Morning With Baylen

School had come so quickly this year. I kept waking up before my alarm, so when it was finally time for me to awake, I was exhausted.

“Alexa, STOP!” I yelled, as if Alexa wasn’t programmed by me to blare Harry Styles’ music at 6:00 am.

I rolled onto my back and pulled my koala bear mask off of my face. I had been excited all summer for sophomore year and now that it was here, I wished it hadn’t come yet.

At Huffington, the 9th graders are at a transition building with the 7th and 8th graders. So we don’t get to experience the full high school scene until 10th grade. So even though this wasn’t my first year of high school, this was “my first year of high school.” I am going to need coffee today if I plan on surviving this day. Oh crap! I almost forgot that I was sitting with Jeff today at lunch. I scrambled out of bed and washed my face. I held my hair out of my face with a blue fuzzy headband. I brushed my teeth and ran to my closet. I really wish I had cleaned and organized it like my mom had told me, as I watched clothes bulging from every crevice. I had to find the perfect outfit for today. I pulled out a blue and white collared dress that my mom had chosen for me. I decided this was not the day to make a statement and put it back. I just wanted to be me, but I knew I had to change myself just a tad this year. I grabbed out my overall shorts and a green top. I will wear my green Converse and my tiny gold chain with the butterfly on it and call it a day. I grabbed my Led Zeppelin backpack and headed to the kitchen. My dad is a huge classic rock fan, so pretty much anything he buys me is from the 80’s. Baylen was already there eating a bagel with marmalade jelly and cream cheese.

“Morning Squirt. How are you feeling today?” Baylen asked, still chewing his bagel.

“Bay, stop talking with your mouth full, you know how much mom hates that. She will give you her speech about your epiglottis getting confused and you choking…” I teased.

I grabbed a bagel and made some hot chocolate. We headed out the door and off to school. Baylen drove. He actually is doing a really good job. I thought I was going to be completely terrified, but he is a very patient and attentive driver. I must have been smiling because he asked me what I was so happy about.

“Huh?” I asked surprised.

“You are smiling from ear to ear Squirt. Does this Jeff kid have you all giddy or something?” he laughed.

He reached out to mess up my hair but stopped himself. I probably would have throat punched him had he done that to be honest. My hair was in perfect curls today.

“I mean…sort of,” I admitted shyly, turning my head towards the window. “I have never had a boy like me, so it’s new and exciting.”

“I don’t know about that Squirt. Boys definitely like you, but this one seems like he wants to make you happy. You will be 16 in a few months so I am okay with it now, you know?” Baylen said with a reassured pat on my arm.

As a reminder, Baylen and I are Irish twins, which seems a little silly for him to be giving me life advice, seeing as we will be 16 together for a month, but I let him have his moment.

“What do you mean boys like me and it’s ok NOW?” I asked eagerly.

I hoped he would tell me that perhaps Keegan had admitted to having a crush on me before.