book club

two || new girl

The drive to the church where the book club is held consists of my mother repeatedly asking me to take my feet down from the dashboard, and her constant whining over the genre of music that currently blasted from the speakers.

"You could've at least done something with your hair." She says.

I play with the ends of my limp brown hair that falls past my shoulders. "I brushed it..." I reply.

She attempts to run her fingers through a tangle near the ends and I slap her hand away.

"Mother, I am seventeen. This isn't you taking me to church when I was five, dressed in my best. You're killing my vibe." I complain.

She furrows her brows and frowns. "What vibe? Are you a hippie?" She asks, masking her amusement in poorly veiled concern.

"Yes mother, I am a hippie. I was smoking pot all this morning whilst I jammed out to Bob Marley. And come to think of it, I haven't shaved for a good two months." I say.

"Don't be funny." She warns.

"I can't help it." I shrug.

When we arrive, the front door to the church is open and a man stands out in front. He's wearing a green t-shirt, khaki shorts, and brown sandals. His hair is just above is shoulders and his arms are covered with braided bracelets. Definitely a hippie.

"Welcome!" The man bellows.

I duck behind the car and my mom frowns at me.

"Hello, you must be Jaxson. This is my daughter, Lea. We're new to town." She says warmly.

The man reaches out as if to invite me into his embrace, but I stay put, staring at him with my arms crossed over my chest.

"Lea, say hello." My mom says. Her jaw is tense and she jabs me in the stomach with her elbow.

"Ow. Yeah, hi, my names Lea, your name is Jaxson. I'm going inside." I grumble.

My mother continues to ramble to the hippie, even when I step inside the wooden church. It was a bad idea, I should've ran while I had the chance. Five heads and ten eyes snap over to look at me. There is a boy with red hair, a girl with blonde ringlets that frame her face, a another girl with straight black hair, a boy with a buzz cut and the last person I lock eyes with has messy brown curls pushed back under a snapback.

"Hey babe, what's your name?" Curly asks.

I frown at his pet name and knock his hat back and onto the floor.

"My name is Lea." I reply flatly.

"Lea... You must be the new girl."