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It's a hot summer day and my long, Hello Kitty pyjama pants are making me sweat. I go up to my room to change. The floor length mirror in my room is unflattering and I walk past it quickly. I try to pick out the most grown up pair of shorts I can find and put them on. I find a plain dandelion yellow shirt and pull it over my head. This time, when I pass the mirror I look. My shorts make me look fat and the shirt looks baggy. My pale skin contrasts my short, black hair and I see a scrawny girl.
"I'm going to look stupid today." I think to myself.
The bright pink, sparkly converse that I put on I've had for years and they look childish.
" I'm going to Lauren's house! I'll be back by 5 o'clock, okay?" I shout into the kitchen, where my mom stands making sandwiches.
" 5:00? Isn't that a bit late for you, honey? Maybe you shouldn't. Are you sure you'll be okay?" She says like I'm three years old.
" Mom. I'm almost 16 you know. I'll be fine." I say walking out the door. I slam it behind me and start walking down the street, my mood already dampened. The walk to Lauren's house is short and I'm standing on her front porch in less than ten minutes. Her house is big and welcoming. Lauren and I have been friends since we were four years old and we do everything together. It's always been just me and her. We aren't that popular and no one else wants to be our friend anyways. But I don't mind.
I knock on the door. Lauren's tall model-like mother opens the door.
"Hello, Mrs.James. Is Lauren here?" I ask, rolling back on my heels.
" Umm, no actually. I believe she's at Alyssa's house." She replies.
Alyssa? Her house? Lauren?!
" Oh...yeah, of course. My mistake, bye!" I say, hurriedly. She goes back inside, leaving me staring at her front door with a blank face. Alyssa is probably the most snobby, arrogant person I know. She walks around school with her nose in the air, her large group of make-up plastered friends following. Why Lauren would be with her is beyond me. She even specifically invited me over. Maybe this is her revenge for me sharing my chocolate chip cookie with Laney instead of her. Well she looked lonely, it's not my fault. As I'm walking by Alyssa's house on my way back home I can hear them in her backyard. It sounds like her group of friends is there and they soon see me walking by. They open the gate leading to the sidewalk and Alyssa pushes to the front of the group.
" Hey look! It's Bozo Brooke." She says, smirking. All her friends laugh. " You look sad, too bad you weren't invited to the party." Alyssa says making an apologetic face and then bursting out laughing again.
"What's that you're wearing?! It looks ridiculous. Maybe this will help!" She scuffs her feet around, spraying mud onto my shoes. I see Lauren standing off to the side of the group, not meeting my gaze.
I start to walk away. It don't care what she thinks of me. When I get home I go up to my room to read. I pass my mirror once again and realize something. Deep down inside, the unfortunate truth is, I do care. I do care about it. I shouldn't, but I do.
It's Monday. I get out of bed and eat some cereal. It's soggy and gross by the time I finally finish it and I'm tired. I brush my short hair and put it in a simple ponytail. It's gloomy and rainy outside. I put on some plain jean capris and a Star Trek t-shirt. My binders from yesterday fill up my bag and it's heavy on my back. I grab an umbrella and start walking to school. The tall building of Mayview High is now in view and students file through the front doors. I shove my wet backpack into my locker and grab my things for art class. We go through home room and off to classes. When I walk into room 359 Lauren is sitting with Alyssa's friends. There's one desk left beside the girl known as "Loser Leah" to Alyssa. I don't know her very well but she seems nice. When I slump down in the seat beside her she looks up from her drawing.
" Hi. Mind if I sit here?" I ask.
" Not at all. Oh, and… I like you shirt." Leah says shyly. I look down at my old Star Trek shirt. I'm pretty sure it's gone through the names "lame", "ugly", "weird" and "nerdy" by Alyssa and I'm startled.
" You... like it?"
" Yeah. I've seen all the episodes and I've got all the movies. I'm a fan." Leah replies. Mr.Leighton walks into the room and the class silences. I look to the front of the classroom and notice Lauren staring at me. She looks away and Leah touches my arm. I see the concern in her eyes.
" Sorry, but I can't help but notice you and Lauren." She asks kindly.
"Yeah. I don't know. She kind of...has been avoiding me lately. She's been hanging out with Alyssa instead." I says glumly.
"Oh... I think they're very inconsiderate. Thinking everything is about fashion, beauty and how popular you are. They don't see people's true talents and strengths. I think everyone deserves to be recognized for who they are, and that we're all only human." Leah smiles.
"I think that too." I whisper.
"I'm going to look stupid today." I think to myself.
The bright pink, sparkly converse that I put on I've had for years and they look childish.
" I'm going to Lauren's house! I'll be back by 5 o'clock, okay?" I shout into the kitchen, where my mom stands making sandwiches.
" 5:00? Isn't that a bit late for you, honey? Maybe you shouldn't. Are you sure you'll be okay?" She says like I'm three years old.
" Mom. I'm almost 16 you know. I'll be fine." I say walking out the door. I slam it behind me and start walking down the street, my mood already dampened. The walk to Lauren's house is short and I'm standing on her front porch in less than ten minutes. Her house is big and welcoming. Lauren and I have been friends since we were four years old and we do everything together. It's always been just me and her. We aren't that popular and no one else wants to be our friend anyways. But I don't mind.
I knock on the door. Lauren's tall model-like mother opens the door.
"Hello, Mrs.James. Is Lauren here?" I ask, rolling back on my heels.
" Umm, no actually. I believe she's at Alyssa's house." She replies.
Alyssa? Her house? Lauren?!
" Oh...yeah, of course. My mistake, bye!" I say, hurriedly. She goes back inside, leaving me staring at her front door with a blank face. Alyssa is probably the most snobby, arrogant person I know. She walks around school with her nose in the air, her large group of make-up plastered friends following. Why Lauren would be with her is beyond me. She even specifically invited me over. Maybe this is her revenge for me sharing my chocolate chip cookie with Laney instead of her. Well she looked lonely, it's not my fault. As I'm walking by Alyssa's house on my way back home I can hear them in her backyard. It sounds like her group of friends is there and they soon see me walking by. They open the gate leading to the sidewalk and Alyssa pushes to the front of the group.
" Hey look! It's Bozo Brooke." She says, smirking. All her friends laugh. " You look sad, too bad you weren't invited to the party." Alyssa says making an apologetic face and then bursting out laughing again.
"What's that you're wearing?! It looks ridiculous. Maybe this will help!" She scuffs her feet around, spraying mud onto my shoes. I see Lauren standing off to the side of the group, not meeting my gaze.
I start to walk away. It don't care what she thinks of me. When I get home I go up to my room to read. I pass my mirror once again and realize something. Deep down inside, the unfortunate truth is, I do care. I do care about it. I shouldn't, but I do.
It's Monday. I get out of bed and eat some cereal. It's soggy and gross by the time I finally finish it and I'm tired. I brush my short hair and put it in a simple ponytail. It's gloomy and rainy outside. I put on some plain jean capris and a Star Trek t-shirt. My binders from yesterday fill up my bag and it's heavy on my back. I grab an umbrella and start walking to school. The tall building of Mayview High is now in view and students file through the front doors. I shove my wet backpack into my locker and grab my things for art class. We go through home room and off to classes. When I walk into room 359 Lauren is sitting with Alyssa's friends. There's one desk left beside the girl known as "Loser Leah" to Alyssa. I don't know her very well but she seems nice. When I slump down in the seat beside her she looks up from her drawing.
" Hi. Mind if I sit here?" I ask.
" Not at all. Oh, and… I like you shirt." Leah says shyly. I look down at my old Star Trek shirt. I'm pretty sure it's gone through the names "lame", "ugly", "weird" and "nerdy" by Alyssa and I'm startled.
" You... like it?"
" Yeah. I've seen all the episodes and I've got all the movies. I'm a fan." Leah replies. Mr.Leighton walks into the room and the class silences. I look to the front of the classroom and notice Lauren staring at me. She looks away and Leah touches my arm. I see the concern in her eyes.
" Sorry, but I can't help but notice you and Lauren." She asks kindly.
"Yeah. I don't know. She kind of...has been avoiding me lately. She's been hanging out with Alyssa instead." I says glumly.
"Oh... I think they're very inconsiderate. Thinking everything is about fashion, beauty and how popular you are. They don't see people's true talents and strengths. I think everyone deserves to be recognized for who they are, and that we're all only human." Leah smiles.
"I think that too." I whisper.
