Project Pom Pom

Chapter 4- When do we start?

I laughed.

Yeah that was my response to her deal. I laughed.

"You're funny Clarissa!" I laughed. "Really funny."

"I'm not joking!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah okay. Then you're crazy! Look at me!" I gestured towards my face and clothes, which was as usual a baggy t-shirt along with jeans and a pair of sneakers not to mention the nerdy glasses and a messy bun.

"Me? A cheerleader? Are you crazy?"

"Listen I can do it! You just need a makeover."

"Makeover? It's gonna take a lot more than makeover if you wanna turn me from school's nerd to a cheerleader! Cheerleader's are supposed to be like you!"

"Me?"

"Yes you! Pretty, charming, bubbly and...beautiful! I'm none of those! I'm a girl whose ambition in life is to get through high school undetected and then head off to a good university. That's it! You asked me whether or not I liked Tyler, yes I do. But Tyler doesn't do girls like me. He likes girls like you. I'm the kind of girl who'll watch from a distance and nothing else."

"That's not true." She sighed.

"It is." I argued.

"No it's not! You are pretty do you get it! Every girl is pretty in their own unique way! You are hiding your beautiful self underneath all that." She pointed towards my clothes. "I'll help you and get you out of your shell."

"How about I just tutor you? For free? I want nothing in return." I offer.

"No." She said firmly. "You'll tutor me and I'll help you learn how to be a cheerleader."

"Okay let's say that I agree. You give me a makeover and then what? Nothing's gonna change! I suck at dancing! I can't even walk on flat surface without falling on my face!"

"Lessons on dancing and dressing, both will be part of the deal!"

"I'm not sure whether or not I'm cut out for it. I mean cheerleading sounds great! But..."

"Listen," She said "if you agree what's gonna happen? You got nothing to lose! Instead you'll just gain. You become a cheerleader you'll get Tyler's attention and an extracurricular activity which will look good for any university. Need I remind you that our team has won the state championship?"

"Exactly. Your team which is filled with hardworking and amazing girls that love and know everything about cheerleading whereas I don't know the first thing about cheerleading."

"I said I'll teach you." She nearly shouted. She took a deep breathe "Let me ask you a question if you had the chance to date Tyler wouldn't you."

I reluctantly nodded.

"And I'm giving you that chance. Do you want to be one of those girls that sit around in the corner quiet and miserable or do you want to be the girl that stands up and fights for what she wants?" She asked.

This time however I didn't answer.

"You don't have to answer me right now. Sleep on it. I'll give you until Tuesday. If you think that you're the kind of girl that would stand up and fight for what she wants then call me. If not then I'll look for another tutor. Either way that's the only way I'll accept the tutoring deal." Clarissa smiled.

She took a tissue paper and wrote her number down.

"Call me when you know." She said before getting out of there.

I bit my lip and wondered. 'Should I accept the deal?' Anyway it's her who's in desperate need of someone like me but there she is. The most popular girl in the school coming forward to help me and for what? Just so that I could help her with her grades.

I really need to sleep on it.

*~*~*~

"Elizabeth dear how was your day?" The old hag asked as soon as I got back from work.

'It was okay Mrs. Andrews." I replied stiffly.

"That's good to hear. I was wondering whether you would like to attend a party with us?" She asked slowly.

"A party?"

"Yes. You see the Mayor always throws a fourth of July part and everyone is invited. Including our family," I scowled when she said that, "So it would be amazing if you would join us in that party."

"No thank you Mrs. Andrews. I'll be perfectly happy here in this house. Alone."

"Are you sure? You shouldn't be alone! Your father would be extremely unhappy to leave you behind."

"Mrs. Andrews I have lived for seven years alone. My Aunt was usually busy at work and I was at home. I think I can survive a night alone." I said harshly.

"Of course." She said smiling sadly as if she was upset about the way I reacted. Please. I bet she's just doing all this to look really nice in front of my father while I appear extremely bratty.

"Now if you'll excuse me i'd like to go to my room and rest. It's been a very long and tiring day at work and I'm not hungry so I will not be joining for dinner." I said and pushed past her and went to the guest room.

As I lay in bed that night I think about Clarissa's offer. My whole life I've been quiet, miserable and angry. Back home I had only one friend and you can't even call that a friend seeing we only talked about our grades. I was miserable and sad because my father never visited me. I was angry because he chose them over me. And i never fought against it. I never fought for him. I never fought for our family just like my mom.

I don't want to be like her. I don't want to wallow in misery. I want to be happy and Tyler's making me happy. He makes me happy. And I do want to fight for that. I'll see tomorrow if I want to call her or not.

*~*~*~

"Hey Joe?" I called.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." She chuckled. "But go on. Ask me."

"Theoretically speaking if a popular girl offers her help to a non popular girl to make the non popular girl to popular so that the non popular girl can date the popular guy she likes, do you think she should do it?" I ask.

"Uhh. I only got popular and non popular and guy. Nothing else. And where the hell did you get this from?"

"Nowhere. Umm just a story. The teen fiction's nowadays are filled with stories like these. I'm just trying to get the character's point of view." I said quickly.

"Oh." She nodded. "Well I think change is good but she shouldn't completely change herself. Popularity can sometimes get into your head so it's up to her. The question is: Is the guy worth it. Is he so important to her that she wants to change herself just so that he can notice her? A guy should like the girl for who she is not what she pretends to be. So yeah. That's the best I can say. At the end of the day it's up to the girl." Joe shrugs.

I nodded and take in her words. It's up to me. Is Tyler really that important? Do I want this?

"Come on get ready we're ready to let people in." Joe orders.

"Can you give me a minute? I need to call someone." I said.

"Sure. But just a minute. It's a hot day people would be rushing in any second."

"Thanks Joe."

I step outside and take a deep breathe. Come on you can do this Lizzy. Be Brave.

I dialed the number and called.

"Hello?"

"When do we start?"

Like I promised I'd update today and I did! Can I get a high five? I hope you like this chapter and if you did please comment and vote it would mean a lot to me!

Next Update: Most probably on Thursday or Friday.

Until the next time.

xoxo

~~JustAGirl