Bad For Me

Hi guys! I'm quite stuck on this book at the moment, I've been trying to write the recent chapter for ages but alas, it's not coming to me. So in the mean time here is the first chapter of another book I am working on. Enjoy!

Soft cooing coming from my left aroused me from my sleep. I reluctantly opened my eyes and sat up, looking at my baby brother in his cot who was holding his arms out.

"Good morning, alarm." I said teasingly as I picked Genesis up, holding him close. He nestled his head in the crook of my neck with a massive smile, his wispy hair tickling me.

I left my bedroom, knocking on the doors of others as I walked down the hallway. With it being the first day of school I knew everyone wanted plenty time to get ready.

I entered the bathroom and placed Genesis on the counter-top as I brushed my teeth thoroughly. He giggled at the sight of running water from the tap, playing with it and getting his chubby arms soaked.

After getting him cleaned up I headed to my mum's room where I hesitated outside, wondering if it was a good idea to wake her up. Genesis was only six months so ideally still needed her breast milk, despite her hesitance to provide it. I sighed and opened the door, met with the sight of my mum sprawled across her bed. Her right hand clutched a paintbrush and a colourful but unfinished canvas was abandoned on the floor.

"Wow, this must have been a serious one, huh Genesis?" I whispered to him and he wrapped a strand of my hair around his chubby finger in response. My mum rarely ever did her artwork in her bedroom, whenever she did it was because inspiration had hit her while she was there and she had to get it down on paper with zero distractions.

"Mum." I whispered, shaking her leg gently. Thankfully she was a light sleeper.

"What?" She moaned.

"Genesis wants to say good morning." Whenever anyone else but me woke her up, especially the younger ones, it sometimes put her in a good mood for the rest day.

I let Genesis crawl towards his mum and he climbed onto her back and balanced there with a wide grin which I reciprocated.

"Get him off me." Mum mumbled, not moving in case he fell off. I immediately picked him up, watching as she sat up and stretched; her eyes still half-open.

"We need more milk. There's only one bottle left."

"Hand him over." She murmured, pulling her shirt down. I did so hesitantly and left the room to see if the others had woken up yet.

There were two bathrooms to share between five of us, not including Genesis and Mum. One of them was connected to mum's room and she rarely let us use it, unless we were running really late so you can imagine how cramped it was.

I entered the room next to mine and stood in the doorway with an unimpressed expression. Eternity and Clover were sleeping soundly.

I stalked over to the window and yanked the curtains open, flooding the room with light. They both groaned, covering their eyes.

"Clover, get up." I told my brother, shaking his arm roughly. He peered up at me, frowning.

"Why can't Eternity go first?"

"Cos she takes longer, so she's going last. Plus, she slept later than you." I told him. Eternity always spent ages making sure she looked perfect before she went anywhere, even school. In the morning, which slowed everyone down.

Clover grumbled a complaint but stood up, his pale hair sticking up in every direction. He would take fifteen minutes max to brush his teeth and shower so I wasn't concerned. I left a sleeping Eternity alone and headed to the twin's room.

They too were asleep in their bunk bed. I guess my knocking wasn't as loud as I'd wanted.

I approached Haven who looked ever so peaceful. Much more calm than he was awake. Haven liked to act as tough as a six year old could, but he was a massive baby when it came to me. This is why he had to have his morning cuddles with me as it apparently made sure the day started off well.

"Good morning!" I sang, looking up at the other twin Harmony who stretched out. "Are you guys ready for your first day?"

"It's time for school already?" Harmony inquired above me. She stuck her head over the metal frame of the bed, her curls a mess and hazel eyes blinking at me.

"Yep. How was your sleep?" I asked and shook Haven awake. He stuck out his arms, silently demanding for a hug which I chuckled at.

"Good. Haven didn't snore that much." Harmony informed me quietly. I picked up her twin and he clung to me like a monkey, wrapping his legs around my waist. The twins were starting to get bigger but it was easy enough to carry them around.

"Shut up Harmony, I don't snore." Haven mumbled his chin on my shoulder. Harmony frowned and I tapped Haven's back lightly.

"Don't tell your sister to shut up. And you do snore."

At the sound of the sink stopping Harmony clambered off her bed. "Can I get ready now? So

you have enough time to do my hair."

I eyed her mess of curls. "Did I say I'd do your hair?"

"Yes." Harmony replied firmly. "Yesterday you said if I watched Genesis while you went to the shops you'd do my hair in that pretty braid."

"Alright, go on." I sighed, gently placing Haven down. Harmony ran off to the bathroom. Thankfully she hadn't copied Eternity's ways and was efficient.

"Where's Genesis?" Haven questioned. "I want to play with him."

"With mum."

"Oh." Haven made a displeased face. He didn't really like mum. None of us really did, apart from Genesis who didn't know any better.

"Did you iron our uniform and do our packed lunch?" Haven asked, bending down to touch his toes. I grabbed his arm when he wobbled slightly, re-balancing him.

"Yes, master." I replied sarcastically, rubbing my eyes. I needed more sleep. "You guys don't have a packed lunch though."

"Why?"

"You don't get any for making Harmony cry yesterday." I lied. Haven frowned and crossed his arms.

"She was just being a baby. And I didn't force her to watch Chucky."

"You blocked the door so she couldn't leave, Haven. You know she hates horror movies and I don't like you guys watching them, so why did you?"

He looked down at his feet, shuffling them and shrugged. "I dunno."

I fixed him with a hard stare and he shrugged again. "When I was playing football with Lance and Adam the other day they were making fun of me for not watching it and saying I was too much of a baby."

"What's that got to do with Harmony?"

"I didn't want to watch it alone, alright!" He snapped, glaring at me with embarrassment.

I cracked a smile. "Listen, next time your friends call you a baby, you tell them to shut up or you will make them, alright? Say it really scary and they'll back off, promise. If they don't then get new friends."

Haven nodded, but the frown remained. "If I apologise to Harmony, can I have a packed lunch please?"

"If you apologise I'll give you both lunch money."

Haven's eyes widened in surprise and he grinned. "Really?"

I bit my lip to contain a laugh. Their dad had generously given me lunch money to last them the week so they didn't have to take a boring old ham sandwich and fruit every day.

"Yes. She should be done in the bathroom so go get ready." I said and he let out a pleased whoop and left the room. Too easy.

I headed downstairs to the kitchen to have my morning tea, passing Clover who still looked half awake but was eating cereal. I set up the kettle then headed over to the living room where he was.

"How you feeling about today?" I asked and he shrugged, his pale blue eyes finding mine.

"Just hoping my teachers are nice. How about you?"

"I'm going to try and stay out of trouble for once."

Clover snorted. "Good luck."

I rolled my eyes at him and headed back to the kitchen, making myself a cup of herbal tea. I'd taken one sip when Harmony came to drag me to her room to do her hair. I was finishing off her braid when I heard Genesis shrieking, causing my heart to drop.

"Get some breakfast." I tell Harmony, running a hand over her hair and speed walking towards my mum's bedroom.

I opened the door and took in the scene in front of me. Genesis was sat on the floor, his face red and wet with tears. Mum was looking at him with disgust and annoyance on the other side of the room, holding her precious canvas.

Using past experiences to guess, I'd say Genesis was attracted to the bright colours she'd painted and wanted to take a closer look. This caused Mum to freak out because God forbid anyone touches her sacred art.

"Get your brother out of here, he's making a racket." Mum snapped at me over her son's distressed cries. I stared at her for a moment before doing what she said. I hoped my stare said what I was feeling.

I picked up Genesis who immediately calmed down in my arms. "Its okay, Genesis. Mummy wasn't trying to be mean." I told him in a sing-song voice, risking a glance at my mum who was staring directly at us.

"You'd better call that babysitter as well; I have errands to run as well." She added on, delicately placing her canvas on the stand.

"Then take Genesis with you."

"I can't, he's too noisy."

Genesis was actually a really calm baby. He was only noisy around her because they barely spent any time together.

"Well I told Sarah she wouldn't need to come today cos you said you'd look after Genesis, it's too late to call her." I explained and Mum shrugged.

"Then stay at home and look after him."

"I have school!" I was appalled. She waved a hand dismissively.

"It's just the first day; you won't be doing any actual learning."

"Yeah, but-"

"Look, all this talking is doing my head in. Just sort it out, alright Domino?" She said in an exasperated tone and entered her bathroom. I glanced at the time; we had thirty minutes until school started. There was no way I'd be able to get ready in time.

"I guess it's you and me at home today." I told Genesis in a fake cheery tone. At the sight of my smile he grinned and touched my cheeks.

I headed downstairs where everyone was just about ready. Harmony was tying her shoelaces and Haven and Clover were play-fighting.

"Where's Eternity?" I asked and I heard footsteps bounding down the stairs. My younger sister appeared before me, looking as pristine as always.

"I'm ready!" She said in a cheery tone, her blue eyes shining. Eternity stood out because of her looks, with her pale skin, golden blonde hair and dark blue eyes I was sure she was unknowingly breaking hearts. Clover was the boy version of her, only with paler skin and eyes. They inherited their features from their father, Dad Number Two.

My mum and he had met when one evening at a bar she worked at. He was performing one of his love songs that completely swept her off her feet. He took her out on one date and that was the end of it, it was love! They shared a love which would move mountains, a love which was as beautiful as the first appearance of light in the morning. A love that eventually produced Eternity and Clover.

Unfortunately, that love didn't put a damper on Dad Number Two's passions. Bowie Nash had a vision for himself. With a name like that, he claimed he was destined to be under the bright lights, performing to millions of cheering fans, not changing his son's nappy in a run-down apartment.

Bowie saw fatherhood as an unwanted burden on his supposed calling in life, but when

offered the 'big break' he still wanted us to move to Los Angeles with him. Us being Mum, me, Eternity and Clover. My mum refused because our lives were here, the crime-ridden part of London. And that was that. I often wonder how glamorous my life would be if we'd moved.

Surprisingly, Bowie was doing quite well. Not Jax Summers level of famous, but not too far behind. Sometimes we'd come across one of his interviews on the TV. Clover would eagerly turn up the volume and Eternity would leave the room. Guess who held a grudge?

"Okay, is everyone ready then?" I asked my family.

"You're not." Harmony pointed out and they all snickered, including Genesis who lay comfortably in my arms. Traitor.

"I'm coming to school later; someone has to take care of this one." I explained, lifting the baby in my hands. Eternity frowned.

"You can't be late on the first day."

"I won't be missing any learning." I downplayed it. "Anyway, Clover check the bus time. Haven put on your shoes please."

Everyone got into action, getting the last things they'd need. With Eternity being fifteen and Clover thirteen, they were able to make their way to school by bus. I was responsible for dropping the twins off as their primary school was too far by bus or foot.

I said a quick prayer and we were out of the door, the twins heading towards the car and Eternity and Clover to the bus stop. As we walked down the busy street Eternity turned to me, looking displeased.

"Mum ditched looking after Gen again, didn't she?"

I gave her a small smile, adjusting Genesis in my arms. "It's not a big deal."

Eternity crossed her arms, side-stepping a girl on her bike. "It is. You missed out almost half of year eleven when she first gave birth. You barely passed your exams."

"I wouldn't call an 8 in Maths barely passing." I pointed out and she huffed.

"That's beside the point. Genesis isn't your kid, he is mum's."

"Any excuse for me to skip school, I'll take it Eternity, you know me." I joked and she shook her head.

"Yeah, I do know you and I wish you'd be more serious." She said quietly. Unlike me who'd accepted our dysfunctional mum, Eternity hadn't. The sooner she did, the less she would care.

"Stop stressing, it's fine." I reassured her even if I agreed with what she way saying. "You're going to miss your bus. I'll see you later." With that I headed to the car. After making sure the twins were buckled in safely and Genesis was comfortable in his seat, we set off.

After seeing the twins off, I parked outside the house with Genesis keeping me company. I ignored the texts from my best friend Kennedy who was inquiring where I was and dialled Sarah's number.

"Hey, I know this is super short notice but could you watch Genesis please?"

Thankfully Sarah was available around eleven, so I'd be able to get to school by lunch time. I didn't bother informing my mum when the time came, knowing she wouldn't want to be disturbed.

With Genesis being taken care of I decided to get ready for school. After taking a quick shower I dressed cute, tight black pinafore that reached just above my knees. I wore a long-sleeve grey shirt underneath and finished the outfit with black loafers.

As I brushed my long, black hair I stared at my reflection in the dirty mirror. Dark eyes framed with long lashes, olive skin, high cheekbones and full lips. Pretty, but clearly different from the rest of my family. While my siblings inherited lighter features from our mum and their dad's, I looked nothing like my mum. Meaning I looked like him. Someone I didn't even know.