That Girl With the Blue and Purple Streaks

Chapter 1

The lunchroom's chatter rang in Tamara's ears and got louder with nearly every minute passing. Girls gossiped and laughed about things that wouldn't help them get anywhere in life. Guys talked among each other while some sat with their girlfriends and others tried to flirt with girls in and out of their league.

Tamara actually felt remorse for them, although she didn't want to. She knew at least 3/4 of the cafeteria was failing classes. She had helped teachers grade the tests, quizzes, homework, and classwork they've handed out; there was no way that most of them were graduating.

Fortunately, not everyone was like that: getting 60% and lower on their work. There was probably only about several kids, including herself, that cared about their careers after high school. All everybody else thought about was their boyfriends, outfits, hairstyles, and popularity. It was a shame really. When they get older and have kids, they'd probably say something like "Remember, when you get to high school, popularity is everything."

Tamara was snapped out of her thoughts when she suddenly felt a cold sensation slip down her whole body. It only took her a matter of seconds to realize the cold feeling was milk. The white liquid dripped down her straight, jet black hair, off her red button-up shirt, black jeans, and slipped into her combat boots. The drink streamed down her face and dripped on the table. Everyone in the cafeteria burst out laughing at the event while it only took Tamara a few more seconds to realize who had done the dastardly deed.

It was Haley Clarke, the prettiest and most popular girl in school. She was every man's dream, a cliché blond with sky blue eyes that hypnotized anyone into doing her dirty work. She literally had a new guy wrapped around her finger nearly every week. She wore a navy blue tank top with a white skirt that reached before her mid-thigh with blue flats. A blue clip pinned up and helped hold together a bun in the back of her head while bangs framed around her face.

A smirk danced across her face as her posse stood behind her like the lost puppies they were.

"Oops, sorry Tame Her. I didn't see you there," Haley apologized in her taunting tone. She had come up with that horrible nickname when Tamara was a freshman and had refused to do her homework. Somehow, she had also hypnotized everyone else in school and managed to get them to call her that too. Tamara stood and turned to face the girl and her crew. A mocking smile grew upon her face as the cafeteria got quiet to hear her comeback. She then gave Haley a false-sympathetic look.

"It's okay Haley," she started. A smirk grew across Haley's face, and was quickly wiped off from the next words that came out Tamara's mouth. "I know you weren't paying attention. Besides, who can pay attention when all they're thinking about is who they're gonna sleep with next?" She shot back with a fake-friendly smile to match her look.

A few snickers came from various people while others waited for Haley to say something back, just to laugh and cheer her on. "Oh, well you.. Um," Haley stammered out. She looked around, fearful to lose the worthless argument, before her eyes landed at Tamara's neck. "Yeah, well at least my father is still with my mother. My father doesn't go around sleeping with a bunch of random whores."

The school burst out laughing and that sent Tamara over the edge. Her confident smile immediately changed into a frown. Nobody, and she meant nobody, could ever speak about her family like that. She gripped at the necklace around her neck. The chain reached just below her chest and had a large heart with diamonds on various places. She didn't even remember who gave it to her. She'd had it for so long she didn't even remember when she got it. The fact that Haley thought she had the right to say that about her and that people in the room thought it was funny infuriated her to no end. She looked down at her feet, her face turning red with anger and her soaked hair hung in front of her face as she looked up at the blonde before her with her pale, green eyes.

Haley laughed, "Oh, have nothing to say now? I'm sure you had a lot to say when-"

Smack!

The sound of Tamara's hand hitting her face echoed throughout the lunchroom.

"You know what? I'm sick and tired of you thinking you have the right to do whatever you want, when you want, just because you want to! Welcome to the real world, Ms. Princess! This place isn't a castle and you aren't royalty so quit acting like you rule the world and everyone else, because you don't! And the next time you talk smack about my family, I will smack that bucket-load of make-up you put on everyday off of your face!"

Haley turned her head back in shock and before she could say a word, Tamara dashed out of the cafeteria and the school. The sound of the kid's laughter rang through her ears as she ran through the streets.

"Yeah, well at least my father is still with my mother. My father doesn't go around sleeping with a bunch of random whores."

Tears sprang into her eyes as the painful remarks and laughter of the cafeteria echoed in her head but she blinked them back. How could they think that was funny? Scratch that - how could anyone think that was funny? Her parents were divorced; her father was a drunkard and her mother was barely ever home, busy working her butt off to pay for food and rent. Anytime she saw her father, he could barely remember her name and her mother would rush out the house just before she could say "Good morning."

Those ignorant pricks, Tamara though bitterly. If anyone deserves to be made fun of like me, it's them - especially Haley. Who in their right mind would laugh at something like that? Haley deserves what she got, and I'll happily hit her again.

Tamara slowed down to a stop, panting heavily. She looked around before realizing that she knew exactly where she was. A smile stretched across her face, despite the anger and sadness she had just felt. She soon found herself dashing down the block.

"Please be open, please be open." Tamara muttered over and over to herself. She made a left at the end of the block and stopped right in front of a store. Her face lit up at the sight of a certain shop open. "Yes!"

"Tamara? Is that you hun?" A voice called from behind her. She quickly turned around only to see just the person she was looking for.

"Dominique!" Tamara wrapped her arms the tall, dark-skinned woman before her. Dominique Richardson had dark eyes and frizzy, black hair. She wore a white tank top with the word "Gorgeous" written across the chest part. She also wore light-blue, ripped-up jeans that tightly fitted her legs and white open-toed boots that barely went past her ankles. She wore light concealer, clear lip gloss, and white eyeshadow. Her eyes went wide as she looked down at the teen before her.

"Oh hun, what'd they say now?" Dominique asked sympathetically. She knew how much of a hard time Tamara had fitting in with other kids.

"Its Haley. She.. She talked about mom and dad," Tamara managed to let out although it was taking all her will power for her to avoid bursting out crying.

"What'd she say?"

"That my father likes to sleep around with whores and tried to rub in my face that her parents are together while mine aren't." Dominique grabbed Tamara's shoulders before flinching slightly. The black-haired teen looked up at her in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you so cold? And-" Dominique placed a hair on Tamara's hair before observing her clothing. "Why are you so wet?"

"Haley did that. It's just milk." Dominique sucked her teeth before pulling Tamara into the shop that stood before the two. A large sign that read "Playhouse Café" in red and blue neon lights ran across the near top of the building; the words gleaming brightly.

"C'mon hun. Let's go get you cleaned up. It may just be milk but God knows where that blond bimbo might have gotten that milk from."