Freaks

Three Years Later

The alarm blared and Hattie woke up feeling tired and exhausted. It had been exactly three years since Clarisa, Jasmine, and Viola let her sit at their table. Since then everything had changed. Hattie stumbled out of bed and reached for a small container of contact lenses, she didn't use her glasses anymore. She put on all those face creams Clarisa had instructed to clear her acne. She looked to her left where a stack of comic books once laid, now there were girly teen magazines. She looked to her right where all her art supplies used to be, now there were makeup cases. Let me paint you a picture. Hattie Erickson was a senior. She has smooth skin, short, straight

bleach blonde hair, and very long legs that are covered up by her jeans. High school was her kingdom and everyone loved her. She woke up early, and calmly placed her books and makeup into her messenger bag and purse. She put on her tight stylish skirt, a crop top, and pounds of colorful makeup. She ran downstairs. Her mom stood in the kitchen, waiting for her.
"Hi Hattie!", Courtney said excitedly, "How are you?"
"I'm great, Mom!", Hattie smiled.
"It's your senior year, are you excited?", Courtney asked.
"Very", Hattie said, with spoonfuls of cereal in her mouth.

Ever since Clarisa let her sit with them. Guys started noticing her, though she was single. She was popular. She was loved. She was feared. She became more athletic. Clarisa said she had to lose weight. She went on diets, for the same reason. She stopped reading comics, Clarisa said it wasn't cool. She gave up drawing, she still did it, but she had other things to do. Her grades dropped, not drastically, she was passing and doing well, but she was more worried about makeup and maintaining the hierarchy that Clarisa, Jasmine, and Viola worked hard to create. Hattie felt Clarisa had helped her. She wasn't bothered by anyone. She had a

better relationship with her mother. They could talk about things and her mother seemed to be so much prouder about the woman she had become, than the woman she used to be. It all came with a price, of course, Hattie had to complete Clarisa's art assignments, but she didn't mind. She liked her one chance to draw and sketch without being judged by Clarisa, Viola, and Jasmine.
She walked outside ready for her senior year, looking more fashionable and stylish than ever. Clarisa was outside in her Jeep with Jasmine and Viola.
"Get in!", Jasmine yelled. Hattie got in with a smile on her face.

"I can't believe you used to walk to school!", Viola laughed as Hattie got in the car.
"I know", she laughed, "It was so long ago".
"Enough nostalgia", Clarisa snapped, "Do you have my work?"
"Yes I do", Hattie said, pulling out a piece of paper with a beautiful landscape painting on it.
"How beautiful", Clarisa sighed, admiring the breathtaking painting, "Of course I'll be taking the credit".
"Yes", Hattie muttered, "Of course"

"Cheer up", Clarisa said, starting the car, "We know you made it and that's all that matters".
"I guess", Hattie sighed.
Clarisa stared at Hattie for a few seconds.
"Dear god Hattie, you were pitiful before we found you", she sighed, "But you've improved and I am so proud of you. Those contacts are a great improvement".
"Yeah, they feel a lot better", Hattie laughed, hiding the fact that the big, thick glasses made her feel a lot more comfortable.
"The best part is you can't see them", Viola laughed.

They continued talking while driving, and Hattie zoned out.
I miss my old self, she thought to herself, But no. My old self was a loser. I'm a lot better off now. I'm very good with who I am. Dad always wanted me to have friends. He'd be proud.
Her arrival at school was very different than it was in her freshman year. The second they all walked in the halls cleared, making a path for them.
"Feels nice to have some respect, doesn't it Hattie?", Jasmine said, looking at all the kids in school with paralyzed faces.
"Yeah", Hattie said, feeling unsure of herself. She liked not

being bullied, but not to the point where everyone was afraid of her.
"Look at all these freshmen", Clarisa scoffed, "So pathetic". Clarisa extended her foot out to make someone trip. There was a loud thud and a gasp, as a girl fell face-first into the ground. Everyone assumed it was a freshman and began bellowing with laughter. Little did they know that it was Mona Bailey. Hattie hadn't seen or noticed her in many years. Her grunge look had only grown since then. She was enraged.
"Why, you little chit!", she yelled, launching herself to attack Clarisa, though she couldn't. She became immobile mid-