The Life And Times Of Rachel Grape

Rachel and Arianna Meet

   Their car pulled away, and Rachel went inside and she cried as well.   She had never been away from her parents, her house, her family, her friends.   A few girls down the hall made friends, but it was hard for shy Rachel to.  The campus was different than the farm, there were noises.   The room was almost too quiet, as she shared a room with Bonnie.   She was always playing on her damn phone.   She got up.  It was weird to walk to the union for breakfast.   A cute guy winked at her.  She winked back.   "Westin, she's cute," his friend said.  "Sure is," he said.  She, however, ate with a few girls who were like, "How do we ditch her?  Who does she think she is?  She is so 2010!"   They left.   Rachel was okay with being not wanted.   That was her high school career.   At Tri County, she never went to a prom, a formal, a homecoming game.   Her parents sort of liked that because every weekend they had to go see Bonnie cheer.   The FFA was not a groovy club to be in.  

    Back in Endora, her parents got up.   They felt utterly sad and alone.   Their baby, their first baby was going to college now.  Robert and Bonnie went to high school registration with a check.   It was so costly.    Gilbert went to the factory and Elise went to the store.   She had a lady who was bringing some herbs to consign.   Alyssa asked if she were okay, and tears went down her face.  "I just miss that girl, but I would miss you, too," she said.  In a weird way, she had a piece of her relationships.    She wondered if she had gotten pregnant as a teen.   However, he had a box of condoms in the shed that he had used.   She still couldn't believe he taught Math.  Math?  

     The ride from Des Moines was not long.   It wasn't like Rachel's drive.    Arianna, her mother, and father  drove in her mom's new car.  She was an elected official.   She was the breadwinner.   Rachel found her kind of bossy, and Michelle found her sort of "plain" and "too skinny".   Rachel Grape from Endora.   Could it have been?  No.   This girl was not fat.   "And the high school decor?"  She thought to herself.  "FFA awards?   What a hick."   When they went to lunch, she vowed she was going to talk about life in a sorority.  She wasn't going to stay with this little hick.   

    "What's your name?"

"Rachel."

"Where are you from?"

"Endora."

"What a quaint little town.   What do your parents do?"

"My mom owns a shop and my dad works at the milk factory."

"How nice!"   She said, but thought, "How lower class."   

    "God that girl is pathetic,"  Michelle thought.   Messy shorts, messy hair, barely a hundred pounds.   Endora really has losers.   Her husband lived in Endora for a time and nothing good came out of it.   Wouldn't that be wild if that girl was their child?   She would forbid her from hanging out.    

    Rachel went for a walk as they got the room ready.    She had on a cute top and shorts.    She had her necklace from Grandma Violet on.   She died in 2007.   Elise was so lost, as Violet was her adoptive mom.   She even cared for her in our house.    She slept in the living room by the bay window.  Rachel walked by the dorm of boys and there was the one who told her hello.  "Westin".   That was a weird name.  He waved at her.   She had on a dated Aeropostale Shirt and some low rise jeans.   She had small boobs and a pretty face.   

     Westin was the last child born of Kevin and Wendy's so they were a little overprotective of him.   Again, it was a silent day on campus.   No one talked to her.   A girl handed her a paper about rush and giggled in her face.   She wasn't going to do it.   It cost a lot, and she didn't care if she was a legacy or not, she didn't want to do it.  

     When she came back, Arianna was there.  Her parents were gone and she turned to her and said, "So what is your story?"   She said, "Well I am from Endora, Iowa.  My dad works at the milk factory and my mom owns Grapeseed Apothecary."   She looked a t her and said, "Really?  I am intrigued."  She said, "It's not like Lush Cosmetics, but my mom has some cool, locally grown shit."   "Her manners are atrocious," she said to herself.  "Beta Zeta Chi, here I come.   What a shrew!"   She texted her mom, "Mom, she is fucking weird.   Get me in a sorority."   At nine, Rachel changed into her pajamas, old high school gym shorts and a tee shirt.   She had these small pointy breasts.   At least hers were C's.   Rachel brushed her teeth, looking longingly at the nice things she had from the mall, wishing she had enough money to have the same.   Rachel told her "good night" and went to sleep.

    "Good night.  She had the balls to tell me good night," she texted her mom.  Rachel rolled over and went to sleep, trying not to cry.   She knew her roommate hated her.