Running late one morning. (C)

“I’m late!” Nora shouted. “I can’t be late!”

It was a Monday morning, and Nora had slept through her alarm. Not a good feeling on the best of days, but even worse when you have somewhere important to be. Jennifer, her older sister, was supposed to drive her, but she wasn’t known to be patient.

“Hurry up, Nora! I’ve got better things to do today than wait around for your dumbass!” Jennifer shouted from across the house. The two weren’t the closest as far as sisters go, mostly because Jennifer enjoyed picking on Nora. She had never liked her younger sister, and made sure Nora knew it. There were days when Nora wasn’t sure if Connie or Jennifer was worse. “I’m leaving in five minutes, with or without you!”

As Nora rushed, she realized she wouldn’t have time to do everything she normally did to get ready in the morning. After what must have been a record for worlds fastest shower, she forwent putting on the little amount of makeup she actually wore, and poured a mouthful of mouthwash, swishing it around as she ran to get dressed. She was still damp from her shower.

“I’m walking out the door, Nora!” Jennifer yelled. Nora’s brain went into overdrive, and her vision became a blur, not processing what she was doing until she got to the front door. She ran outside and spat the mouthwash out into the grass. As she raced to the car, Jennifer looked up to see her sister.