THE VIKING MAFIA (…And Mary, the Mother of God)

×Jamie×

"Catpig!" my young sister, Darcy,  screamed as she jumped on top of me. 

I flinched at the impact and sat up quickly as I pushed her off of me. Hearing her fall to the floor with a loud thud, I laughed. "Good morning to you too, spider monkey." 

She stood up and pouted stubbornly. "You're so mean. I just came to wake you up."

I stretched my arms above my head and got out of bed. I was only wearing my pajama trousers and I thought of how lucky Darcy was to wake me up on one of the rare mornings that I didn't sleep in anything but my underwear. 

"Jumping on an unsuspecting sleeping person is called attempted murder," I said, making her scoff.

"Whatever, you lazy asshole. Just come down for breakfast before Mom leaves for work."

I shook my head slowly as I feigned heavy disappointment. "That's another dollar in the swear jar for you, young lady. Damn, you're already filthy rich," I teased, to which my younger sister rolled her eyes. "And be knocking before you enter. I'm older than you and you're a dweeb."

"What's there to hide in the morning though?"

I pulled a creepy face as I wiggled my fingers. "Are you sure that you want to know?"

She pulled slightly disgusted face and made her way to the door. "No, thanks."

I laughed as she left and headed into my en suite bathroom to freshen up. Today was the beginning of a new semester after the evaluation and I was nervous, considering that this was my first year. 

I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I patted both of my cheeks at the same time as I willed myself to gain all the confidence that I could find within me. 

"Get a grip of yourself, Jamie. This year won't be as bleak as the others," I said to myself confidently, hoping that I was not talking bullshit yet again. 

I then relieved myself of last night's orange juice and washed my hands. I walked back into my room and pulled on black stylishly ripped jeans and a white, long sleeved shirt. I quickly rushed a comb through my long blonde hair and tucked the few strands that fell over my eyes behind my ear. 

Giving myself a smile for the day, I quickly put on my shoes and grabbed my backpack before making my way downstairs. 

"Good morning, Jamie," my mother greeted with a warm smile when I walked into the kitchen. 

I returned her smile. "Morning, Mom." I looked at Marcela, Darcy's twin sister, and scoffed. "Good morning to you too, peanut butterfly."

She looked up from her bowl of cereal and grinned. 

I know, we had weird nicknames for each other but that made our lives a little more funnier and mine, a little happier. 

"Toast or coco pops?" Mom asked. 

"Uhm, coco pops," I answered as I took my seat and put my backpack on top of the table. 

She handed a black ceramic bowl to me and I received it after uttering my thanks. I grabbed the box from the other side of the table and poured the cereal into the bowl. 

"Pass me the milk, spider monkey," I yelled at Darcy, who was eating an apple by the fridge. 

"Come and get it yourself," she replied. 

"Come on," I pleaded. Seeing that she was not going to pass the milk to me, I groaned and stood up to do it myself. 

"It's almost seven," Mom said to me. "Kate is going to come and get you soon."

I got the milk and returned to my seat. "Got it."

Before I could eat much of my breakfast, a car horn hooted at the front of the house and I figured that it must have been Kate, my childhood friend.

I stood up and scuffed down the remaining coco pops. After I was done, I gave my family soft kisses on their cheeks before grabbing my bag pack from the counter top and rushing out of the house.

"Took you long enough," Kate said, her arms folded in front of her chest.

She stood in front of her dark blue Ford, wearing a short sleeveless white dress with a dark, cropped denim coat over it. Her brunette hair was in a messy bun and she didn't look impressed by my lax attitude.

"Sorry, did you wait long?" I asked.

"No, but we are going to be late for our first class if you walk any slower." She got into the driver's seat and I slid into the passenger's. 

I put on the seatbelt. "Hurry up."

"I'm your ride. Don't tell me what to do," she said angrily though her lips were in a teasing smile. 

I laughed. "Sorry, Ms. Bossypants."

She turned the key and the car roared to life. "Let's pray that the cops aren't near."

"Wha-" Before I could finish my sentence, Kate stepped on the gas and the car sped down the road at a threatening speed. 

~

Soon after, we were parked in the school's parking lot and got out of the car. Luckily, we didn't bump into any policemen on the way and I was glad because Kate was driving like she had the devil at her heels.  

We rushed into the hall. It was crowded and filled with murmurs from students gathering around something or someone. We had already had our orientation so, I wondered what all the bustle was about.

"What's going on?" I asked, more to myself. 

"Looks like some people are giving out flyers," Kate answered as she tried to look through the crowd.

A short woman with red hair and green eyes suddenly popped up in front of us. 

"Hey, are you guys first years?" She asked, making us flinch in surprise before looking at her.

Kate and I looked at each other as if we were unsure then we both nodded. 

She smiled. "Good. My name is Natalia, I'm a second year student. Us, second years, are throwing a party to welcome you to our school. It's our tradition so attendance is mandatory." She held out two flyers and we took them. "Read this for more information." 

She then walked away from us before approaching another group of people. 

Kate smiled as her eyes scanned the contents on her flyer. "Isn't this great? Free liquor." 

I neatly folded mine and put it into the front pocket of my jeans without giving it a second glance. "Sounds like your type of thing."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Jamie. What better way to start college than with a party?" She gently nudged my shoulder with her own. "You might meet a pretty girl and get laid." 

I chuckled. "You know that I really want to go but my mom won't let me. What if she relapses?" I asked, concerned. 

She frowned, also looking concerned. "We will think of something. Look, it's this Friday." 

Before I could reply, I remembered that my class was in ten minutes so, I waved Kate goodbye with out giving her an answer and rushed to my class before she came up with more ways to convince me. 

I had already memorized the map of the school so it didn't take long to reach my class. I found a seat at the front, near the window and sat down. 

The class slowly filled up and I looked out the window at the school's magnificent lawn with the greenest grass that I've ever seen. A few people were outside while some left their cars to enter the building.

My mind wandered to the flyers that Natalia was giving out. After Mom came back from the hospital, she has never allowed me to have friends or interact with people that she didn't know. Going to a party literally had friendship written all over it with a red permanent marker and she would obviously refuse. 

I sighed. I really wanted to go though.