Not Your Average Prep

Chapter Two

I go to my room with no intention of completing my homework. That's what study hall is for! Besides, I'll probably pass these classes without doing this homework, anyways.

On my desk sits five textbooks. They all have sticky notes on them. I walk toward them, curious of what they say. I pick up the first one, which was stuck to my desk, rather than a textbook.

Hey, Alana. Here is tonight's homework. I attached sticky notes to all the textbooks telling you which assignments you need to do. Have fun!

-Maria

I roll my eyes. How nice of her-- not. I sigh and sit down in the desk. I might as well look at the homework-- if anything is easy, I'll do it.

I open our literature book first. I hate reading just as much as I hate math, but literature homework is always easy.

A sticky note is stuck near the middle of the book. Read chapter eleven and do the test. The test is in the pink folder. It's an open book test. Good luck.

Open book? That means I don't have to read the chapter. I get out the test and look at the problems. Number one; How do the rainy skies reflect the mood of the events of chapter ten?

I write my answer quickly. I'll be done with this test in no time.

I speed through the test. I'll probably get a bad grade on it, but I don't care. I did my homework. Since that was so easy, I might as well finish the rest of my homework while I'm locked in here.

The rest of my homework is answered mostly in scribbles and unreadable writing. I finished my homework- it doesn't matter if it's in a foreign language, as long as it's done.

I stand up and leave my room. I knock on Mom's bedroom door confidently. I'll have my phone back in just a few seconds.

"Come in," she says. I step into the room.

"My homework's done. Give me my phone."

"Alana, be polite." Why should I be polite? She snatched my phone away and locked me in my room. I held up my end of the deal, and so I should get my phone now.

She hands me the phone, and I snatch it out of her hands. I eagerly unlock it, looking to see if I have any new messages.

I have three.

The first text is from Suzanne, asking about tutoring again. I groan and delete the message. That idiot has been trying to convince me to let her tutor me for a year.

The second text is from Hailey, inviting me to another party. I respond with a quick, "Yea, give me the deets," and read the final text.

It's from Miranda, asking to eat lunch with me at Pizza Hut tomorrow. I tell her I can make it, then storm back into Mom's room.

"I want money for tomorrow," I say.

"Why?" she asks, obviously irritated. I resist the urge to make fun of her.

"For lunch. I'm going to Pizza Hut with Miranda, and I need money."

"Alana..."

"What?"

"I'm not comfortable with you going out to eat during school."

"What?" I ask, shocked. I can't eat in the cafeteria. It's disgusting in there, and I already told Miranda   I could go. 

 "Last time, you skipped school. I don't want to risk it again."

"Mom," I say, "I promise I won't ditch again. I swear!"

 "No. You can't go."

I want to stomp my foot on the ground like I did when I was five. "Mom!" I whine. "Let me go."

"No."

 "Fine," I snap. "I won't."

"Alana?" she asks as I walk out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to do that thing again? Where you say you won't, but you do anyways?"

"No," I lie. As long as she thinks I'm telling the truth, there will be no consequences.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I shout, angry now. Can't she trust me?

She sighs. "Alright. But if this happens again..."

"Got it." I leave her room and go back to mine. I pull out my laptop and get on Facebook.

Four new friend requests. Ugh. Can't these people leave me alone? I press the notifications.

Jacob Stilliner. Deny. I don't want that creep reading my statuses.

Miranda Falls. Deny. I don't want to be friends with that nerd.

Fiin Linersan. Deny. He's just plain creepy.

Chloe Queen. My cursor pauses over the deny button. We used to be best friends. We used to spend countless hours on the phone, countless nights at each other's houses. Our parents would scream at us for being so loud, and we'd giggle even more. We used to be best friends forever.

Used to.

I press 'deny' quickly. I can't let that life catch up with me. I should be happy with what I have. I'm popular. I'm known. I can't be a nerd again. I should be happy.

But, sometimes, I'm reminded of how happy that life was, how carefree it was. I didn't have to act all the time. I could be myself. I could have fun.

No.

I close out of the tab and shut the laptop. I'm done for today. I look up at the clock; 5:49. It's about time for dinner.

 "Mom!" I shout. "What's for dinner?"

"I'm making chicken noodle soup!" she says. I groan. She knows I hate chicken.

"Mom!" I whine.

"What?"

"You know I hate chicken."

She sighs. "Then-- eat something else. Your father and I will have chicken noodle soup."

"Okay," I say, rolling my eyes. Can't she ever cook something good?

 I get up and go to the kitchen. I guess I'll just have a Poptart or something. I stick the paistry into the toaster and pour a glass of soda.

A meal fit for a queen.