I was peacefully sleeping when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I open my eyes and look at the clock to see it's only 6:30 am. My alarm only rings at 7:00 am, and that's when I have to get ready for school, so I ignore the tap that woke me up and close my eyes again...that is until I feel something touch my face, slightly more insistent this time. I open my eyes and turn around to see my little brother, Chris, there in his Batman pajamas.

"Morning," I say trying to keep my eyes open. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah,it's just that I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep so I wanted to know if you could make me some pancakes since mom is not home." He asks with a pout and puppy dog eyes that I simply cannot say no to.

"Yeah, ok, I'll do it, just give me some time to get ready. You should do the same. Go get ready and once you're done you can go downstairs to eat them, ok?" I ask him and he nods eagerly.

I walk to the kitchen to see a note from my mom saying she won't be home for dinner today. Why doesn't that surprise me? Ever since my dad died about 5 months ago, she's been working none stop. She's a nurse at the local hospital, so at any given opportunity, she takes as many shifts as possible.

It didn't help when I came out to her. Yes, I am gay. Not many people know. Only my mom, my two best friends- Macy and John- and my brother, but I don't think he understands exactly what that means, which is ok, seeing as he's only 6 years old. The only other person who knew was my dad and he was extremely supportive and that made me feel accepted. Then when he died, I told my mom and she kind of started ignoring me altogether.

Anyway, ever since that day I had to take care of my brother seeing as my mom was never home. So I make him breakfast and all the other meals, take care of his school work and talk to his teachers and take him to and pick him up from school. And that's harder now since my car is in the repair shop- something to do with the battery- and I don't have the money to bring it back yet.

We're not poor, but we're not rich either. We live comfortably in our two-story house. I have the money my dad left me, but I was saving it for college or an emergency. The money my mom makes is for the food or the alcohol she loves to consume. Yes, my mom is slightly alcoholic. If there even is such a thing as "slightly alcoholic". That's the only time she ever acknowledges me, and it's not a pretty sight to see, because she likes to insult me when she's drunk and that's not good at ALL for my already low self-esteem. What makes it even worst is that she's starting to consume more every time I see her.

I also have a job that I had to take, but it doesn't earn me much seeing as it's only a part-time at a local coffee shop called "Little Beans of Heaven". Although the owner is really cool and knows about my situation so she let's my brother hang out in the back room so I can keep an eye on him. If he's not there, he's hanging out with his friend Oliver, whose mother also knows about my situation and has been nothing but nice to me.

As Chris and I finish breakfast, I look over to the clock and see it's already 8:10 am and school starts at 8:30 am. Oh biscuits! We're gonna be late! I hate being late, everyone looks at you like you were the one who committed the crime of the century. With that thought on my mind, I hurry me and my brother out the door after quickly getting our stuff. It's a 15 minute walk to his school and a 10 minute walk from his school to mine, so I'll be lucky if I only arrive five minutes late.

We walk a little faster than usual and make to his school at 8:23 am.

"Have a nice day at school! And don't forget, you're going home with Mrs. Pemberton today, ok? I'll pick you up later." I ask.

"Ok!" He answers happily. He loves hanging out with his best friend Oliver.

I chuckle at his enthusiasm and say,"ok then. I love you and have fun."

He hugs me after I lean down to fix his shirt."I love you too, big brother!"

And with that he runs into the school and as soon as he's inside I run to my school only to make at exactly 8:28 am. Thank God, I think as I run to my locker. I take my books and run to my classroom. I have English first period with Macy and John, so I think I'll see them there.

And just as I think I'm about to make it in time, I turn around a corner and run smack into someone and drop my books. After I finish picking them up I look at who I ran into and see, none other than 4 of our schools jocks- Jackson Meyers, Carter Williams, Ben Tate and the one and only Quarterback: Leo Bryant.