My Next Door Bully

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 - NEW HAIR, WHO DIS?

"NO!" PRIYA EXCLAIMS IN disbelief. I told her about my multiple encounters with Ashton. She got back from Chicago yesterday and described it as "a magical experience" her words not mine. She literally cannot believe that Ashton and I talked. I told Priya daily how much I hated Ashton Nicholson. Like actually every time I saw him I would point out how horrible his outfit was (never once was true). Or that when he was in class that day I got a scent of his breath and it smelled like rotten fish (also not true). On every chance I got, I would say bad things and diss him.

"Okay, but on a serious note. You're not actually going to forgive him, right?" She dips a chip in her homemade hummus.

Priya is one of the prettiest girls that have ever lived. From her smooth dark skin, which she describes as an "Indian gift," to her straight black hair she slings back and forth but swears she'll cut it one day. And not to mention her lucky five-six height (compared to my five-two) but also her beautiful smile.

I grab a chip as well and dip it in the hummus, "I don't know. I mean, he's making a solid effort. But like I said, I honestly don't know." I chew on the treat.

She gives me a hard look, telling me she doesn't agree with my answer. I give her a can you blame me? response. "Look I'm not saying anything else," She flips her soft hair over her shoulder and looks up at me from the steady calculus practice studying from the bottom of her bed. "Do you know the answer for seventeen? I'm sooo stuck."

I look down at my practice packet and find question seventeen. A complicated problem stares back at me, I shrug, "you know calc isn't my strongest suit."

She sighs and closes the thick book. "Enough of boring math problems that we will never use in real life." She thinks for a moment before her face lights up. Then gives me a funny look that makes me nervous, and she devilishly smiles at me. "I have an idea," her tone is even giddy.

"Oh no," I breathe. "Not another piercing idea, there's no way I'm putting a hole in my body, the two in my ear are enough," I touch my ear. Last year on her birthday sleepover we snuck out, and went to the local tattoo shop where she got a nose piercing. She begged me to match her but I just agreed to a second one on my ear.

"Oh c'mon you know you liked that one." She's not lying, I love it, even though you can barely see it when my hair is down. I was hesitant at first but I got it anyway. And I don't regret it. "I was thinking something else ... a makeover!" She sounds so excited and thrilled that I almost agree.

"NO," I state. "No way, you're probably going to make me get a disgusting yellow tan or have my hair dyed blue or something."

She shrieks, "Omigod Yesss." She stands up and walks over to her full-length mirror. "Let's change our hair, do something surprising but great, I already know what'll look great on you" I'm already shaking my head one too many times, making me dizzy.

"Pleeeeease?" She sticks her bottom lip out and reaches to touch my dark brown hair in a ponytail. How can I say no to my best friend?

"Show me, and maybe then—maybe—I'll consider it." What have I done? I think. Can't back out now, perhaps change will be good.

She shrieks again, louder this time that makes one of her five brothers stick his head in, with giant headphones over his ears, "Priya c'mon I'm in a game—" He holds out his Xbox remote, "try to keep it down, will you?"

Priya rolls her eyes and motions towards me, "I have a guest, Aamir."

It's my turn to roll my eyes. Aamir glances at me and blushes under his dark skin, "T-Tessa, y-you're here," he tries to smooth down his hair but fails and it stays stuck out. Aamir has had a crush on me for as long as I can remember, when he was six and I was ten he gave me a ring made out of dried-up gum (which is disgusting to think about but was kind of cute). Now he's fifteen and I'm eighteen, and he shoots his shot every moment he can with me before I leave for college—if I leave for college.