Through the Lens

13

Even though my brief friendship with Allie felt real, cowardly I didn't call Ethan. After a run on Wednesday morning, I found a large envelope hanging out of my mailbox.  Inside were all the pictures he'd developed for me.  All of them.  For a second, I thought maybe he'd been following me. I mean, he had to know that I'd come from my run and find them.  But then coming to my senses, it wouldn't have mattered who gotten them.  My family would have known it was for me.  The outside of the envelope said in beautiful script, Jess.

My last day at the museum went without mention by any of my co-workers  Even with my parents strict no-working policy while in school, I did offer to fill in if need be, assuming I was available. 

The Monday morning after my last day of Summer, I woke to my alarm and the pangs that this was the first day of school.  Getting dressed was nerve-racking.   It wasn't so much that this was my senior year as it was all the looks I'd be getting.  Most of my classmates hadn't seen my transformation from slightly overweight to the new me.  Bathroom checks showed that Jenna was wearing her hair down. 

Standing next to her, I couldn't help but notice with my weight loss we looked more alike again.  So I pulled my hair back in a low ponytail. As cool as it was to be a twin, I liked looking like my own person.  Adding just some lip gloss and wearing opposite colors than my sister, we were on our way. 

It was strange that Kyle was riding with us, a Freshman this year.  He sat in the back, earbuds wailing from his ears, not wanting to be seen riding with his sisters. Jenna drove of course, which was fine with me.  She'd had more experience than all of us, and I was way too nervous to pay even half my attention to the road.   

"Later, Kyle," Jenna crooned loudly as he exited the parked car in a rush.

Feeling like getting my brother back for leaving the seat up in the bathroom this morning, I got out and said, "You forgot your booster seat!"

He turned around and flicked me off before catching up with his friends.

"Nice," Jenna said before hitting the locked button on the key fob.  She didn't stay and wait for me. Instead, spying her own friends, she headed in that direction, without so much of a backward glance. But my lips turn up in a ruthful grin, that was Jenna. Her friends came first.

Not two feet towards the school, Madison snuck behind me with Bradley on her heels. Jumping on my back before quickly hopping off, I turned around and said, "God, you're heavy."

Slapping me playfully looking at me scornfully, she said, "So you're going with fat jokes now?"

Yeah, that was wrong considering I had been the only fat friend. "No, I guess not," I said, soberly, before pulling out a huge grin. "But the look you gave me was priceless." It felt like forever since I'd hung out with them and gave them each a big hug.  When I got to Bradley, I whispered in his ear. "Have you told her yet?" Pulling back, I caught the quick pained expression on his face.  He hadn't.

Taking her hand in his before Madison could figure out she wasn't in on a secret, we made our way to the front of the school.  With their fingers intertwined, I wasn't sure if the looks we received were because people were shocked at their change of status or my appearance.  Nevertheless, we headed inside to our lockers based on the schedule and locker assignments we received last week.  None of our lockers were nearby.  I didn't have much in my bag and opted to follow Bradley instead.  Madison said she'd catch up with us.

I gave him my stern look, and he sighed, saying, "There just never seemed to be the right moment."

"That's no excuse," I chastised. "The time will never be 'just right'." I said using air quotes.