The Mermaid Tale "If I Could Stand"

Charming

My fingers trembled as sweat dripped onto the paper. Ms. Kipper's large eyes were wide and expecting. I had to read this essay. Every eye in the class were on me. I glanced up at Christopher who was smirking. I sighed before taking a deep breath and reading it.

"An apple. An apple is a fruit-"

Someone in the class immediately starts laughing and my face burns so bad. Ms. Kipper shushes them and I adjust my eyes to start back where left off.

"An apple. An apple is a fruit. It's red and sweet and glistens in sunlight. Perhaps, the Snow White fairytale was right. Maybe, the apple was poisonous, and that's because the seeds to make it grow are. How are me and this apple the same? No, it's not because my hair is red, but because I give off a radiant beauty that hides my poison. You can't tell that I'm a liar or that I'm hiding anything, but you can suspect that I am. And for that, I'm an apple."

The class stays silent for a moments and everyone applauses. I breathe and glance at Ms. Kipper who is giving me a weird look.

"Interesting essay Anastasia." She says taking the paper from me. I nod and sit down in my seat. I turn and look at Christopher who winks. I blush.

"Hopefully, that'll teach you to never talk in my class again. You wouldn't want to write another one would you?" She asks.

"No mam." I say smiling.

Finally.

***
"Hey Anastasia!" I turn around and I see Alessandro with a soccer ball under his arm waving at me. I smile as I see his radiant bright teeth appear.

"Hey. How's it going?"

"It's been okay. I haven't talked to you in awhile. I heard Cassandra was pretty mad at you. You guys okay?" He asks as his eyes look to see her.

"Yeah um, we are okay. We haven't talked in sometime." I say flipping my hair over my back.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight."

My heart skips a beat. Was he serious?

"Wait, what about Bella?" I ask.

He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Bella, and I broke up a week ago." He says.

My mouth drops and I stop the urge to smile. I can't come off as desperate.

"I'm so sorry."

He nods.

"It's okay, I'm over it now. She cheated on me and that's okay with me. If she wants to sleep with a bunch of douche bags she can. It'll just make her a whore."

My face cringes and he slaps his head.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You seem mad about it still."

"It's a long story, and are you coming over or not?"

"I'll be there."

"After school I'll take you. Meet me in baseball diamond."

I nod and I wave as he jogs back to his friends. My smile curves all the way up and I squeal. This had to be the best day of my life.

After my last two classes I head to the library. I had stopped eating my lunch in the cafeteria because it was too loud and I was an extremely quiet person. I wanted peace.

"Psst, Apple head." I look and see Christopher sit across from me.

I smile as I eat my crackers.