There are some things in life that no matter how hard you try to get used to, they always leave you hoping for a better day. My father's yelling voice works like an alarm clock on most mornings, waking me up with a frown etched on my forehead. I can hear him from downstairs, shouting at my mother but I can't quite make out his words due to the distance.

My room is located right in front of the staircase which means he must be standing downstairs near it. I let out an audible sigh, trying to mentally prepare myself for the day as I make a beeline for the bathroom. A groan escapes me when I realise that it's occupied and I turn to look at the table clock.

"This isn't your time to use the bathroom." I bang my palm against the door.

"Too bad!" Dylan yells back.

I let out a low grunt, kicking the door slightly before getting out of the room to use the bathroom downstairs and to begin my day in the worst possible manner – encountering my pissed off father. My step falters a little when I see him muttering one thing after another under his breath. I resist rolling my eyes at the familiar sight.

"What's wrong today?" I ask, approaching him as I peek over to the kitchen to see my mother packing three lunches.

"Can't find one of my files." He grumbles, shaking his head in disappointment while narrowing his eyes at her. "Are you done? I'm running late."

Instead of verbally responding to him, she comes to the dining area, puts his lunch on the table before going back to the kitchen. Dad lets out a low grunt under his breath and then looks at me. I pass him a small smile to ease out the tension but he just shakes his head at me before heading for the door.

I sigh at his behaviour before turning back towards the kitchen where my mother is trying to clean the mess her cooking has left behind. I slowly walk up to her and sit down on the stool by the island, cautiously looking at her.

"You alright?" I ask, my voice on the edge as always during such situations. She nods at me in return which makes me speak up again, "The usual fight?"

"Yeah. He couldn't find something." She shakes her head, not meeting my eyes but even without it I know she's both hurt and angry right now.

I know the drill by now. It's been seventeen years since I've been living through this. She will stay mad at him for the next couple of hours and forget about it by the time he walks in the door at night.

"Is your brother still asleep?" She asks, finally turning around to look me in the eye and I shake my head.

"Nope. Up and hogging the bathroom," I tell her, suddenly remembering that I'm supposed to be annoyed at him. I get off from the stool and make my way to the bathroom behind the stairs to freshen up for school.

I leave her with her thoughts. It isn't like she would speak about it so early in the morning anyway. I try not to internalise my father's mood. Instead, I focus on getting ready because I don't want to be running late. Senior year started a week ago and so far, it's been as boring as any other year. I don't understand the hype everybody creates about it.

When I'm done dressing up, I start brushing through my hair only to hear a knock on my bedroom door. Dylan's head pops in through the door before his eyes land on me, "Ready to go?"

"Are you done with breakfast?" I frown at him, putting my hair up in a ponytail. I pick up my bag and follow him out of the room and down the stairs.

"Nope. Don't wanna." He's spinning the car keys on his forefinger so I reach out from behind him and take ahold of it. "Hey, give it back."

I smile at him, not the sincere one rather the bitchy smile which he actually deserves, "First, have breakfast. I don't want to be called to nurse's office if your ass faints during PE. Secondly, I'm driving today."

"Like hell you are!" He scowls at me, catching my wrist to snatch back the keys. When he's unsuccessful and we've reached the kitchen, he looks at our mother, "Mom! Farrah is being a brat."

I gape at him, "Excuse me?"

"What's going on?" Mom looks between the two of us, her face seems extremely tired and there are dark bags underneath her eyes.

"She won't let me drive to school." Dylan whines, taking a seat on the kitchen island as I pour cereal for both of us.

"And that's your definition of a brat?" Mom finally gives him an amused look, making me snicker under my breath. "The car was a birthday present for both of you, learn to share it, hon."

"It's bad enough that I have to share that one special day of the year with her, now I have to share gifts." Dylan glares at me and I grin at him rather sweetly to annoy him.

Did I mention? We're twins. Fraternal, but twins nonetheless. It means that we share a connection which is bound by genes, our minds are basically one and much more mystical stuff that we both can't actually explain. We both have dark brown hair, his can reflect a little more on the dark blonde side at times but it's brown either way. He got blessed with beautiful blue eyes from both our parents while I got stuck with hazel ones. He's taller and tanner than me and not a day goes by that this idiot doesn't remind me of that.

He grumpily finishes his breakfast while I do the same. Once we're done, I head for the door and look back to see him giving Mom a kiss on the cheek.

"See you later!" He calls back at her and she smiles at us, waving.

When I'm driving the car out of the driveway, Dylan pulls out his phone to connect the music. I immediately let out a groan, shutting it off. "Please, I can't listen to metal this early in the morning."

"We need to establish car rules, Fay. You don't let me listen to music when I drive so I have to get my way with it when you drive." He tries to negotiate and I roll my eyes.

"Sure, not happening." I turn on the radio instead.

"Why are you so pissy today?" He frowns, still texting on his phone.

"Because some idiot was using the bathroom when he wasn't supposed to be." I respond, not mentioning our parent's fight.

It's not like mentioning it would be productive anyway. Unlike me, Dylan has learned to ignore it over the years. He isn't a light sleeper like me so it doesn't bother him either. Whereas I'm still trying to interpret my exact emotions regarding the relationship my parents share.

"I slept late." He shrugs casually.

"And I get punished for that?" I scoff at him. "What were you up doing anyway?"

He doesn't reply, which means that this conversation has ended for him. Dylan can be moody sometimes but I don't push when he pulls away. That's just an understanding we share. It's very much one-sided though, because when I pull away, he hovers over my head until I spill my guts out to him.

Let's just say, Dylan needs to work on his understanding skills and learn how to give others space.

"I have practice after school so keys." He puts his hand forward when we get out of the car in the parking lot.

He's in the soccer team and it inflates his already big ass ego. He might be my brother and I love him to death but he's a living and breathing cliche. It annoys the hell out of me and makes me want to smack him.

"I can pick you up after practice, no worries." I assure him, aware that he won't settle this that easily.

"What's with you today? Just give me the damn keys." He snaps, stepping forward to snatch it from me but I just take a step back, stumbling into a hard chest.

"What are the two of you on about this morning?"

A voice that annoys me more than my brother. I turn around with my nose scrunched up to meet a familiar pair of brown eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to be his saviour." I blink up at him, my voice dripping with sarcasm which earns me a smirk in return.

"Why? Do you want me to be your saviour instead?" He peeks down with an arched eyebrow.

"Let it be, man!" Dylan shakes his head at his best friend. "You got your car today?"

"Yup."

"Well, then that's settled. Kace can drive you back home, baby bro." I smile at Dylan who glares at me.

"Eight minutes, Fay. That's all you have over me." He lets out through greeted teeth but I laugh at his reaction, Kace joining me.

Kace is Dylan's best friend and for the sake of my brother, we both tolerate each other. He's as tall as Dylan, and he looks pretty fine with his olive skin. Is he the most handsome guy out there? I don't think so. But he isn't so sore on the eyes either. I've noticed that he doesn't really care for stupid social status of high school. Unlike their third accomplice in crimes — Ethan Howard. 

When you have a twin brother who doesn't like to admit that he wants to be attached on the hip, your friends group kind of mingles together.

"Farrah!"

Before I can even comprehend another person's presence, two strong pair of arms catch me off guard. I stumble into the person's embrace when his familiar cologne hits me. I let out a loud groan, patting his back.

"Can't breathe, Josh." I manage to choke out.

He takes a step back but doesn't remove his arms from my shoulders. He's peeking down at me with big wide grey eyes, "Oh, cupcake, I missed you so much."

"Mm-mm." I pat his shoulder, forgetting how overdramatic my best friend can be.

"I'm sorry but am I the only one who finds this weird?" Dylan speaks up from behind him, narrowing his eyes at us. "You guys literally FaceTimed the entire summer. It was a living hell."

Josh rests his arm around my shoulder, coming to stand by my side, "What's up his ass?"

Both Kace and I laugh at his question while the two of them start a glaring contest. I shake my head, "Okay, kids. It's too early for this much testosterone."

Like I tolerate Kace and Ethan, Dylan tolerates Josh, and well, Fionna. Let's just say we're both a little competitive regarding the bond we share with our best friends. It's a twin rule, your sibling is supposed to be your best friend first. But then I met Fionna in middle school followed by meeting Josh in freshman year.

Dylan didn't take it well. He still doesn't.

"Did everyone get their schedule?" Josh looks between the three of us and we nod.

"Just because you decided to join school a week late doesn't mean it stopped for you." Kace comments, earning a dirty look from me but he just shrugs. "See you in class, weirdo."

"Kace, no. No, no, no! We decided not to call me that." I follow after him, entering the school.

He looks behind his shoulder, an amused smile on his face when he realises I'm trying to catch up to him. Well, if it weren't for his ridiculously long legs, I wouldn't be struggling in the first place.

"But you are a weirdo, Farrah." He never fails to remind me.

Our lockers are miraculously next to each other's. When he opens his, I do the same to collect my English notebook. I'm about to respond to him when the locker on my other side slams with a person's forehead resting against it.

I focus my attention on the new presence. The queen bee of cheerleading squad with perfect black hair that end just above her hips and deep green eyes that I envy every day.

"What's wrong?" I ask my other best friend.

"Sleep. Coffee. Bed. Anything." She mutters and I bite back my smile.

"Morning to you too, Fionna." Kace grins at her from behind me.

"Too early for your charm, bud." She shakes her head at him.

"What about my charm?"

God, no! I don't even try to hide the grimace that takes over with that voice. My brother and Kace do annoy me but at least I can manage to get along with them. Ethan, on the other hand, is an asshole.

Fionna turns around to look at the two people who have decided to join us. I'm pretty sure if I were to reach out and touch her cheeks, they would be warm because that smile on her face, that's how I know she's blushing. It's hard to tell because a normative definition of blush is red rosy cheeks which is hard to detect when your best friend is black. But that's bullshit normative standards.

I can detect her blushing from ten feet away with those doe eyes and pearly smile. I lean back a little to observe how this folds out for her. She isn't blushing because Ethan's here, nope. Standing by Ethan's side is Dylan who's mindlessly texting on his phone.

My best friend has a huge ass crush on my brother. As if being a cliche wasn't enough for him, he drags my life into it as well.

Ethan is easily distracted from Fionna when his eyes land on me, "Hey, there!"

"Nope. Not happening." I shake my head, slamming my locker shut to walk away.

I feel a presence behind me but I already know who it is. Kace easily catches up to me as we both walk to the english class of Mrs. Rogers. She's one scary teacher and the last thing I want is to be late for her class because Ethan decided to spoil my day. It's only a second later that Fionna falls into step with us too.

"You abandoned me back there." She gapes at me.

"Aren't you being a tad bit overdramatic today?" I smile at her with amusement, entering the class.

She gasps at me, just proving my point right, "Traitor."

"Hey, what's your deal with Ethan?" Kace asks when we all take our seats.

Fionna sits on my left while Kace sits on my right. She perks up at his question, looking at me with a grin on her face, "Yes, please. Tell him what your deal with Ethan is."

I glare at her, a signal enough to keep her mouth shut but she just laughs harder in response. I turn to Kace, "Nothing. He just annoys me a lot. Something I'm sure you can relate with."

"See, feisty and weird." He grins at me and I try  not to focus on how mesmerising it is.

I'm about to give him a snarky response when Josh enters the classroom. He looks surprised to see us but he immediately rushes to take the seat in front of me since it's vacant.

"Thank god we have this class together." He sounds so excited, it confuses me a little. But then pulls out a thermos from his bag and turns to Fionna, "Here, love. Got coffee for you."

"I think I might cry," she lets out a small squeak, taking it from his hands. "I missed you."

"God. You guys are so fucking annoying." Kace groans from my side.

"What's with you and Dylan? It's senior year, guys! Get excited. It's going to be a blast." Josh practically jumps up and down in his seat.

I laugh, my eyes moving to look at Kace who seems annoyed with the entire ordeal, "Can't wait to graduate."

Same thoughts, buddy.