The Price of Beauty

I

Eva exited her first class and pushed past the swarming sea of school kids as best as a mousy girl like her could.

"Excuse me, sorry. Excuse me," she mumbled. An older boy accidentally shoved her shoulder back with his own, and the books Eva was holding tumbled out of her arms and onto the floor.

"Watch it!" the boy yelled down to her as she scrambled to pick her things up. The other boys around him laughed as they left, too bothered to offer a helping hand.

"Sorry," Eva whispered, even though they were out of earshot by now. A lot of papers had flown out of her books and she scurried to pick them up. She noticed one had drifted further down the side of the hall, and when she went over to retrieve it, a glittery white sandal stepped right on the corner of the page. Eva's breath caught as she looked up to see the prettiest (and bitchiest) girl in her grade, Lissa Fox--also head of Forest Creek High's upcoming Ball Night--towering over her. Her little clique was right by her side, as they always were. And surprise, surprise--none of them liked Eva, at all.

Lissa smirked. "What's this?"

Eva gulped as she glanced at the paper Lissa had trapped. Oh no, she thought when she realized what was on it. Eva tried snatching it back, but Lissa was quick to pull it toward herself with her foot. She bent down and picked up the page as Eva stood, her face reddening as Lissa began to snigger and show her friends Eva's in-class doodle.

"Oh god, would you look at this shit?'" Lissa said as her cronies giggled.

Eva had drawn a cartoon of herself and Vince holding hands with a big heart surrounding them. Sharpie marked stars scattered the rest of the page and underneath the heart was signed, "E x V".

"E x V?" Lissa sneered. "You mean you and Vince?" She scoffed. "You're a joke, you know that?"

Everyone snickered at Eva's humiliation. She had drawn that picture in her boring algebra class earlier and never thought it would come back to bite her in the ass like this. Eva tried grabbing at the paper again, but Lissa held it out of reach.

"I really wonder what Vince would have to say about it. Don't you, Eva?" Lissa said, emphasizing Eva's name like it deserved ridicule.

"Give it back, Lissa," Eva demanded meekly.

"Give it back, Lissa," Lissa mocked. "No, I think I'm just gonna save this. Who knows when I might need it." She smiled slyly as she folded up the note and put it in her handbag.

Eva's eyes brimmed with tears. Her face felt hot as passing students whispered around her. She wanted Lissa to drop dead, she really did.

"Just g-give it back," Eva pleaded with a wavering voice.

The girls only laughed at her more.

"You're so sad, you know that? A sad loser. Do you really think Vince will ever give you the time of day?" Lissa snarled. She stepped forward until she was inches away from Eva's face. "Vince may be your friend for whatever reason, but he sure as hell won't ever love you. Do yourself a favor, and drop the fantasy." Lissa made a glance at Eva's overall appearance, and added, "You're too hideous for this world anyway."

And with that, she and her friends turned up their noses and strutted down the hall. Tears of hurt and humiliation streamed down Eva's cheeks as she ran past other students and into the girl's bathroom. She shut herself in a stall and cried quietly. Once again, Eva wished she were a completely different person.

~~*~~*~~

The halls cleared out as second period was about to start. Eva stepped out of the bathroom and looked around for any sign of Lissa and her crew lingering by. The coast was clear, so she went to her locker and pulled it open.

Eva took out her textbook, Truths in Fables, and shoved her algebra materials inside. Oh how she despised even thinking of algebra now. It only reminded her of the disaster from earlier. She wondered anxiously about when Lissa planned to use that paper to ruin her life. Eva couldn't have Vince knowing how she really felt about him; it would destroy their whole friendship. He wouldn't speak to her again. He would think she was a sad loser, just like Lissa always said she was.

Eva closed the locker and began heading to class. Halfway down the hall, she saw her best friend approaching, and her stomach fluttered.

"Hey monkey," Vince said with a grin, pinching her arm lightly. It was a nickname he came up with when they played on the monkey bars as kids.

"Hey," Eva replied with a weak smile.

"Something wrong?" Vince asked.

Eva realized she probably still looked a mess from crying earlier. But she wouldn't tell Vince what had happened, because that would also mean telling him about the stupid drawing. "Eh, it's nothing."

Vince nodded, though he looked like he didn't quite believe her. Either way, he let it go. "Okay then. Hey, do you think you could come over after school today? I got us--"

"Vince!" a shrill voice called from down the hall. Eva groaned. It was none other than Lissa. Of course.

Vince smiled as Lissa hurried over. "Hey, what's up?" he said, giving her a hug. Eva wanted to sink into a hole and never come out as she watched Lissa and her best friend make eyes at each other.

Lissa proceeded to block Eva out of Vince's way and ignore her completely.

"How's it going?" she flirted, her smile mega-wide, and to Eva--mega-gross too.

"Pretty good actually, now that you're here," he said, glancing at the large Ball Night poster on the bulletin board next to them.

"Really?" Lissa practically shrieked out.

Eva cringed. She did not like where this was going.

"I was thinking..." Vince paused. "Uh.."

"Yeah?" Lissa urged him.

Eva's insides shriveled. Don't tell me... DON'T tell me...he's gonna--

Vince took a deep breath and said, "You wanna come to Ball Night with me?"

The blood drained from Eva's face, and her heart shattered into a million and one pieces. Lissa was smug at first, then she flashed Vince her most picture perfect smile.

"Yes! I would love to!" she answered excitedly, throwing her arms around him.

The elated look on Vince drove Eva over the edge. She had had enough of this and didn't want to stick around this sickening scene anymore. Eva dropped her book near Lissa's feet and ran down the hall, away from them.

"Oh!" Lissa yipped as the book almost hit her heel. "Watch where you throw your shit, you freak!"

Vince frowned and pulled away from Lissa. "Eva, wait!" he hollered. "Where are you going?"

Eva didn't answer, nor did she turn around. With fresh tears pouring out, she burst through the main doors and didn't dare look back.