Lauren Cimorelli

Chapter 2: Popularity (Friday)

Lauren's POV

I don't know how i was able to wake up at 6:00 every morning for school. It was torture to hear my alarm start singing on my nightstand. At least Dani had to get up too.

Two years ago i made the switch from middle school which started at 9:00 to high school which started at 7:00. That was perhaps the hardest day of my life. Im not even joking... I honestly thought i was gonna die. Dani was still in middle school at the time so seeing her happily fast asleep made me wanna pour a bucket of water on her. I know it wasn't her fault but i was just a really jealous person.

I sat on the edge of my bed for a solid 5 minutes before i mustered the strength to let my feet touch the ground. Dani was already using the bathroom so i decided to get dressed first.

It took me a while but i finally decided on wearing long sleeve sports shirt and a pair of jeans with holes on the knees and thighs with a pair of leggings underneath. I don't know why other girls liked to show so much skin. I always felt uncomfortable wearing really flashy clothing. I preferred jeans and long sleeves most of the time but i liked to mix it up a bit with the occasional dress. I knew my taste in clothing could be described as tomboyish but it hurt a little each time someone made the obnoxious comment, " why do you dress like a guy?"

But to be honest i was never really the type of person to be brought down by what others say. It was the same with compliments the usual, "you look pretty today" became so overused i stopped paying attention whenever someone would say that to me.

"Dani hurry up!" I said while pounding on the door. "Youre not the only one who needs to get ready!"

I began to remember a recent conversation i had with some friends about how long it takes us to get ready in the morning. How did other girls wake up at 5:00 and even 4:00 every morning? They were like, "how do you wake up at 6:00 and still look so amazing?!"

Ugh... So much drama i thought. I wonder if guys talk about the same stuff? Do guys just think differently than girls? Or do they actually think a lot about this kind of stuff but don't admit it because they don't think its manly? I wonder what it would feel like to be a guy for a day, or a year...? Wait why am i thinking about guys so much? Ugh... I hate having a girls brain....

Oh shoot! I look at the time in the mirror and it reads 6:30. This gave me 30 minutes to get to school but i knew with California traffic I might still be late. I grab my backpack and run to the kitchen where Dani was eating cereal at the table.

"Come on!" I grab her by the arm and begin dragging her toward the front door.

"Wait cant i at least finish?" I heard her say.

"Nope thats not happening now come on!"

She began to pout a little but didn't resist. We got in the blue Honda Civic i was given on my 16th birthday and sped down the street to school.

I speed-walked through the empty hallways and just as i checked my phone for the time i heard the bell ring. Panic rushed over me as i ran down the hall and into my first period Geography class.

"Well, well, well if it isnt Miss Cimorelli who decided to join our class today?!"
I groaned in my head a little. I knew she wasnt a bad person but Mrs. Larson really knew how to get on my nerves.

Before answering her i rolled my eyes across the room to look at Skylar really quickly before looking back to Mrs. Larson. Why was he always staring off into space? And why was he not paying attention to me right now? Was he purposely not looking at me so i wouldn't catch him staring? Ugh.. I wish i had the power to read minds...

I put on a fake smile and reply "sorry mrs. Larson it wont happen again." But i think we both knew it would definitely happen again. I sat down in my seat and took another swift glance at Skylar who was one row in front and three seats to the left. I didn't get it, its like he was purposely ignoring me. Why did guys always do that? There were guys who liked me but would suddenly start doing that. Why would they think that would help? I never liked any of them back so i didn't care about them doing that but i still found it odd.

After class i began putting away all my stuff as other students began to leave. Out of the corner of my eye i saw Skylar stand up and begin walking toward me. I pretended not to notice and continued gathering my stuff in my binder.

"Hey Lauren"
I looked up at him and pretend to be surprised to see him.
"Oh hey, hows it going?
I saw his eyes quickly glance over my left shoulder then he looked back at me a little uneasily.

"Oh good, well ill see you around"
What the heck? I watched Skylar turn around and head for the door. I look over my left shoulder and see Janelle staring staring at with a look that seemed to say, "what do you think you're doing?" After he was out of ear shot she looked at me.

"Do you know that weido?" She asked.
"Well kinda"
"I heard his dad walked out on him and he's like emotionally unstable."
"Who told you that?!" I was kinda angry but kinda intrigued at the same time.
" i don't remember i think it was Stacey."

My "friend" Janelle and I walked to 3rd period together and sat in the back. I couldn't get my mind off what she had said. I wondered if what she told me was really true. Maybe i should ask him. If anything it would give us another chance to talk.

*Sneak Peek at Chapter 3*
Thats when it hit me. It struck me like a wave of fear and i found myself paralyzed to the bone. Something about the way he said, "You'll regret that" didn't seem right. At that moment i knew i had to find Skylar before anyone else did. I ran to the doorway and effortlessly slammed the door open as i weaved my way to the parking lot.