The Final Four

Prolouge

 

“Look at that one!” screamed Mia.

I chuckle at my little sister’s ignorance. She has no idea that those twinkling ‘stars’ are really planes, flashing by on their course.

I’m sitting in the back seat for once, in my own silence. Mia is in the front seat making herself comfortable. The car’s driver is my mother, and I know she’s not pleased with Mia and her ‘stupidity’, as she might call it. I, on the other hand, would call it innocence, something she took away from me when I was younger.

“Now, Mia, don’t be stupid! It’s a plane, darling.”

I should seriously be a gambler I was so good at determining responses from my mom. Mia looks disappointed, like she’s been shot down, but I just sigh. It’s no use. I never know what to say to cheer her up anyways. Mia looks up to me tons, and I wish she wouldn’t. She’s such an annoying little six year old; I swear I could just pull out my hair half the time. We’re headed back home from a charity event, and my whole face is bunched up in a smile. Let’s just say, hot guys go to charity events.

My mom looks at me and scrunches her eyes. “I didn’t think you actually liked charity events, Hazelline.”

My whole face drops into a scowl as I realize she’s going to ruin this night if I don’t shut her up.

“It’s Hazel, thank you very much.”

I hate my full name with a passion and she insists she use it in public as well. Who the hell thinks of that name anyways? I love the name Hazel, but Hazelline? She was probably on crack, no doubt. Not a lot of people know this, but the strict business woman of a mother I have used to be a hippie. She tries to hide that fact from a lot of people, but I throw it in her face every second. She did some serious drugs back then, and I’m guessing that’s where my hippy like name came from.

“Oh Hazelline, sometimes you are such a disappointment,” my mother chastised me.

I roll my eyes at her usual response to everything I do. I adjust my black heels, and my skimpy white dress. It hugged every curve I had, and I used that to my advantage tonight, trust me. The girls would be waiting for me at home. The girls being my friends Jo, and Violet. Jo’s real name is Joanna, but we know how annoyed she gets when people call her that.

Violet’s the prettiest, and we all know why she’s called violet. Her rare violet eyes sparkle at every boy who approaches her, and it’s hard enough being her friend. That’s why I keep my boyfriends away from her, though I love her like a sister. She’s got this beautiful, soft dark brown hair too. It goes on for miles, and when she puts it in a braid she looks gorgeous. Then again, she looks gorgeous all the time. Jo’s got blonde hair with green eyes. I’m the dullest of the group with a simple brown hair, and blue eyed look. All the girls at school call us the Popeye girls. Get it? Because our eyes POP! Ha, ha, ha. God, people can be so unoriginal.

Anyways, being the dullest of my group is so annoying. Every guy gravitates towards Jo and Violet like they’re magnets. It’s like, hello; if I surround myself with ugly girls THEN will you notice me? I won’t ever let my reputation down like that though. I’m not THAT stupid. I will always stick with my girls.

I glance at the clock and wonder if, when I come home, Eric will notice the hickey on my neck that I tried covering up with make-up. Eric’s my boyfriend, and yeah he’s okay. But sometimes he just gets on my nerves with his clingy like attitude. The boy needs to back off. Whatever, I’ll probably break up with him anyways.

I remember today’s event in great solitude and wonder if I’ll ever get to see Jane again. Jane’s been the quietest nerdish girl in school, and she’s been Violet’s, Jo’s, and my target since who knows when. But ever since Violet made fun of her today I’ve had this really weird feeling like I should have stood up for her. Even though I’ve never ever felt this way about Jane since like ever. She’s really annoying.

“Hey, mom? Can we stop at Sonic? I am hungry for some food!” I yell to her.

My stomach rumbles as if to make her believe I really am. My diet hasn’t been working out too well, but I also haven’t gained any pounds. Let’s just say my metabolism is fast. I don’t really gain weight, it’s not my thing. It’s more of Jo’s thing. That’s what she struggles with. I only struggle with staying out of detention. Violet’s absolutely perfect, so there’s really no struggle there.

She hardens her eyes and stares at my flat stomach. But then she has this lightening of her eyes like she’s having an epiphany of some sort, and I kind of want to laugh. Great timing, mom.

She purses her lips, glances at Mia, and then swings toward the exit for Sonic. No words are spoken but I know tonight is rare. My mom’s a hard ass, and ever since dad and she have been fighting she’s been worse. I look at the brightly coloured Sonic in the far away distance off the exit. It’s like a beautiful treat to a weird day.

I see Mia pounding her fists against the dashboard yelling, “SONIC. SONIC. SONIC!”

I also see my mom yell at Mia to stop being a brat, as she takes her hands off the wheel.

What I don’t see is the flashing headlights swirling towards me. I’m too busy thinking about Jason, the boy who was so mysterious enough to kiss me. I don’t even bother to tell my mom to put her hands back on the wheel.

Life goes by faster than you think, and in a mere second you can be forgotten. Every thought, word, and moment that’s been in your life is wasted, and thrown away by a single slam of a car. And it all happened in an instant for me.

The worst part? I didn’t even see it coming.