Mornings in 98 Burlton Boulevard were never quiet. As soon as the clock struck six, a domino chain of mornings began. To some, mornings were like a new beginning. For me, mornings were the nightmares I wanted to wake up from. But how can I wake up from my nightmare when my nightmare is reality itself?

On the first floor, the Kartals were already up and ready for their day. Time was money and with her husband taking half of all her earnings in alimony, Esther Demirci had to make the most of her day.

“Miriam, go wake up your brother.”

“Mom, I finally got a break from the hospital, why can’t I get one here?”

Esther gave up the fight with her oldest and turned to her youngest, “Jacob, go wake up your brother.”

“I’m up mother,” Isaac announced his presence just after Jacob got up.

“You missed most of breakfast but there’s some cereal. Pick up something on the way to school if you’re still hungry. Miriam you’re in charge, dinner is takeout, I’ll grab it on the way home from work. Any suggestions?”

“Pizza.”

“Pizza it is. Bye kids.”

Without a morning greeting or an I love you, their mother headed off to work. Two bites into his cereal, Isaac stopped eating when a furry creature was found in his bowl.

“Jacob! Watch your stupid pet.” Isaac picked up his younger brother’s pet mouse by the tail and dropped him on the counter.

“Albert was just hungry,” Jacob said. He headed over to Albert who was on the table and put him back into his home.

As a so called side effect of his genius, Jacob Kartal has shown no signs of emotions and was usually in an apathetic state but it didn’t matter as he was fourteen and already one year away from graduating high school. His father Aaron’s idea was to get him a pet but unfortunately, the pet Jacob picked was a mouse.

“Damnit,” Miriam said as she checked her pager on the couch. “Jacob you need to get to school early right? I’ll go with you since it’s on the way to the hospital. Let’s go.”

“Why do they want you? You’re just an intern,” Isaac asked his older sister.

“Should I even bother to dumb it down for you? You’re definitely dad’s kid. Let’s go buddy.”

And just like that, Isaac was left alone as usual. It didn’t feel out of place, ever since his dad was kicked out of the house, he was always the odd one out. Dumping the rest of his cereal into the trash, Isaac headed to the fire escape and up one floor to Asher’s house.

*

The O’Haras were second in the domino chain. With a 9 to 5 job and two daughters, Dean had to make sure everything was ready for the day to go smoothly.

“Morning dad,” Delancy said, greeting her father with a kiss on the cheek.

“Good morning. Toast or bagel?”

“Surprise me.”

Dean brought his youngest a plate of food and the two sat down to eat. They made small talk about school beginning for Delancy and Dean’s latest project at work before footsteps running into the kitchen ended the conversation.

“Why didn’t anyone wake me?” Rosemond shouted. “I’m going to be late. I’m going to be late. I’m going to be late.”

“You snore like a hippo and run like one too, how am I supposed to wake you up without pouring water on your face? Last time you broke my lacrosse stick.”

“You can always try to set an alarm clock,” Dean suggested to his oldest daughter.

“Dad, whose side are you on?”

“Don’t yell at dad. You’re the one that can’t wake up you sleeping hippo.”

“What’d you say brat?”

“Girls aren’t you going to be late?” Their father interrupted, ending their sibling banter.

“Bye dad! Love you. Don’t copy me. Hey, I said that first.”

“Girls?” Dean called again while giving off a fatherly smile. It was times like this he wished his wife was around. As much as his daughters, especially Delancy, hated to acknowledge, they were very much like their mother.

“Bye!”

Rosemond rushed out of the house and down the stairs while Delancy headed out the window and downstairs to Asher’s. On the way, she heard footsteps from above and saw Diego do the same.

“Morning.”

“Morning. Going to Ash’s?”

“Don’t we always?” The two headed down to the second floor and into their best friend’s apartment through the window. They bounced off of the ledge and made their way to the dining table.

Asher and Isaac had just begun their breakfast when the other two came in through the window. They looked over without a concern and returned to their meal.

“A greeting would be nice.”

“Good morning Delancy, it’s nice to see you in my house again. I hope you enjoy breakfast, again.”

“At least I didn’t come empty handed,” Delancy said. She pulled out her half eaten bagel and brought it close to the blond’s face. When he pushed it away, Delancy took a bite and propped her feet up on the table before enjoying the other half.

“Where’s Rei?” Diego asked.

“She’s always the last one even though she’s the closest. She’ll show up soon,” Asher explained.

*

Across the hall at the Mizuhara residence, true to Asher’s word, Rei was the last one to get up. Hiding behind the corner, she peeked to see her household, she refused to call them her family, enjoying breakfast together. It was a picture perfect scene, dad, mom, a kid at the table and another on its way. There was no place for her and she didn’t need one.

Ducking her head down, Rei raced to the balcony window beside the kitchen and headed out before they could even say a word. They only noticed her when she closed the window and dashed across to Asher’s unit.

“And there she is,” Asher said as Rei opened his window.

“What’s with the outfit?” Diego asked. Rei was never the biggest fan of skirts and there she was wearing one.

“School uniform,” Rei said, spinning to show off the outfit.

“Cute.” said Diego. “Toast?”

“Thanks.”

Five minutes later, a shocked Delancy looked up at the clock and pounded her chest to get the food down her throat. She chugged a glass of water to help before standing up and shouting, “We’re going to be late!”

Reacting right away to the blonde’s words, the other four finished the rest of their food, grabbed their bags, and ran out of the door. Asher saw the note on his mother had left him and stuffed the lunch money into his pocket before rushing out.

The five of them ran to the edge of the street toward the bus stop and caught their breath at the traffic light.

“Bye guys,” Rei said in between pants.

Shortly after Rei left on her bus, the bus heading into Lilium arrived. The four of them sat all the way in the back, leaving one of the spaces empty as if Rei was with them. Delancy, Diego, and Isaac got off first and Asher got off a few stops down at his school. With a smile, real or fake, the five headed into the final chapter of their high school careers.