Following Her Heart (CURRENTLY EDITING)

Chapter 10

"I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS."

"Oh, don't worry. You're going to look great!" said Amanda enthusiastically.

Putting the outfit back on that my mom had told me not to wear a half an hour ago I was now putting back on-in the girls restroom of the school. I didn't feel very confident about this rebellious decision, but Amanda's assurances helped- a little.

"Come on, we'll be late for class," she urged. "Oh my goodness, wait!"

"What?" I asked anxiously stopping.

"You need some make-up on before you 'appear'." She started to apply mascara, eye shadow, then bright red lipstick on my face. "Amanda, my mom-" I began to protest.

"Oh, don't worry about your mom. This will be good to show her after school-a sign you're growing up," snapped Amanda, sounding frustrated.

"I don't think she'll take it that way," I said weakly, feeling vulnerable under Amanda's strong influence.

"You'll do fine," she said simply but firmly. "Besides, you're in high school, girl. Start acting like it and show you've grown up."

We walked into my world history class. Everyone glanced at me weirdly. Oh, great, this was a really such a bad idea Amanda. Why'd you make me do this? I thought.

Danny began to wave when he saw and recognized me, then looked-well, looked, shocked. At my appearance. Whatever I was wearing. Or whatever.

"Hi Hannah," was all he managed to say.

Why did he have a problem with what I was wearing? I asked myself. At the bottom of all of this, of buying the new outfit, of going against my mom's wishes, I had been doing it, strange but very true to admit-to perhaps get Danny's attention, or some guy's attention. He seemed like a super cool and nice guy. What if he would notice me? That was my motive in all this. So why wasn't it working?  I thought to myself full of a lot of anxiety in my new outfit and globs of make-up Amanda had put on me.

Most of the class was just staring at me. I moved around uncomfortably in my seat. What a terrible day this is. And its only my second week in high school!

~~~

Thank goodness, Ana had called in sick today, I considered at lunch that day. I wouldn't want my new best friend to see me like this. I was sure Amanda at lunch would come over, apologize for the whole idea, and ramble on how such a bad idea it had been.

No way.

She just said how great I looked, and what a knock-out I was in class.

Seriously? I was the most unpopular girl at the moment. How could she say something like that?

"You're going to be more popular than anyone I have ever seen," she continued to my unbelieving ears.

"Amanda, I don't think any of this was a good idea. Sorry to stop your ideas, but I don't think it'd be good to go through with this," I said, but not with the determination in my voice I should have had.

"Nonsense, we're best friends now and today after school we are going to do even more shopping."

"WHAT?!" I thought to myself, freaking out inside. Should I just let Amanda make me into a model girl, or should I stick to what my mom had told me to do? What if God wasn't approving of what I was doing? Of course, God doesn't approve of what you are doing Hannah Alynsworth. you're directly disobeying your mother. Oh, be quiet! I said. Amanda looked at me with a shocked and weird expression on her face. "Sorry, I was talking to myself," I told her, embarrassed I had said that aloud.

I am going to be me, no matter what my parents think. It's time I grow up, I said, telling myself firmly, quietly this time.

Despite saying that to myself, I still had a gut feeling inside of me that I really was making the wrong choice.

But I ignored that gut feeling that had always at least helped me make good choices in the past. A couple of Amanda's friends came over during the second half of lunch break and took notice of me. Some of the most popular girls at school! Being in style is a fun and good thing after all, I voiced to myself silently, smiling and enjoying all the attention, a lot.

~~~

I am so sorry I haven't updated for you guys for a whole week! I had school and other things I needed to work on, so I couldn't update as soon as I usually do. Let me know what you think of Hannah's choices she's making, and if you think it's okay, because of her reasons to do so. Anyway, hope you guys liked it. Don't forget to vote if you did! ;)