"Nico! Nico, it is time to get up!" A voice yelled from downstairs. Nico groaned from under the cover and pulled the blanket off, covering her eyes from the sudden brightness that assaulted her eyes. She rolled out of bed, ran her hands through the mess she calls hair, and walked towards her closet. The teen threw it open, figuring out what looked acceptable for school today.

 

"Nico, are you up?" the voice called out. Then, walking up to her bedroom door, Nico opened it enough, poking her head out.

 

"Yea, dad," Nico slipped her head back inside her room, closing it and letting out a long sigh. "Unfortunately,"  Nico muttered to herself. 

The teen huffed, running a hand through her messy curls, and shuffled to her closet, continuing her search for an outfit. Then, after a minute of searching, Nico settled on a plain white tank top with ripped black jeans, her favorite pair of black combat boots, with a red and black flannel to tie the outfit together. Nico walked to the mirror and surveyed her outfit before tucking the tank top into her jeans, using her finger to come out all the tangles in her hair and tying it into a high ponytail before looking at herself one last time.

 

"Let's get this day over with," Nico said with the urge of wanting to climb back into bed and forgetting about school entirely.

 

"Let's go, Nico. You are going to be late for school," Her dad shouted.

 

"I'm coming. I'm coming. " Nico said, grabbing the dog tags on her desk, throwing them around her neck, throwing her bedroom door open, reaching down, grabbing her bag rushing out the door. Nico ran down the stairs and grabbed her keys from the ledge. Nico shoved her keys into her front pocket, smelling a faint smell of coffee and toast from the kitchen. Her stomach decided to make itself known by letting out a low rumble. Nico spun around on her heels heading towards the kitchen, listening to her stomach. When Nico entered the kitchen, she saw her dad sitting at the table with a plate of half-uneaten toast and drinking a cup of coffee.

"Hey, dad. Are you starting work, or are you finishing it?" Nico said, noticing that he was still in his hospital uniform. The older man turned around, looking at Nico with a tired look before turning back and leaning back into his chair. Nico walked up behind him, reached over, grabbed his cup from his hands, and plopped herself in the chair across from him, taking a long sip.

 

"Both. I am covering someone's shift today at the hospital,"  Her dad said, running his hand through his messy brown hair.

 

"Don't you have a shift tonight, too," Nico said, taking another sip and receiving a groan from her dad.

 

"Yes, I do," Her dad said, running her hand down his face.

 

"You know, taking all these shifts is going to burn you out," Nico said, leaning forward, taking the piece of uneaten toast from her dad's plate. Nico's dad hummed in agreement getting up from his chair, walking up to the coffee pot, grabbing a cup from the cabinet above him, and pouring himself another cup.

"Yea, I know, but someone must pay the bills," He said, turning around to face Nico and taking a long sip of his coffee. 

 

"You know I could help with the bills too, dad," Nico said, looking at her dad. She watched him place the cup behind him on the counter, sighing.

 

"Nico, we discussed this already," he said, pinching the bridge of the nose.

 

"No, really, dad, I could pick up some extra shifts at the bookstore," Nico said determinedly.

 

"No, Nico," Her dad firmly said, agitated at his daughter's defiance.

 

"But dad," Nico said, slamming the cup on the table as she got up from her chair.

 

"Nico, I said no," He said, raising his voice, causing Nico to flinch. Nico's dad rarely got angry, and it sometimes scared the girl when he did. Still, it also meant that whatever conversation they were having would be over. Nico bit her bottom lip and slumped back into her chair, staring at her lap. Her dad sighed, leaving an awkward silence, both afraid to speak up.

 

"Nico, I'm sorry I'm stressed from work. I need you to prioritize your studies; this is your junior year, which is an important time. Do you understand?" Her dad voiced, resting a hand on her shoulder.

 

"Yea, dad," Nico muttered, her eyes glued to her lap. Her dad removed his hand and glanced at his watch, realizing they both had to go. So he grabbed her cup, placing them both in the sink. He faced her and noticed that she hadn't moved an inch.

 

"Do you need a ride to school?" Her dad said as he walked to the table, grabbing his keys and badge from the table. Nico got up from her chair, took her bag lying on the ground, and walked out of the kitchen without saying a word.

"Nico, I asked you something," Her dad retorted, laced with annoyance because of his daughter's behavior. Nico stopped by the edge of the steps, pulled out her keys, turned back around, and presented them to her dad, that was now standing by the coat closet.

 

"No, I am good. I'm going to take my bike," Nico said, shoving her keys back into her pocket.

 

"Okay, and Nico, aren't you forgetting something," Her dad said, opening the closet and reaching for his coat and Nico's helmet.

 

"Am I?" Nico asked, placing a finger to her chin, acting clueless to what her dad was asking. Her dad rolled her eyes and tossed her helmet towards her catching it with ease before Nico tucked it under her arm.

 

"Nico, I'm serious. I see lots of people in the hospital because they thought they would be fine without one, and I don't want to see you there too, you know," Her dad said, putting his jacket on.

 

"I know, dad. Before heading to work, I'll stop by after school to bring you dinner from Joe's. I gotta go. Love ya, bye," Nico said, rushing out the door, hopping on her bike, and heading off to school, leaving her father in the doorway.

 

"Love you too," her dad said as he watched her daughter drive off.

 

The ride to school was never too bad for Nico, but she began to think about missing school and having a day to herself as she drove. But Nico knows that if she misses one day, she wouldn't hear the end of her dad telling her that she can't afford to miss a day. Nico pulled up at a stop sign, looked up at the sky, and sighed. Nico looked down the empty road and admired how quiet and peaceful, especially during fall. Nico started to ride her bike down the long road, hearing nothing but the sound of her bike riding down the road and leaves rustling in the wind. Nico turned into a big parking lot, passing by other cars and pulling up to a spot cutting her bike off and sliding off her helmet. Nico glanced up at the big building looming over the parking lot. She sighed, leaned back, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before hopping off her bike, tucking her helmet under her arm, and heading toward the building. As Nico approached the bottom of the steps, she watched the students run up the stairs in groups or by themself into this building.

 

"Let's get this over with," she said, proceeding up the step and into the building dreading the rest of the day.