A Picture of You

*Daniella POV* “Daniella, if I have to call your name again to get your behind up for school, I WILL run up these stairs and tickle your feet!! Get up!!”, my mom screamed. Honestly, I do not even understand why she’s breathing down my neck at 6:30 in the morning when I can drive myself to school and it’s only 20 minutes away. “Mom! I’m awake! You don’t need to yell anymore! I get it, I get it”, I respond in kind. I roll over in bed to stretch out my arms and legs feeling my lower back pop then take a look at my clock. It reads *7:13am*. Crap!! I am going to be late, late, late and it’s going to be my first day!! I quickly scramble out of my bed and into the bathroom to get ready for my day. I brush my teeth and wash my face as thoroughly as possible before getting back to my room to choose my outfit. I didn’t even decide what I was going to wear, what am I going to do? I think to myself. I grab the cleanest pink blouse, pair it with a cream blazer and cream linen pants. This is the best that I can do for now. I quickly spray my locs with rose water and rub my almond oil into it so it has a slight sheen of health and not one of grit. Just as I am running out of my room, I collide with my dad. “Baby girl, slow down! You’re gonna hurt someone if you’re not careful!,” he says to me. “My bad dad, I am just in a rush and I am late for school. It’s already 7:30!,” I said starting down the stairs. “Baby, it’s only 7:15am. You know your mom changes your clock on the first day of school. You’ve got plenty of time don’t worry and take your time.” I immediately halt on the fourth step. “You mean to tell me, momma changed the clock on me?,” I said with a sigh. How could I have forgotten about this? I continue my descent and make my way into the kitchen, this time at a normal pace to see my mother standing in the doorway with a camera. “Honey, I’m sorry to have frightened you like that. I just wanted photos of you for your last first day of high school so I can put it in your graduation slide show. Are you okay?,” she asks. No. I hurt my leg and my pride. “Momma, I’m fine but you could have just asked. I could have died coming down the stairs by twisting my neck or my ankle! I would have missed school and you have had to plan a funeral. Are you that eager to be an empty nester?”, I grumbled. “Girl, now what have I said about that tongue and the words you speak? There is power in it and we don’t do that. Stop playing like that,” she replied. There’s more power in her tongue than mine, I almost took dad out getting down here “Yes ma’am”. “You look beautiful baby! Let’s take some pictures and then you can eat. I grabbed your favorite today.” Mom says. We quickly took 200 photos and I hugged my parents 6 times before I drove off to school. ————————————————————— Upon getting to the school parking lot, I was amazed to find it hustling with many students clamoring to find their friends and a spot near each other. My school let us purchase a spot and decorate it so I quickly found my field of peonies and parked my Jeep next to my best friend, Alicia. Alicia was standing at her passenger side on the phone screaming about the latest Valerie makeup video and how she HAS to get the next palette or whatever.I listened in as my red haired, dark clothing wearing friend exclaimed about how important this palette was to her. I quickly got out to join the conversation “You better buy her the full one and not the sample either! You messed up last time and she cried about it for a month! I can’t do damage control for you forever!!,” I said into her phone. Alicia immediately squealed and said “You better listen to my bestie too! She knows best and she’s right! I want the full thing! Okay, byyyee,” She hangs up her phone only to grab me in a firm hug and spin around in a circle. “Dannie, Ellie, Ellie, ELLA!! You are just in time!! Ugh, I’ve missed you and you have so much to hear and see and learn!! Tony said hi by the way but oh my gosh! We have new students and they just arrived like ten minutes ago and already I heard Valerie talking about having them sit with her and oh my gosh, we have GOT TO BE AT THAT TABLE!,” she exclaims. Wow. Alicia can be a lot when she’s on her rocker but today she is an absolute exception, she’s on full throttle and does not seem to be coming up for air anytime soon. She and I have been best friends since we were kids and while some can find her to be too much, I thoroughly appreciate her passion and borderline obsession because she truly is all in. “Okay, Alicia please take a deep breath and leash it for a minute. I caught like 12% of what you said and tell Tony I said hi too? What new kids?,” I ask. She nods her head and steps back to look deep into my eyes and says with a straight face “Prepare to be amazed, my friend, because at lunch time? I am going to change your life and that change has a name: Irving Woodfellow.” “Alicia? It’s our senior year. I don’t have time for boys and neither do you! We are getting straight A’s and joining the debate team so we can keep our academic resumes padded and get into school. No boys for me this year.” I say quickly. Boys are trouble and I’m too good for that. She chuckles at me and I assumed she would agree until she said “Speak for yourself, girl! You’ll understand what I mean when you see him. You might change your mind. It’s his sister that I want.” I roll my eyes and grab my items from my car and start shuffling her into the school. “Okay hot chick, let’s prove to her how smart you are and impress her with your brain and not just your dynamite looks, shall we?” She giggles and quickly links her arm in mine. We are off to a great start.