“Get up Savannah” my older brother Derek whines. “Why?” I ask. I never have liked school the drama, cliché clicks, and the toxic teachers and principals. Today was my first day of Junior year of high school. “You don’t want to be late; you know how Mrs. Friedmann gets when someone is late.” Derek says while I sleepily rub my eyes. “You mean cranky, uppity, and controlling like usual?”  I ask with sarcasm. “Just get up please, Mom and Dad are waiting on you” he says back with a somewhat bitter tone. I get up, like normal I just hate the thought of being in that prison of hell called high school. I pick a plain grey t-shirt and black shorts with neon green lines on the sides. I throw my hair in a very messy ponytail. I look in the mirror one last time before I grab my bag and head downstairs. Dad is sitting at the island counter with a cup of coffee and today's newspaper. Mom sets pancakes before me as I sit down for a quick breakfast. “Good morning” they say in usion. Derek laughs at my appearance. “Going for the “I never wash my hair” look today, are we?” That catches Mom’s attention, I know I’m in deep crap now. You see Mom wanted a girl who is pristine, beautiful, and acts like a girl. Instead, she got me.” Savannah, go brush your hair, make it look nice” “Fine” I say as I run back upstairs. I never have really liked my long hair. It is brown and thick. As I am brushing, I hear a faint knock on the door. “Come in” I yell. Mom appears through the door; she almost looks sad. “What’s wrong?” I ask, I am truly concerned now. “I want you to act as if you are something, please stop hiding your beauty.” “You are beautiful, I wish you could see that” she says as she brushes my hair back and puts it in a perfect ponytail. “And I wish you could see that I am not your cheerleader perfect type Mom” I say with a bitter tone. She has always told me that same exact line every day for years. I just hope someday she will understand that her 5’6 natural tan, brown eyed daughter just doesn’t like the “Beautiful Look”. I head back downstairs and grab my bag as I head towards the bus stop. Derek stops me mid-way down the driveway. “Hey, I’ll take you to school, we need to talk” he says with a menacing tone. I hop in the passenger side of his mustang, “What’s up” I ask confused. He never wants me to ride with him. "Well, is it just me or is Mom acting, I don’t know, kinda off?” As he says that it occurs to me that he is right, Mom didn’t say goodbye or anything for that matter after she left my room. I know what you're thinking “how is that unusual?" Well let me tell you that she NEVER lets us leave the house without saying goodbye, it’s just been her thing since as far back as I can remember. “Yeah, I did notice, what do you think is wrong?” I ask. “I don’t I know, but I am really worried” he says in a stressed and tired voice as his phone rang. “It’s Veronica, I have to answer it” he says. I nod as I put my earbuds in my ears and start my playlist. I look out the window at the passing trees as “All the good girls go to hell” by Billie Eilish blasts in my ear. I am so thankful for earbuds and Spotify as I listen, because Veronica is Derek’s girlfriend and I have never liked that girl, she has always had like a bad aura around her. “Thanks for the ride” I mumble as I leave the car. I walk into the building and breathe in and out,” let’s just get through today” I tell myself. It's the same thing I have told myself since freshman year. As I make my way past the front desk a pair of the most beautiful grey eyes meet mine. Attached to the eyes is a boy who stands about 6’2 and has black hair that goes just to the ear. He has that mystery guy aura about him. He smiles as I keep walking. “Wow” I say as I open the door to Mr. Lanhart’s Government class.