My Best Friend, Jack ✓

7. First of the Last

I stood in front of the full length mirror in my bedroom and smoothed down my dress. I had on a white t-shirt underneath it and my long, blonde hair was tied in a french braid. My mum had insisted as it showed off my cheek bones. I put on a pair of sandals and stood back, twirling awkwardly. I felt so unlike me and now I was heading back to school, I glanced longingly towards my pair of trusty ripped jeans thrown on my bed. I wonder if I had enough time to change back? 

I grabbed them and started to change but just as I started to shimmy out of my dress, my dad's voice boomed from downstairs. "Get a move on, Ava. Ethan and I will be in the car. We're already late."

"Damn it," I muttered, dropping the jeans and putting the dress back on. 

Grabbing my bag off the side, I bolted down the stairs two at a time and landed with a jump in the hallway. I was quite impressed that I didn't break my ankle, or my neck. I would normally ride to school with Jack, but my dad always insisted on driving us to school on the first day. Ethan was going in to his second year so he felt a bit better about it, although still nervous. I said not to worry about it as I would punch anybody that laid a finger on him, but he just groaned and said he didn't need his big sister fighting his battles for him. 

Seeing as he had bright red hair, freckles dusted over the bridge of his nose and was sort of scrawny for his age, he was always picked on by someone eventually. I just wished he would fight back and give them a tornado wedgie. That was my punishment of choice. Pull the underwear as hard as you can and then twist it for good measure. It made me cringe just thinking about it.  

"I haven't got all day," my dad yelled from the car. 

"Yeah, we haven't got all day," Ethan echoed. 

I ran to the kitchen and gave my mum a kiss on the cheek. She had flour on her forehead and looked rather flustered already considering it was only 8.30AM in the morning. She only baked when she was stressed and she always baked when we went back to school. I don't think it was about me, more about Ethan. She worried. 

"I'll look out for him mum, don't worry," I smiled gently, wiping the flour off of her. 

She touched my cheek gently. "Thank you honey, just make sure you have a good day too. You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thanks mum," I blushed and waved as I ran out the door, hearing the incessant car horn honking that was echoing from outside.

I glanced at Jack's house as I jumped in the car's back seat, but his bike was already gone. He must've left earlier. He was much better at time-keeping than I was. I whipped out my mobile as dad pulled out rather harshly and sped towards the school with his foot down. Ethan was grinning in delight as we weaved around the traffic. 

Meet me by the entrance? I texted Mia. 

If anyone knew how awkward I was feeling, it was Mia. 

Already stood waiting. Hurry your butt up. 

I smiled and put my phone back in my bag. "We're going to be late."

My dad shot a death glare in the mirror and I bit my lip, realising I should probably just shut up. It was too late. 

"We're only late because of your poor time keeping skills, Miss," he scolded. "You keep saying all summer how you're actually looking forward to going back to school and then the day arrives and you somehow just roll out of bed with ten minutes to get ready. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I scratched my head and stared innocently. "I like sleep."

"I was ready on time," Ethan chimed in, turning around and grinning at me.