The Punk and the Ballerina

Punks vs Princess

Ari's point of view. August 2005.

My first day of tenth grade. Summer vacation ended way too soon. I danced for most of it, dance classes never stopped. When I wasn't dancing, I got to vacation in Costa Rica for two weeks with my family. It was an amazing trip, except I got food poising the first night, I shouldn't have eaten the sushi.

I was greeted by Parker Hudson, my best guy friend. He looked like he had gotten taller since the last time I saw him. How often do boys go through puberty? It's like they wake up one day and they're taller with facial hair. He was about six feet tall while I was 5'5 almost 5'6, but I doubted I would get any taller. My mother loved how tall I got, she thought it would help with modeling opportunities, despite me telling her again and again I had no interest in becoming a model. I was going to be a successful dancer, that was my life goal, she made that known since I started retaining memories.

Parker hugged me in his scrawny arms. His cologne smelled like a weird combination of spice and coconuts, which was fitting for him. He wore a red Ed Hardy skull shirt. I rolled my eyes, he loved that brand even though it made him stand out in our group.

"You staring at my Ed Hardy tee?" He caught my glare.

"I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to stare at," I said matter of fact.

"You're supposed to stare, I look good," he posed like a girl. This caused us to have a fit of giggles. I caught my other best friend Olivia Berketti at her locker mirror applying lip gloss, the one thing she couldn't live without.

"Hey girl," I strolled over to her.

"Hey Ari, Parker," she pouted her shiny lips.

"Hey Kiwi Lips," Parker said.

"Don't call me that," Olivia smacked her kiwi smelling lips together before closing her locker. "Anybody taking home economics this semester?"

"I am," Parker raised his hand.

"Of course you are," she playfully rolled her brown eyes.

"Why because I'm gay? I need to know how to take care of myself, I don't want my parents teaching me to cook a pie at 30," Parker explained, causing us to laugh. He knew how to keep the tone light and fun.

Mali Darlington strutted in our direction. With her long red hair and tall stilettos, she knew how to get the world to look at her. It was like the world was her runway and you either loved her or hated her, and she wouldn't want it any other way. Her father owned a lucrative hotel while her mother designed jewelry. If Mali knew anything, it was power and beauty.

"Her Majesty arrives," Parker blew a kiss at Mali.

"Fucking right I have," Mali ran her manicured hand through her hair. "I nearly bought out Prada, those upperclassmen girls will know I'm more glam than them."

Since starting high school, Mali's ego got knocked down by the older girls. Mali was so used to being the alpha girl, and she was determined to get her position back. We tried talking her out of it, but there was no nursing her fragile ego. I hoped school would eventually humble her, but it still hadn't happened, maybe this year it finally would.

Loud rock music filled the hallway. We turned and saw a group of punks and goths standing by the bathrooms. They had a silver iPod hooked up to a speaker. I think they were listening to My Chemical Romance, but I wasn't sure, I never listened to that type of music.

"Ugh, the weirdos are back," Olivia shook her head. "God that music sucks."

"They finally left their caves," Mali scoffed.

The same kids from last year formed the goths and punks. Sebastian Gray headbanged and played air guitar. He had gotten taller since last time I saw him. Was he wearing eyeliner? I hardly wore it, he looked ridiculous wearing more eye makeup than me.

"Turn that shit down you freaks," Mali yelled to them.

Sebastian responded by turning the volume higher. Mali wasn't going to stand for that. She stomped over. "I said turn it down."

The group loudly sang a song about not being okay. Defeated by the noise, Mali turned her nose up as she made a dramatic exit, her stilettos loudly clacking against the floor.

"It's gonna be a long year," Olivia finally said.

Maybe Sebastian would be the one to humble Mali Darlington.