The Walking Trail

The Rosie Effect

August 2nd, 2024

At Yasmin's middle school absolutely, nothing happened. I mean there was the occasional fight or kid vaping in the bathroom but nothing movie worthy or entertaining. She should've known high school would be different.

She and her new friend from summer camp, Rosie, witnessed a borderline naked girl "protesting the dress code" and a kid shitting himself in the first hour.

"How have none of the administration given her a f- t shirt or something yet?" Rosie had been trying not to swear after their Christian summer camp, but she almost messed up about every sentence. At this point I think God would understand. Rosie looked a lot more innocent and younger than she was and every time she swore at camp people were shook.

"I'm no better than the coaches I've been staring this whole time," I admitted with a grin.

"I can't get over how you're still wearing that d-darn jacket!" she said lightly punching my shoulder.

During our gym class I had asked the kid who shat himself to hold it. He pushed up his glasses like it was the best thing to ever happen to him. Look, nobody told me what happened, and the school is very cold. 

"If only you had the willpower of the naked girl," Rosie shook her head. I started to feel bad knowing that's how we would address her for the rest of high school. During band whenever our section wasn't playing, Rosie would rant to me about something. I enjoyed how much she talked because I never had to. She had a high but soft voice and never ran out of stories.

"I still can't believe that girl. You know if someone did that at my old private school, they would've somehow gotten them in juvie," she sighed.

She was from a small very fancy prep-school a few towns over, and I used to make fun of it constantly. Those jokes got old after she told me about all the bomb threats and the real reason she moved here. It was only our second day, but I could see myself spending the rest of the year with her, after summer camp made us so close.

"I'm already really missing the summer. And the lake and our youth group leaders and the cabins. And not being here," I chuckled. Sure, Rosie made school more tolerable, but I wish I had someone else to lean on as well.

"I mean I never thought we'd be friends at first,"

"Why?"

"When I walked into our cabin you were laying on the floor listening to My Chemical Romance!"

"GREEN DAY"

"Bold of you to assume that's not the fucking same to me- oh I slipped,"

"See we do have to go back!"

I started thinking about the beautiful trails and skies when she interrupted.

"And then we spent the first 30 minutes of "sleep" trying to find your insomnia medication! I didn't know that was a thing," she laughed.

"But after that almost all-nighter you didn't leave my side all week,"

"I was pleasantly surprised,"

"I'm sure our cabin mates hated us with all the dance parties we had after lights out,"

"Probably gave them some interesting dream-"

"Girls in the back SHUT UP!" Mr. Donaldson shouted. He was already tired of us. Of course, Rosie actually played the flute well, but I was useless to him.