Keep Your Enemies Close

Chapter Ten Side Effects May Vary

When I awoke, I felt brand new. The air smelled fresh and somewhat different, but I felt confidence and energy surge through me. Perhaps what I had needed all along was to fall into a cold pond and have reality smack me in the face. Yesterday I felt so weak and insecure, but today everything felt much different. I was the lead in the play, and nobody could stop that, not even Lila's ego. I was the lead in the first play of the year that I hadn't even want to be a part of. But now I was proud that I was.

I stood in front of the mirror, analyzing myself. I straightened my hair until it was completely straight and for once, perfectly untangled. It flowed smoothly over my shoulders and over my back. The highlights in my hair shone in the bathroom's light. The haircut I got was the best thing that ever happened to me. I didn't care if mom didn't like it, I would never change it back. I actually felt good today. And pretty, for once in my life.

I smiled in the mirror as I applied a small amount of pink gloss to my lips. I had stolen it from Georgia in the seventh grade to get back at her for something, and had never returned it. Oh well.

Unexpectedly, my mother came charging in. The school must have called her about my absence. I was worried this would happen.

"Where were you while you were ditching your fourth period, huh? This is the second time the school has called me and informed me you weren't in school! What has gotten into you? You're making me worried." She shouted this, her voice echoing. I smacked my lips together loudly, without looking at my mom.

She was being so overdramatic. She was the one who told me stories back when she was sixteen about how she and dad snuck out in the middle of the night to make out, and she was yelling at me?

I smoothed my hair down. It was no longer puffy, and nobody could make fun of me now.

"I was out," I replied, grabbing a scarf that was laying on the counter. I perfected it around my neck while starting in the mirror. From the corner of my eye, I could see my mom's eyes boring into my back. She placed her hands on her hips angrily.

I glanced at her from the mirror. My mom's wet hair was wrapped tight in a bun, and her green eyes were weary. When she and Georgia were angry, they looked nearly identical. They both narrowed their almond-shaped eyes and had that vein pop out on their forehead when they were stressed or ready to yell at someone. They were both really good at doing that.

"Out? You were out?! You could have called!" She snapped. I shrugged. She'd be the last person I'd call. What would I have said? 'Oh hey, mom, I'm ditching school with a boy, come pick me up'.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," I said emotionlessly walking out the bathroom. I wasn't really sorry, but what else could I say? She would not stop pestering me. She followed after, crossing her arms. She was definitely not pleased with my behavior.

"Yeah, it won't, because you're grounded," she said irritably, expecting chaos from me.

Well, I wasn't going to give her what she wanted.

"Alright. I'll see you later," I concluded, skipping downstairs. I left my mother huffing in anger. She would no doubt take out her anger on me later.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Penny.

I answered without the slightest emotion. "Hi Penny," I said. There were screams on the other end.

"Oh my gosh! Mabel! I called you like fifty times yesterday and texted you like thirty. Where were you?" she asked, impatient. I sighed.

"Can people stop asking me where I was? There isn't one single minute where someone isn't asking where I am. I'm not five, okay? I deserve my freedom."