I woke up with fear. Not because I'm a wuss or how I naturally am or anything, but I woke up with Ashton jumping on my bed screaming "WAKE UP WAKE UP YOU'RE LATE YOU'RE LATE YOU'RE LATE!!" over and over again very very loudly. For a quick second, I thought it was some psycho trying to kill me. I scolded him to get off of me and surprisingly, he listened. Every time I was late for something, this is what he does and it's coming to the point where I was actually getting used to it.

"You know, gently tapping me or just telling me to get up in a normal tone of voice would suffice. Or even just throwing a pillow on me would be alright. But do you have to jump on me and yell at me every time?" I groaned, struggling to get out my warm bed.

"Yes and I do a great job!" Ashton shouted.

"Yes, yes you do." I said, with a hint of sarcasm, while rubbing my eyes.

After about what felt like 15 minutes of thinking about how tired I was, I decided to get up and put something else on because I don't think my school would approve of me going in pajama bottoms and no shirt on. If they're like me, they'd get a look at me and go blind while screaming in terror with how pale I was.

I quickly ran a brush through my hair, and I mean an actual brush because I have really long and thick dark brown, almost black hair that needs more than just a comb. I tossed on a plain black T-shirt and dark blue jeans and slipped on my black converse. After that, I slung on my bag and I headed downstairs.

~~~~~~

"Good morning, Princess." My mom said in an extremely happy tone as I came down stairs. I looked at the clock and I realized that it was almost 7:30, meaning I was going to be late for school. I stuck my tongue out at her responding to her mockery.

"Do you realize what time it is?" She said in an over friendly voice. I knew what that meant; she's mad. We already missed the bus and now she's gotta take us to school and she can't really drive that well due to her condition.

"7:30?" I said, scratching the back of my neck in nervousness. I should've been up at 7 and ready by 7:15.

"Yeah and you know what that means right??"

Here it comes....

"Mom has to take you to school!!" She raises her arms in the air and starts to clap excitedly. But I could still tell that she wasn't happy. Not only that driving wasn't good for her condition (though she still does it anyway) that means she'll be late for work because she has to drive out of her way to work to take us to school.

"Your sarcasm is noted, I'm sorry."

"I can't be late to work again, otherwise I'll be on probation for six months, but you also can't skip school." She thought out loud. She paced back and forth for a quick second until....

"Ashton!" Mom shouted.

Ashton jumped and dropped his plate of breakfast with a loud CRASH and a BANG on the floor as we both covered our ears. He perked his head up like an alert meerkat giving his full attention to mom.

"I want you to call Lizzy and have her give you a ride to school. Can you do that for me please?"

"What if she doesn't answer?" He asked.

"She will." Mom said putting on her jacket.

"What if she doesn't though?" He asked again.

"She will, Ash." Mom said, the keys jingling as she grabbed them off the counter.

"Okay....? What if she can't drive us because she's dying of some foreign disease?" Ashton continued to ask pointless questions to a simple request.

"Ash just call her please! And if she can't, we'll go from there then I'll take you and explain to my boss what happened. Just call her now please while I start the car. And hurry please!"  She snipped.

"Okay." He ran off in the living room and grabbed the phone.

"Snippy today, are we?" I joked, trying to lift my moms mood with my mediocre humor.

She huffed. "Spenc, I'm sorry but I just can't be late today."

"You've been in a mood for the past couple weeks now. Everything okay?" I asked.

My mom and I have a very open and strong relationship. Her and I would talk to each other like best friends and rant to each other about anything. She was never judgmental and always have her best advice. She always made sure I knew that I could talk to her; not just to me, but my brothers too. She made sure my brothers knew they could go to her as well. Ashton, as thick headed as he is, got the message, but apparently my eldest brother, Demon, didn't. He wouldn't say more than two words to her.

"It's just harder around here without your father, that's all." She adjusted her jacket as she sighed in despair. "I've had to take up a second job and Demon's not around to help out either. As a matter of fact, he hates my guts, for something I can't even control. And it hurts. So I don't think he'll be coming back- at least not for a while."

She grabbed her keys and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as she went into the living room.

"Ashton, did she answer?"

"Yeah, she said she'd be here in about five minutes." Ashton answered. "At the speed she drives she'll be here in two."

"Okay thank you." She gave Ash a quick peck on the cheek as well and we said our goodbyes. We saw her black KIA pull out of the drive way and then blast down the road.

"Now if she can just go the speed limit I'd be a little more relieved when she drives." I said.

Not even a full 5 minutes passed when Lizzy arrived at our house. Ash and I bolted down the door slamming it behind us and we got in the van.

"Why are you boys late?" She asked demandingly.

"Well good morning to you too, Lizzy." I said a little shocked with her attitude.

"Good morning!" She said cheerfully. "Now why are you running late?" She switched back to her demanding tone.

"Princess overslept, that's why." Ashton spoke obnoxiously, earning a punch in the arm from me.

"Ohh, you gotta work on that, Spenc." She advised me.

"I know. I don't know why I slept in so late." I said.

"Still, make sure you get up in time." She reminded. "How's mom doing?"

Lizzy has been so close with our family for years so she calls our mom, 'mom' too.

"She's doing alright." Ash said. "She's a bit flustered but other than that she's doing good."

"Well her husband did leave her with three sons so I would be too." Lizzy grumbled.

"Make that two sons." I spoke. "Demon is pretty much gone. It's just Ash and I at the moment."

"Well, Demon will come around eventually. He'll realize that he needs to be with his family in this time. He can't stay away from his family forever." Lizzy said.

"Not according to him. He thinks he can avoid his problems by running away." Ash said, rightfully.

"Well someday he'll learn to face them. But until then, I'd say just let him be Demon for a while." Lizzy concluded, obviously wanting to change the subject. "So how are you and Angie doing, Spenc? Getting pretty serious?"

Ashton began to make kissing noises and exaggerated moans when I punched him in the arm.

"Why does everyone keep asking that? Nothing's going on between Angie and I right now." I said, defensively.

"Right now." Ashton waggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Oh my god, Spencer just ask her out already!" Ashton screamed.

"No, are you crazy?? Then it'll look like I'm clingy or desperate or maybe even obsessed with her. I'm just taking it slow for now."

"Dude, it's been almost two years. I think you took it slow long enough." Ash said.

"Oh like you're some expert on dating? What makes you so sure I did?"

"As a matter of fact, I am! I've had more girlfriends than you have so I've definitely had more experience with the ladies." He says with his voice full of arrogance.

"That doesn't mean shit, Ash. I don't wanna scare her off."

"Well when do you plan on asking her out?" Lizzy spoke, turning left on Main Street.

"I don't know yet I'm hoping soon. I just gotta find the right time is all." I said.

"Spencer, you don't like to do anything that isn't written down on a notepad. You don't need a specific time and date to do it. You just do it when it feels right-unplanned or not." Lizzy said. I brushed it off with a shrug.

Lizzy pulled up to the carpool of the school and dropped us off. I'd much rather be home still sleeping.