Virgin Mary

11/5,6,7,8...

Josephine

As I'm getting ready for school, I get a message that trans me out from curling my hair at my desk. I put my curler down and pick up my phone to a text from Ethan, "Morning, you didn't answer my texts last night. Everything alright?"

I sigh and forgot to even open the texts he sent last night,

"Alright, I promised you I would text you so here I am."

"What are you doing rn?"

I hurry up and type back, "Good Morning, I'm sorry I slept all day yesterday and fell asleep."

He replies very quickly, "It's alright haha. You wanna go out for lunch this week?" he says and it makes my heart flutter knowing my mother would actually let me go out with him and that he asked me-. Woah, Josephine this is not a date, he has a girlfriend and you are talking to Jack. Gosh. So much boy drama. "Yeah, sure!" I smile while typing and finish curling my hair. "Alright, have a good day today Jo. Text me when your home." he says and I reply, "You too."

"Josephine!" My mother calls upstairs and I hurry up and put my curler away and curl my eyelashes and put on some lip gloss and adjust my white long cardigan over my blue and white flower dress. I look in the mirror and check myself out for a second, I look good. Different than I usually do which makes no sense but I've been looking different since I first started going to the school. And acting different, my subconscious adds.

I grab my backpack and run downstairs. My mother doesn't say a word to me as we walk outside to the car. I buckle my seatbelt and start talking, "Could I go out to lunch with Ethan sometime this week?" I ask.

"I don't mind that, sure." she says and I smile to myself leaning back into my seat.

"Have a good day, Josephine." my mother says as I get out of the car and I nod. I begin to walk over to the doors and see Mercy isn't there. I shrug and just get my phone out and text Mia as I wait for Mercy. I haven't talked to Mia in about a month, it's the beginning of october, october 5th to be exact, so it's getting colder as I wish I wore some pants or something. "Hey Mia, how are you?" I text her and anxiously wait for Mercy.

I feel arms wrap around my neck and it takes me by surprise thinking it's Jack but it's Mercy, "Surprise." she says and her hairs now a darker brown. "Oh my gosh, it's so pretty." I say and run my hand through it. "Thanks! I did it like that for fall because fall is of course, my favorite season. ever." she says and I smile. "Well, I like it a lot." I say and quietly rock back and forth. She rubs my shoulder. "You alright?"

I gulp and nod, "Of course, what makes you think I'm not?"

"I don't know...I know my best friend and you're just acting different. Did I do something?"

I shake my head. The last thing I want Mercy to feel is that she's done something when she's done everything to make me feel at ease and happy. She's the last person who would make me feel the way I do. "No, of course not-" I say and the bell rings. "Text me." she hugs me and I nod and slowly walk into the school and down the hall to my locker.

I open my locker and begin changing my books and getting my history book. I then shut my locker then I jump when I turn my head to Jack is standing right there leaning against the locker next to me in his football hoodie and black jeans. "Hey, Jo." he says and I hold my books tighter to my chest. "Hey." I nod and he places his hand in the pocket of his hoodie. "Cheer tryouts are finally tomorrow, you said you're trying out right?" he asks and I smile and nod. "Yup."

"Great, you can cheer for me while I'm playing football." he says and taps my books and I giggle. "I'll catch you later," he says. "See ya." I say and begin walking away before he grabs my arm quickly and I turn around. "I'm sorry to stop you but did I do something?" he says and places his hand around the back of his neck. Another person thinking they've done something when they've done the complete opposite...I shake my head quickly, "No, of course not-" I begin.