The Startup

Part 3

Walking out of her last class of the day, Shandelier found it weird that Penelope wasn't hiding behind a trashcan, or pretending to be walking past. Then she laughed to herself. It had only been a day at school, and she was already used to that girl being around.

While most of the kids made their way to the front of the school, all leaving, Shandelier worked against the crowd, heading to the principal's office. The principal had made an announcement, calling her to come at the end of the school day. Shandelier suspected it had something to do with her class schedules.

"So, once again, I want to welcome you to Coral High. If you need anything, be sure to pop right on in, I always have time for the students."

The Principal, Mrs. Moss, smiled as she spoke these words to Shandelier. She had informed Shandelier since she was late at signing up to school, it would take some time for them to get her schedules together, but assured her she would be able to go to class nonetheless.

As Shandelier was walking out the door, a assistant, Mr. Dawson, was entering. He held two cups out in front of him, and walking quickly, collided with Shandelier. One of the cups contents spilled onto her shirt. Thankfully, it was only ice tea. Not wanting to create a hubbub and get caught up at the school any longer, Shandelier had to brush it off.

"No, I'm serious, it's so fine. I can go wash it off and it will come right out," Shandelier said as she tried to assure the concerned Mr. Dawson and Mrs. Moss. "I'm going to go right down the halls to the bathroom, put some water on it, dry it a little, and it will be good as new. It's really good cotton, it doesn't stain easily."

She declined a dry clean offer once more, smiled extra brightly, said goodbye, and left. When she got into the bathroom, she gave a sigh of relief, happy that after cleaning her shirt, she could go home. She quickly headed over to the sink, and began rinsing her shirt. After a little while, she heard the door to the bathroom open, but didn't look up, being nearly done with the rinsing. When she was done, she headed over to the hand dryer, and let it blow for a minute or two.

When she was completed, she picked up her things, and turned to leave. But before she could make it to the door, she heard loud sniffling from one of the stalls. She growled to herself. She knew she should just head home. She told herself this year, she wouldn't be that girl that has to right every wrong she came across. But she thought about how it had to feel, ending one of the first days of school, crying alone in a bathroom stall.

She slowly turned back around, and approached the stall which the noises were coming from. She hoped it wasn't a girl crying about makeup, a boy, or clothes, like it was all the other times.

Knocking on the door quietly, she waited to see what level of drama this girl was at. But there was no response.

"Hey, I know you probably don't want me in your business, but I can't help but think how awful it must be...to have to cry in a cruddy bathroom stall all alone...you know, instead of going home to your own clean toilet."

Shandelier could have been mistaken, but she thought she heard a little snort through all the tears. Then she noticed through the crack of the stall, a pair of rainbow combat boots. It was Penelope.

At that, she pushed the stall to see if it was open. It wasn't, and realizing they probably should be long gone out of the school, she sighed.

"Hey...I know it's you Penelope. You already got me here, so you might as well open the door. Help a new girl out, let me be nice to you at least once today.

The door quietly unlocked, and Shandelier opened it, to find a messy faced Penelope sitting on top of the toilet. She had tears coming out of her eyes, and snot wetting her nose. Shandelier had seen many of crying girls, but the way Penelope was crouched on the toilet, her baggy sleeves wrapped around her, she felt a little hurt inside.

Penelope tried to suck up as much tears possible before she spoke. "I know...I...I said I would leave you alone....it's just," more tears began to well up as whatever was hurting her caused her more pain. "I thought...this year was going to be different. I really thought I had a plan-but...but that was just stupid, I was being stupid."

Shandelier could see another wave a crying was about to make its way out. She took Penelope's hand and helped her to stand up. "Tell me exactly what happened," Shandelier said sternly.

Penelope touched her hair, which looked even odder than it did that morning. "My hair...they cut some of my hair off."

Shandelier was scandalized. "Who?!? Who cut your actual- know what? Don't tell me. Because it's going to end up being a fist fight, and whoever it was, it's not worth it getting suspended. Do you want me to take you to the principal -,"

"No," Penelope all but shouted. She lowered her voice, "I don't want to be that girl who has to go to the grownups to get them to fight for her. That will just make thing worse..."

Shandelier was still heated. "Why would somebody even think of doing something so low, like, don't they know how much trouble they could get in. Is there any boundaries? I would have never...."

Shandelier trailed off as she realized talking about it was only making Penelope quietly cry to herself more. It seemed like she was trying to sink down into her shirt. She put her arms around Penelope in a comforting hug. "So how are you feeling about the hair thing?"

"It's ok, it grows fast...that's why they cut it...they know it will grow back. This...isn't the first time.... that they attacked my hair." Penelope spoke in a small voice, holding on tightly to Shandelier, like a baby koala. Though she wasn't happy, it was clear she was done with crying about it.

"Why do they keep attacking your hair?" Shandelier spoke carefully, trying to get to the bottom of the hair cutting mystery.

Penelope took a deep breath, "It's not just my hair they attack...but...it's because...it's like ...this," she held up a limp lock of hair.

Too Shandelier, it looked like hair that was heavily heat damaged, had been wet, and left to air dry.

"My family is Korean, and they all have straight hair except me. Nobody knows what to do with it," Penelope continued.

Shandelier smiled, "Sweetie, all you need is a really good conditioner, it will fix your hair right up. I'll help you find one-"

At that, Penelope looked up at Shandelier, her face brighter than the school stadium lights. Shandelier just realized the words she just spoke, most likely sounded like a lifelong friendship invite to Penelope. Shandelier frowned.

"Ok, well, I have to go, before I get shut in this school. And my mom is going to be so mad at how late I am," Shandelier said as she got up to finally leave out of the bathroom. Penelope happily followed behind her, voice still wobbly, but chattering nonetheless.

"So are you some type of hair expert?"

"No." Shandelier walked through the school halls, Penelope close behind her.

"Well you seem like it. I mean your hair is perfect, I suspect you do it yourself. And why is your shirt wet, it got me kind wet in fact-,"

"I have to go now, you should go home and wash your face up," Shandelier said when they reached the outside of the school.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early," Penelope said, as she waved goodbye, and skipped down the block.

Shandelier frowned again,"Yeah, and bring me a cupcake," she shouted after her.

Penelope gave her an excited OK sign from the distance.

Shandelier shook her head, and turned to walk home.