She had a routine in the morning, and early as it was, it was no doubt her favorite part of the day. She got up at 5:00, showered, and was able to have herself and Reagan ready and out of the house by 5:45. Then, she went to the hospital and left Reagan with her dad... it was the only time he really spent with is parents... and worked out in the hospital gym until 6:45. She'd shower again in the provided area, collect her brother, and take him to daycare on her way to school, which started at 7:30.

She was late to that first period often, but it was hardly ever by her own doing... she made what needed to happen, happen, baby and all, and she did it on time. Usually her tardiness was due to her parents deciding to lecture her about something she already knew and wouldn't be a problem... about staying focused on school, about maintaining her 4.06 GPA, about staying in shape for sports. The most annoying was when they said for the millionth time that she better not be sneaking out and leaving the baby or having people over to the house while they weren't there, and when they checked for the millionth time that she wasn't seeing... or sleeping with... any boys.

It was really unfair the way she functioned like an adult every waking hour, yet they sometimes talked to her like she was an absolute child. She hadn't gotten a single B... or lower... in school. Ever. She'd wanted to be a lawyer since she was a kid, and she'd always known she'd have to get good grades to make that happen, especially if she wanted a chance at a scholarship to a good school. Working out was her favorite part of the day and she'd keep in shape even if she wasn't an athlete, but she knew that she had to perform well in sports. Once again, performing well meant scholarships. And as for sneaking out, throwing parties, or sleeping around? She'd never done anything of the sort, and she never would.

In the end, she knew they only did it because they felt guilty about everything she did for them and the way she was practically Reagan's mother, and the way they got rid of that guilt and felt like the parents again was by trying to micromanage her.

After her workout and second shower, she changed into her volleyball uniform since she had a game that night and was supposed to wear it. It wasn't in-season for school volleyball, but that was the one sport she also played club when it was out of season, because it was her strongest and the club offered more scholarship opportunities. Since it wasn't school-sponsored, they couldn't make them wear the uniforms at school, but they asked them to, and Adira did what she was told. She was also on the cheer team and had a wrestling match to cheer at after her game, so she'd have to change into that uniform at lunch to satisfy all parties.

She walked back into the hospital room a few minutes before 7:00, as usual. Her father wasn't there... he was probably getting breakfast for both of them downstairs... and Reagan was on his mother's lap. He didn't look very pleased about it, but he wasn't screaming, and that was as much as Adira could ask when he wasn't with her or one of the regular daycare workers... or "Uncle Ray", the best friend who was more of Reagan's father than his real father was.

She needed to get Reagan and go, and her mother knew that. She always knew that. Whether or not she decided to care was the question. Sometimes she let her go, sometimes she didn't, and when she made her late and Naomi saw the tardy on her record later, Adira would still get the lecture about it, even though they both knew it wasn't her fault.

She could immediately tell by the way her mother looked her up and down that today was going to be one of those unlucky days. Bracing herself for the storm, she held out her arms for Reagan anyway, like she didn't know she'd be here for another fifteen minutes at least.

Sure enough, Naomi made no move to hand the child over, still eying her daughter skeptically.

"What workout did you do today?"

To an outsider, it would have seemed to be an innocent enough question, but Adira knew better.

She responded casually anyway, making faces as Reagan to keep him happy as she did. "Legs... and abs."

She did abs every day, because they were her favorite... and because they were what her mother obsessed about the most.

Naomi was nodding, still inspecting her. She made a little motion with her hand, directing her to turn to the side. She obliged, silently praying that her shirt was lying flat against her flat stomach. If she tried to fix it now, her mother would think she was trying to hide something, but if there was a protruding wrinkle or anything of the sort, she'd practically have a coronary over it, and no matter how Adira fixed it after that, she wouldn't be convinced. Yeah, it had happened before.

Feeling like a piece of meat being examined by the butcher, she stood there and waited to receive the all-clear signal. At last, it came with a nod from Naomi, and she turned to face her again.

"That shirt you were wearing yesterday looked a little weird," the woman offered as a justification for her behavior. "I wanted to make sure you weren't skipping workouts. I don't like not being able to monitor what you're eating."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Adira replied simply, "Mom, you know I work out and eat right."

"Yes, well, I still have to check to make sure you're on track. It's part of my job as your mother."

Once again, she didn't roll her eyes, but she pretended like she had so that she would feel a little better. She didn't respond at all, just stepping forward with her arms out for Reagan once again.

"I need to..."

"Is all of your homework done?"

She exhaled lightly. "Yes, Mom."

"Young lady, watch your tone when you're talking to me."

Biting back the response she wanted to give, she took a deep breath. "Sorry. But I'm gonna be late if I don't..."

It was no use. It never was.

"I know you think you're a little adult, but you are still living under our roof, and you still answer to us."

She ran that family and was more of an adult than most adults but saying that wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"I know. I didn't mean to have a tone. The homework's done."

"You can't be defensive and then expect me to blindly believe that. Let me see."

That was completely pointless, because Naomi had no way of knowing what homework she had due, but once again, Adira knew better than to fight her. She let out one long breath and dropped her backpack off of her shoulders, withdrawing her homework binder and handing it over.

"What about Economics and Literature?" Naomi asked after carefully inspecting the papers it held for several painfully long minutes.

"Didn't have homework."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"If I see missing assignment pop on your grades, I won't be happy.'

"I know."

"Good."

Could she go now?

There was a hesitation, so Adira jumped on it, shoving the folder in her backpack and scooping up Reagan herself now that she was right next to the bed. Her mother didn't protest, and she breathed an inward sigh of relief as she buckled her brother into his car seat, heaved her backpack onto her back once more, and took the car seat on one arm and the diaper bag on the other.

"Bye."

She stepped out of the room, and she was free.

She glanced at the time on her phone as she waited for the elevator, inwardly crying a little when she saw what it read. 7:13. She was supposed to be out of there fifteen minutes ago, and she was definitely going to be late.

time-skip sponsored by john laurens

"Hey, hey, hey." She looked up from more AP Chem homework to see Austin approaching her table in the media center, and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"Hey."

"You know, lunch indicates that you're supposed to eat, not do homework."

"I already ate," she replied simply, turning her eyes back to the paper in front of her. It was true... she'd eaten her usual half-a-salad while walking from her class to the library.

"Man, how do you do everything like the world is gonna end?" he asked as he sat down beside her. "You never stop and take a break. It must be exhausting."

She laughed a little. "My life is exhausting. I do what I have to do."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. He peaked at the equation she was writing out and cringed. "Gross."

"Pretty much."

"When's it due?"

"Tomorrow."

"Rough."

She didn't answer, beginning to plug the numbers she'd just written into her calculator.

"Are you cheering the wrestling match tonight?" he asked after a pause.

"Yeah, but I'll be a little late."

"Volleyball game?"

"Yep."

"Well, I've got basketball practice until eight, but I'm gonna try to come to the match after that."

"Do you just love watching dudes in spandex rolling around on the floor in uncomfortable positions?"

Wrestling was her least favorite sport to cheer.

He laughed. "Yeah... not exactly. But I like seeing you do your thing."

"We mostly just sit there and hit the floor."

"You stunt."

"Like once a match."

"And you do some tumbling runs."

"Not very often."

"Well, maybe I like watching you sit there and hit the floor."

"Why, cuz we're all in short skirts?"

That earned her a hard shove on the shoulder. "No! What kind of a person do you think I am?"

"A guy?"

"Come on, we're not all like that."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'm kidding."

"You better be."

She just nodded, not trusting herself to speak through the chemistry buzzing between them in that moment. Maybe it was from the touch of his hand on her shoulder. Maybe it was from the topic. All she knew was that it was intense, and she loved it yet hated it because she knew she couldn't have him.

There was a short moment of silence, not quite comfortable and not quite awkward. Maybe tense, but not in a bad way. It was just... chemistry. Like it wasn't even quite silence because of the energy buzzing between them.

"So, how's the volleyball season going?"

She shrugged. "Pretty good. We haven't lost a match in two weeks."

She would ask how basketball season was going, but she cheered every game, so it would be a bit of a stupid question. "How's your mom?" she asked instead.

"Doing well. Just went back for a two-year check, and we're all clear for another year."

"Good."

"Yeah. What about your mom?"

She shrugged once more. "She's sick. She's annoying."

"What did she do this time?"

"Just started nit-picking me again before I could leave this morning. She was flipping out because my shirt looked weird yesterday and she thought I'd been skipping workouts. And she hates not being able to monitor what I eat."

"Gee. You're literally in the best shape of anyone I know. She needs to chill."

"Tell me about it. She also made me late to first, and yet I'm gonna hear about it tonight like it's my fault."

"That sucks."

"Pretty much."

Satisfied with the answer to her current problem, she moved the next, beginning to write out another equation. He sighed.

"You always remind me what I should be doing when I just wanna talk to you."

She smirked a little. "Sorry for being a good influence."

"You should be," he moaned, reaching over to unzip his backpack and draw out his Calculus homework and calculator. "Have you already done this?"

"Yeah."

"So if I have any questions, you'll help?"

"Uh-huh."

"Awesome."

He slid a pencil from her open pencil bag and bent over the worksheet in front of him. And, with his eyes on the paper, she smiled a little. Because his presence... it just felt so right.