Best Days Of Our Lives

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"Shit shit shit," Kelly cursed as she hurried around the room, gathering her things.

"Kelly, I am so sorry," Carrie apologized.

"It's not your fault."

"I said I set the alarm."

"It's old. It hardly works," Kelly assured her. "Just go take a quick shower. You can borrow some of my clothes."

"But--"

"Go," Kelly said, watching as Carrie hurried out of the room. She looked at the clock that read 7:33. "Damn it."

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Carrie frowned as they pulled up to her house, noting that her dad was still home, "Hey, can you just stay in here? It won't take me long, I promise."

"You sure? I can help if you have a lot of stuff," Kelly offered.

"No, really, just stay here?"

"Ok," Kelly shrugged, watching as Carrie hurried out the car up the driveway and to the front door. Kelly couldn't help but look at the house in amazement. It's not that it was necessarily huge, but it was a good two stories, and compared to her family's apartment, it looked like the Taj Mahal. Her dad must've been doing pretty damn well in the paper industry.

She smiled as Carrie raced out the front door and back to the car, tossing her booksack in the back seat.

"Got everything?" Kelly asked.

"Yep," Carrie nodded, putting the car in reverse and backing out of the driveway.

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"So, do we just sneak into class?" Carrie asked as they quickly walked down the hall of the high school. Naturally, running wasn't allowed, and Kelly figured she was already in enough trouble.

"No," Kelly shook her head. "We have to go to the tardy office because we're more than ten minutes late."

"Oh," Carrie swallowed hard, following her to an open space in one of the walls that had a half, swinging door at the bottom and a pleasant looking lady seated behind it. Several people were busying about the office behind her.

"Hey Mrs. Wendell," Kelly smiled.

"Kelly," she shook her head, unable to hide her own smile. "I see you've corrupted the new girl as well?"

"Actually, it's my fault--" Carrie began, but was cut off by Kelly stepping on her foot.

"Don't listen to her," Kelly rolled her eyes. "She's my ride, and I was running late this morning and made her wait for me. It's my fault for taking advantage of her being sweet."

Mrs. Wendell nodded, looking down at a sheet of paper before her, frowning as she looked back up at Kelly, "You do know what this means, don't you?"

"Yes ma'am," Kelly nodded, her face going slightly pale.

"Miss Underwood, you're free to go," Mrs. Wendell smiled at her. "Just give this slip to your teacher. Let this be your first warning. I don't want to see you late again, ok?"

"But--"

"Just go," Kelly said, her eyes pleading with her.

"Alright," Carrie nodded. "Thanks."

"So, Kelly," Mrs. Wendell sighed, picking up the phone. "You want to call your mom, or should I?"

"No, I'll do it," Kelly replied, taking the receiver from her.

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"Hey," Ashley smiled, catching up with Carrie at the end of their first class. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Carrie shook her head, looking around for the short Texan.

"Where's Kelly? I mean, that's her shirt, so I'm assuming you picked her up today."

"Yea," Carrie nodded, turning to her. "We were late, but she hasn't gotten back from the tardy office yet."

"What do you mean, y'all were late?"

"We were late," Carrie shrugged. "Did you not see me walk in half-way through class?"

"No, I was sleeping," she replied, honestly. "Half-way?"

"Yea. Where do you think she is?"

"Oh shit," Ashley cursed.

"What?"

"KC's suspended."

"She's what?!"

"Yea, this would've been her fourth time late this month. That's a day and a half in-school suspension."

"And um, when you say suspended...what exactly does that mean?" Carrie asked nervously.

"Well, it's just like detention meaning that you have to sit in this freezing cold little room with all the other delinquents, doing busy work."

"Th-that doesn't seem too bad, right?"

Ashley shook her head, "Suspension is different from detention in that you can't make up the work you miss."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, that little twenty point pop quiz we just had, Kelly's gonna get a zero on it."

"But that's not fair," Carrie argued. "It was my fault we were late."

"Did you say that?"

"I tried, but Kelly wouldn't let me."

Ashley sighed, "I love her to death, but I swear that girl's a dumbass sometimes."

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Carrie leaned against the side of her car, watching as Kelly slowly made her way to her.

"Hey," Kelly smiled.

"Hey," Carrie nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's no big deal," Kelly shrugged, tossing her stuff in the back and climbing into the car.

"No big deal?" Carrie questioned, getting in as well. "Kelly, you got suspended."

Kelly just shrugged again, looking out the window as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"What's your mom going to say?"

"Oh, she gave me a pretty good hint earlier when I called her," Kelly mumbled.

"Kelly," Carrie sighed, reaching over and squeezing her knee. "Why didn't you let me take the blame?"

"Because you're new here," she replied. "You're record's clean. Besides, I seriously doubt you'd been late if you were staying at your own house, am I right?"

"Yea, I guess," Carrie frowned. "But it's still not fair."

"Don't worry about it," Kelly shook her head. "Seriously, I'm fine."

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Kelly sank down in the recliner, watching as her mother paced back and forth across the small living room that night. She was certain the entire apartment complex could hear the chewing out she was getting.

"I mean, do you just not think anymore?" her mom asked. "What is going through your brain?"

"I'm sorry," Kelly repeated for what must've been the hundredth time. "It was an accident."

"And all the other times? I mean, what? Am I going to have to give up before school tutoring just so I can make sure you get up on time? I mean, we really need that money, Kelly, but if I have to, I will."

"No, you don't have to," Kelly quickly assured her. "I swear, it won't happen again, mom, I promise."

Jeanne sighed, rubbing her forehead, "What about all those scholarships you've been offered? You think the universities are going to be impressed with a suspension? They can withdraw scholarships, you know."

Kelly wrung her hands, "I-I thought we already talked about this."

"About what? You not going to college? You know how I feel about that."

"Mom, you know me. That's not the place for me."

"Honey," Jeanne smiled sadly, kneeling in front of her, taking her hands into her own. "You know that I think that you are so talented, you know that, right?"

Kelly nodded, fighting back the tears that were forming.

"But the world is full of talented people, sweetie. And all of them are trying to make it, just like you."

"So, you're saying that you don't think I can make it?"

"I'm just saying that you need to think about this realistically. Some people work their whole lives trying to break into music, but never make it."

"Well, they're not me," Kelly frowned, pulling her hands away.

"Kelly," Jeanne sighed again. "You know that I'm going to support you and love you no matter what you decide to do, right? I'm just trying to protect you, that's all. It's a total mom thing."

"I know," Kelly nodded, sniffing back more tears that were threatening to fall. "Love you."

"Love you too, sweetie," Jeanne smiled, standing and kissing her on the forehead. "Now you get some sleep."

"Yes ma'am."