.:Awake:.
It was early June, but the heat was already setting in. I could feel the sweat collecting at the back of my neck and seeping through the thin T-shirt that I wore to bed; my long blonde hair clung to the sides of my face and down my back as I peeled the thin covers back and sat up. The sun filtered through my blinds and bounced off of my mirrors and floors, making my room even warmer. I climbed out of bed and escaped the heat of my bedroom.
In one motion I swept my hair up out of my face and into a pony tail. The house was silent and calming; it was almost as if I were alone. I knew I only had a couple of hours before the triplets, Jenna, Addison, and Kennedy, woke up, and soon after so would Mom and Dad. I crept down the stairs, daring not to make a noise. Once I was in the kitchen, I grabbed a bowl and some cereal, not bothering to check what kind, and started eating. As I sat at my kitchen table, I watched as the world wake up.
The birds began to sing not far out the window, and soon after, I heard crying and footsteps upstairs. The sun rose over the trees and light spilled into the kitchen, splashing all over the kitchen floor. A shower started above me, and outside I heard the squeal of Mrs. Arnold's old Volkswagen next door. Soon my father appeared next to me, drinking his morning tea and reading the paper; he always said that coffee was too cliché. My mother came soon after, holding a chubby baby in each arm and a beaming smile on her face.
"Stella could you baby sit tonight? Your father and I are going out to a banquet later and we don't want to worry about finding someone on such short notice," Mom asked, not even bothering to hear my answer before she darted out of the room, a cinnamon bagel in hand. I hate my sisters. Ever since they were born I've been completely pushed away by my mother, and all they do is ruin things. You'd think that by two they'd know better. Of course I'd be stuck watching them all night. That's all I'm ever good for these days.
I must've rolled my eyes because Dad gave me a 'you-had-better-keep-your-mouth-shut' look. I only pushed myself out of the chair I was sitting in and cleaned up the mess I had made. As I washed out the bowl and spoon that I used Dad asked, "So what do you have planned for today?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing in particular."
I'm not one to talk much. When I was finished with the dishes, I climbed back up the stairs and into the shower. Once I was done, I wrapped a towel around myself and began to walk back into my bedroom until I caught the image of myself in the mirror. I looked carefully, studying my average height, average skin tone, average blonde hair that reached just below my lower back, and my average blue eyes. Plain. That was the only word that came to my head when I saw myself. I blended into the crowd and went virtually unnoticed among many. In school I only had one friend, Charlotte.
She was the complete opposite of me. Tall with short, jet black hair and emerald green eyes. She was beautiful, funny, smart, outgoing. Perfect. She caught the attention of many as I stood behind her; her invisible sidekick. I don't hate Charlotte by an means. I just wanted to be like her.
I tore my gaze away from the mirror as I opened the door and walked into my bedroom, dripping water on the floor as I went. I slid off my towel and grabbed a pair of white shorts and a baby pink T-shirt. I didn't bother with any make-up since I'd just be meeting Charlotte for coffee. I shoved my feet in a pair of black flip-flops, grabbed five dollars off of my nightstand and headed out without saying goodbye.
~*~
When I walked up to JavaHut I could see Charlotte sitting in our normal seat through the window flirting with a guy that I didn't know.
Typical, I thought, holding back the intense desire to roll my eyes. As I pushed open the door and walked outside, Charlotte dismissed the disappointed looking boy by calling out, "Stelly! I've missed you so much!"
I offered up a small smile and gave in when she reached her thin, tan arms out for a hug. She pulled me in close and gave a tight squeeze before releasing me and pulling me along to the counter to order.
"Um," Charlotte muttered, biting her lip in a way that only Charlotte could pull off. "I'll have a caramel frappuccino with extra whipped cream."
I didn't bother looking at the menu before saying, "Chia tea."
We grabbed our drinks and sat down, a silence settling over for only brief seconds as Charlotte sipped her coffee and began chatting away. Almost impossibly fast she began, "So while I was in L.A. I met this gorgeous guy named Lucas, but he already had a girlfriend named Stephanie and I was like 'I'm going to flirt with him anyways.' So I walked up to him and was like-"
I started to turn her out. I never really cared for Charlotte's boy problems. She could have anyone she wants, so why worry? I thought back to those last few months of my junior year while she was gone. It was quiet and lonely. I say alone at a lunch table, ignoring the calls from Charlotte's other girlfriends to 'hangout' after school. I knew it would turn out badly; I'd rather be alone anyway. No one can hurt you if you're alone.
I looked down at my cup of tea, which is now room temperature and gross, and though about what life would be like if I weren't Stella MacPhee, the most boring person on earth. Would I have more friends? A boyfriend? Would I know what it feels like to be popular and have everyone like me? I shook my head. I didn't want that. I wanted something more. What it was, I didn't know, but I wanted it. So badly that I-
"Stella? Hello? Earth to Stella!" Charlotte chanted, interrupting my thoughts.
"What?" I asked, a bit annoyed.
She didn't notice. "Were you even listening?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Lucas and Stephanie right?"
"Um, no. I'm talking about Trevor and his twin brother Mike," she announced triumphantly. I nodded my head. I really didn't care about Trevor or Mike or Lucas or anyone. I stood up and tossed my tea, not having a single drink out of it and told Charlotte I had to go. As I walked down the sidewalk, my hand stuffed in my pockets and the sun beaming down on me, I thought to myself, I just want out of here.
