Chapter 1.

Location: San Francisco, California.

Time: 7:00 A.M.

Year: September 6, 1995.

Beep, Beep, Beep.

Went the alarm clock as it was blaring throughout my room while me, on the other hand, was trying to find the snooze button

with my eyes still shut that is

. Finally after many tries, my index finger found the long button turning the God awful noise off as I lazily went back under my covers to continue my disturbed slumber to hop back aboard on the dreamland express; but like all interruptions that needed to be damned to Hell, my bedroom door soon flew open in one swift motion as the pitter patter sound of little feet jumped on my bed giving me yet another wake up call.

"Jacob, come on get up! get up! First day of school, first day of school!" I groaned as I turned on my stomach. Couldn't he be a little more quieter? or better yet, get out of my room to be exact? he was only 5 years old yet like most kids his age, had a lot of energy; maybe it could be eating a lot of sugar breakfast cereals to be precise not that I've had my share in them when I was younger myself, but my little brother was a different story. Seeing that my mild ignorance was not going to deter him, I then raised myself up stretching as much as I could while getting a crick in my back in the process as well as yawning the biggest yawn I could muster.

"Harry, can you tell me why you are in my room giving me the jumping bean method as a wake up call so early in the morning? besides, shouldn't you still be sleeping?" Shaking his head that was filled with a mop of ebony black hair, still having a huge grin on his little slight chubby face, knowing that look that I had given to my parents when I was his age whenever something big was going to be coming up sooner than they thought it would be.

"Did you forget? today is the first day of school, and you promised me that you would even take me to the bus stop to start riding the school bus remember?" The memory soon came into my head as I was soon fully awake realizing about what I had told him from late last night; since Harry was going to be starting Kindergarten this year, that meant that he was now old enough to start riding in the big yellow bus and for that, he felt like a very big boy at the same time. I gave him my biggest proudest smile knowing that he was growing up and he wouldn't need to be driving with Uncle Roger anymore.

That alone made my eyes turn slightly misty. My baby brother was growing up.

"You're right, I did. Well, come on little man, let's get cleaned up, and get you ready; besides, you don't ever want to make a bad impression on your first day." Shaking his head side to side, he soon got up before I even had the chance and raced out into the hallway while I shook my head smiling at how excited he had gotten. Little brothers, can't live with them, but you can't live without them especially the energetic, but sweet, kind, caring tyke that my parents had blessed me with since I was 11 years old.

My mind started to drift just thinking about them as I was brushing my teeth in my adjoined bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the mirror seeing how long my hair had gotten passed my shoulders. It had been such a long time since I had last cut it memorizing how my mom's hair was like; dad would always cut it once a month that way I would be able to manage it better, but as I got older, I didn't mind having it down. Mom said that I had gotten it from her side of the family as well as my slight feminine shape due to me not really into sports like how dad was, but that didn't stop me from loving basketball and tennis

which were the only two that I was good at anyway

.

I wish they were still here watching Harry leave to go to his first day, seeing him off as he would ride the bus with other kids his age all by himself, and even listen to the many stories he would tell them the minute he would get back. Sighing a deep sad sigh, I soon got out to pick out my clothes.

"It's alright, you won't have to think about them much longer anyway, today is your first day back so you will have enough time to focus on your Junior year instead. That's what they would want if they were still here. Plus, only 2 more years left and it will be goodbye High School; make the best of it." With a determined look along with a nod of my head, I soon left my room to help Harry.

Sweet humming could be heard in the kitchen along with wonderful and delicious smells that were coming from the hot stove as my Aunt Hilda was making our favorite breakfast that consisted of blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs which had been a tradition within our family for our first day back which had gone all the way to the time my Dad and Uncle Roger had been kids themselves and loved eating the tasty buttermilked flapjacks that would be hot out of the pan. Due to what happened to our parents, my Uncle and Aunt had been such lovely people to invite us into their home to take care of us. For as long as I've known them, I knew that whatever situation I was in, they would be the ones to look out for me and Harry that at times, they could pass as secondary parents but they knew when to back off to play the Uncle and Aunt card once again that it was kinda hard for me to take it all in at once but they were doing their 100% best to provide for us that I was forever grateful.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Harry shouted revealing himself to be in a blue and white plaid shirt with a pair of denim jeans and blue sneakers. Aunt Hilda only squealed in delight taking in how adorable he looked smiling his big toothy grin.

"Look at you, so handsome and ready to show the world that you are now a big boy." Harry felt proud as he soon puffed out his chest with his hands that were balled up into fists on his hips. Uncle Roger looked up from his newspaper as he could only grin and shake his head knowing fully well just how much Hilda was just gushing over him like the day he was just born; he was afraid that she would never put him down to the point it made mom nearly jealous of her but knew she was going to be an Aunt again. Breakfast was now ready as we all sat around the large table talking and eating all at one time which went from one ear to another about me starting Junior Year knowing that my friends were going to be right alongside with me during the remainder of our years in High School then would come college; I really didn't want to think on that level for right now for this would be a new year of new teachers, new students, not to mention long lines for the bathrooms too.