Girl, New

Chapter 10 - You Again?

MABEL

Deep breath. Just breath. Just walk past her. Don't make eye contact just keep staring at the ground. Walk fast... Faster!

Shuffling through the school hallway I whizzed past my personal demon. It didn't matter that I had zero idea where I was going. All that mattered was that I get away from her. A girl like her isn't someone I'd ever want to see again... Spotting a bathroom I burst through the door tears blurring my vision causing me to crash into someone. Fruit gum wafted into my nose as I heard a high pitched and very caffeinated voice.

"Oh m gee! Mabie are you okay-e?!" said Jessica her lips overly glossed making an "O."

"Oh... Hey yeah... I'm fine! I'm great! Everything is perfect!" Pushing past her I darted into a stall immediately locking the door.

"Are you sure? It looked like you were crying! Oh! Don't worry there's mascara somewhere in my bag..." I heard Jessica rummaging through her sparkly backpack. "Hey Mab? Can I come in? Or you get out? That would be kinda awks if we were both in there huh?" Not that I didn't appreciate Jessica's bubbly, yet ditsy, personality but all I wanted in this moment was to be alone.

"Um, hold on I'll be out in a second-"

"Ooo! I found the mascara! Huh... I've been looking for this one for like forever! I wonder if it's gone bad... Oh well!" The mascara tube and a manicured hand came from above the bathroom stall. Gingerly taking it I emerged from the safety of the stall.

"Oh no! Your mascara. It's literally all over your cheeks..." Jessica ran over to the paper towel dispenser wetting it and put it in my free hand.

"Thanks, Jessica."I started to wash the tear streaked lines on my face.

"Mabie, you should defs call me 'Jess' or 'J' except Tara usually goes by 'T' so maybe not..." Staring into an invisible thought bubble, Jessica paused for a long minute. "Anyways! Why you crying? School suck right? I'm probably failing math already if it makes you feel better." Rather than her usually ditsy personality Jessica's glossy lips tucked in.

"No it's not that... Don't worry about it. It's just school- you know the stress it's just already hitting." With the black off my face, I unscrewed the tube of mascara attempting to distract from my now red and puffy eyes.

"Hey well if you wanna like hang out with me and Tara and Claire you can. Oh! And there's this new girl who is SUPES cool, like the kind of girl who had juicy couture since elementary school cool. Ugh... I wish I could remember her name it was like so cool and different but not weird different. Did it start with an 'A?' oh no maybe it was "B" No! It started with a "D!" Ugh, I feel like I'm just singing the alphabet now."

"Yeah I bet she is 'supes' cool."

"And o-m-gee! She's been shopping all over the world too!" Jessica's eyes and hands lit up while letting out a girly squeal.

"You should tots meet her, c'mon." Her hand fastened around my wrist like a handcuff.

"No, no, no...That's alright. I have to get to class. Thanks, Jessica for the mascara."

"Sure Mabie! Let's meet for lunch, kay?" Jessica bounced out of the bathroom, the door solidly shutting behind her bouncy waves.

What am I going to do?

Staring back in the mirror was my pale freckly skin already creased with weary and defeat.

-

"Adios, mañana habrá una prueba. ¡Estudia!" ("Goodbye, tomorrow there will be a quiz. Study!)

Shoving the Spanish textbook into my backpack I waved bye, er 'adios,' to Sr. Evott. Next period was lunch still, I was dreading to sit with Jessica and of course the new popular member Evelyn. To shorten the time I made a pit stop at my locker. There was a not-so-stuble flash of a camera to my right, shielding my eyes I turned my head to see Nat lowering a disposable camera.