Creep

Chapter Eleven

Can't let go of this dream. I can't breathe but I feel good enough. I feel good enough, for you.~Evanescence

*Miriam's act*

Place: School lobby.

The school doors opened and people flooded in, racing to beat the homeroom bell. Someone stuck out from the crowd, a new face. She looked almost spooky. Her face pale, her lips black; along with her eye lids, piercings pinning into her lip, eyebrow, nose, and tongue, and just about every article of clothing she was wearing was covered with tears and spikes. When she began to approach me I realized it was none other than my best friend Miriam.

"Oh goodness Hen, I look so ridiculous."

I nodded in agreement, then added "Are those real," pointing to the various studs in her face.

She quickly shook her head then dragged me to homeroom, as Gerard ran behind us with a hidden video camera in his hat. Being that if he was carrying around a camera people would know that what Miriam was doing was all an act.

After much stalling and slow walking we finally made it through the homeroom door. Right when we walked in I heard numerous whispers, and many people staring us down. My pulse was racing.

As we took our seats none other then Finley, and the girls at my bus stop (I never bothered to get their names), came over and began to laugh.

"Goodness just when you thought they couldn't get any weirder!" Scoffed the cheap blonde.

This is when Miriam's character came into play.

"And just when I thought you couldn't get any more fake."

Just about the whole room gasped. And I watched with utter amusement.

"What did you just say?" Finley threatened, trying to sound intimidating.

"Oh nothing...just that you and your friends are a bunch of low-life bitches that put others down because you feel insecure about yourselves."

Finley got really mad and threw a punch right towards Miriam's face...lets just say that didn't end well.

Miriam blocked the punch, pulled Finley's hand forward, then tripped her.

The reaction of the crowd was priceless, and luckily Miriam took a seat before Ms. Thomas could see anything that just took place.

. . .

As the day went on people waved to us in the hallway. Some even patted Miriam on the back. They really admired her standing up for herself. I did too, it's like Gerard's message had taken a turn.

When we reached the end of the hallway where we would depart for classes, she asked if we could go outside for a minute.

I nodded. We could get caught and we could get into trouble, but I sensed a look of urgency in her eyes.

We sat up against the brick outside of the school, and before I knew it Miriam was crying, makeup going everywhere.

"What's wrong?!" I asked surprised by her quick mood change.

"Please say you're not totally oblivious," she whimpered harshly,"When I was myself no one knew my fricking name, and now I'm someone else for the day and everyone loves me! Am I not good enough?"

I grabbed hold of Miriam and stroked her hair gently,"Miriam you're good enough. You're better than that! You're amazing! Maybe not everyone's going to like you, that's life. But, I can assure you that you have three people who love you just as you are."

Then she kissed me.

Not on the cheek, but on the lips. And, in that moment I had remembered the story Ethan told me about her first kiss with Annette, so instead of panicking or pushing Miriam off of me, I went with it.