"

"As hell" I scowl at her and she just winks looking back at the front of the class just as the teacher entered. My literature class didn't take long as we analyzed another chapter of Animal Farm and then after that headed to math in which the teacher didn't even bother to correct her mistakes and if we tried to correct her we either got kicked out for talking back or she ends up making this whole unnecessary argument. When lunch rolled in I was finally able to see Matthew as he was finishing up a Starbucks coffee.

"Did you just get out of Starbucks?" The line couldn't have been that long to take two hours of classes.

"No I just didn't bother to come in the first two classes"

"Of course" we grabbed our lunch and sat down inside being too lazy to find a seat outside. I was basically playing with my food not even hungry as I had my mind all over the place.

"Give me the fucking pudding!" I blinked and finally paid attention to my surroundings as I look across the table tilting my head and furrowing my eyebrows in confusion as Toby began to choke him and he made a weird sound like he was some sort of animal. I stifle a laugh whilst she took one hand beginning to tug at his brown curls and he begins to yank at her long blue strands and they both began to yelp in pain and cursed out loud.

"I question why I'm friends with you two" I mutter as I gave Toby my pudding and she let go of him as well as Matthew let go of her and glared whilst he began to fix his hair.

"Thanks babe" I crinkle my nose giving her a look.

"So what's with your mom?"

"Not satisfied as usual, same old shit" I mutter the last part to myself. I play with a piece of chicken that I believe to be rotten based off the green muck on it.

"It'll get better" he joked, I sent a look his way and he smiles with the twinkle of his lip piercing at the corner of his bottom lip. The rest of the day held nothing of importance other than the yellow paint in art class spilling on Matthew and me almost spraining my ankle in PE from dodgeball.

"See you later" I wave to them and hop into the passenger seat of the silver SUV where I found my mother giving me a disapproving look in which I pretend I didn't see as I plug in my headphones and blast Panic! as she drove us home. Patting my hand against my thighs to the beat of the song and didn't catch my mother speaking to me until she ripped one earphone out and I turn her way holding back a snap for interrupting my music.

"I spoke to the councilor and he agreed to get you a tutor and extra credit work-"

"But I said I would be fine, I just need to hand in the missing work-"

"If you want to get accepted into an Ivy League you can't just slack off on work" basically the rest of the ride was spent with my mother scolding me for my lack of effort in my classes and there goes all that pressure falling onto my shoulder. Embracing me like an irritating friend in which I just wished could fall over a cliff and disappear into nothingness sending me to peace from stress.

Sadly, I was punished with this.