"What am I supposed to do now?!" I mutter, furiously tapping on my phone. I scroll through the long contact list.

Weird librarian.

Pizza hut.

McDonald's.

Weirder aunt.

Okay, where is my mom?!

Eline, you do know that you can always search her up in contact, right?

I facepalm myself. Immediately, scrolling up, I type in her name. In a flash, her name appears on my screen.

Ah ,good.

I click the contact and press dial, placing my phone on my ear and walking around frantically. Ma, pick it up! I plead internally. I hear the ring and nearly jump as I hear her voice.

"Thank the Lord! Mom, the bus left! What? Oh.. " I stumble as she asks me why I am so late. I can't tell her about Alma.. not for now at least.

"Some professor gave work. No, no! Not detention. I am Eline, remember? Wait, what? You can't come? " I narrow my eyes, feeling my voice go a bit high. It's then that I notice how empty the parking lot is.

"Eline, are you there?"

"Yeah, mom. Now, how am I gonna reach home? Max? MAX?! No, it's fine. I'll just walk home. What? No,no, it's just a kilometer walk, not much. Mom! Okay, darn," I mutter as she cuts the phone.

Of all the people, Max has to pick me up.

Obviously, your dad is at work and Mel can't really drive.

Okay, agreed. But still.. at times like these, I just wish that I could have those cool side friends that drop you home in their Lamborghini.

Avi....

Well, she is rich. But, I am not really talking about the money. I am talking about that 'cool' vibe, get it? I sigh as I look down at my watch.

2:35

It has been five whole minutes since I arrived. I lean against the red parked car, adjusting the bag straps on my shoulder. the school gates close sharply at 3:00 pm. I couldn't help but rewind about what had just happened. Why does Alma hate me so much? Hate is usually a strong word, but what Alma has towards me can be considered worse than hate itself. As far as I know, I have never crossed their paths until I met Emma. I didn't even know about her or Lora. And I sure was not the one that had ever gotten bullied by them.

I guess being the top scorer really does have its own benefits. Like, for example, a bully proof tag comes along with you. It's not a really wise thing to corner up one of the school's most reputed students. Whether it is me, or someone else.

I look back at my arm, the light red finger marks slowly beating. She has got some strength.

As I zone out into the exit gates of the school, a jet black car drives it's way in and stops just in front of me. The car window slides down, revealing the familair face.

"Get in," Max says, not even trying to look at me. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"I thought I was supposed to climb on top of the car,"  I say, aggressively opening the car door and seating myself next to the driver's seat. I shut the door a bit more softly, as God knows what would happen if someone damaged his precious baby.

The lavender car freshener calms my nerves a bit. I look at the clip on freshener and bite back a smile. If entering this car with Max has done one good thing, it's bringing back some memories. I guess the last time I smelled this familiar scent was towards the end of seventh grade, when we first moved to this school. He still hadn't got his driving licence as he was only 14.  But ma had bought this car in advance and he decided to simply sit in it just for the sake of it.

We used to spill food all over the car and Pa usually had to clean it all up by himself. We used to bring along board games and sit in the backseat, playing Polo or Snakes and Ladders.

Now, he has not even tried to share a quick glance at me. Not like I bother. I have grown accustomed to this changed version of my so called 'brother' that only a revert back to his original self will come off as weird to me. As though noticing my reminiscing face, he turns quickly to my side.

"Why were you late? You don't usually miss your bus," he says, again concentrating on the road. I look outside the window, resting my elbow on the sill.

"Why do you want to know? You don't usually ask me anything," I softly reply, not wanting and wanting to hurt him.

"God, can't you answer one single question?" he asks, clearly snapping up in frustration. Okay, I am not gonna be speaking soft.

"Like I said, Why. Do. You. Care? I guess I have been living like this, for what, five years?! Keep your questions to yourself," I say, narrowing my eyes wildly at him. He shoots another glare at my side, running a hand through his pink hair.

"I am picking you up. Or else there would have been none to save your sorry self. "

"Anyway, ma would have screwed you up if you left me alone there," I say, clearly knowing that he has a soft spot for ma.

"Whatever," he mutters, giving up and muttering some incoherent words. I take no hesitation in rolling my eyes this one time and turn on the radio.

The ride back home was silent as only pop music vibrated in the car. We both had decided not to talk. It was always like this these days. We would end up talking something just for knowing, and it would never end up good and we would drop our conversation a minute later.

I sigh relief as I see my house. He parks it swiftly just outside our gates and opens the locks. I immediately get up, not sparing a moment to look at his face. He seems to do the same and we get off. I trudge myself towards the house, taking a moment of calm breaths as the fresh dew drops aurate the air. We have one gardener that does an incredible job at maintaining our blossoming garden.  Some people even visit our house just for the sake of looking at it. It's wonderful how things change. 

We used to be just a small unknown family in the former town but business boomed and our name rocketed high.  I used to be known for my studies even earlier but due too my father, I was given more exposure.

I pant as I press my palm against the brown front door, almost wobbling to my knees. With a rough shove by Max, I get displaced to the left as he rings the calling bell.

"Brat," I mumble drowsily as ma attends the call. Her soft black hair is tied up into a bun and her features seem brighter than usual. However , they seem to brighten up more on seeing both of us together, outside the house.

It was once in a blue moon day, let me tell you.

"Thank God, you didn't leave Eline all alone there!" my mother gushes as she drags Max and then me into the house. Max grunts as she says this sentence.

She smiles widely at me and knowing how rude it is to not smile back, I force a smile. Whereas in reality, I want to do anything right now but smile. Too many stuffs have been going on today for me to not smile.

1) Obviously Alma.

2) Max dropping me home.

I know that I should be an inch grateful towards him. But sometimes one emotion decides to overshadow the other. And right now, my hate towards him has overshadowed my gratefulness.

"She didn't even thank me," Max mutters, making ma gasp.

"You didn't even thank him, Eline?You could've gotten stuck there for all I know! " ma places a hand in her hip, the other hand animatedly moving to me.

"Mom, this is just too dramatic. You're being too dramatic," I say. I am not usually like this but as I had said, I am too pissed to care on what I am talking.

"Eline! First, you don't thank him. Second, you speak back to me! I should've known. Your pride got over your head!" she says, being again, way too dramatic.

It would've looked like it was snatched from a comic, but that's really how she is acting right now.

"Max, can you look at her? She doesn't even respond!"

I sigh, showing a bit of irritation. Max, just like I expected walks off without any response up the staircase and onto his room.

"Kids these days," I hear Ma mutter as she goes absentmindedly to the couch.

I feel my legs already screaming at me to rest them. Heading towards my bedroom adjacent to Max's, I shut my door. And just as I am about to plop on my fluffy bed, the phone rings up.

I wince, again having to walk to my desk and picking my phone. And guess who it is?

"Jayden?"