The marshmallow challenge was a load of crap. Did I have to stuff my mouth with marshmallows to gain friends? Apparently, I did. Thirty- eight marshmallows. It took 38 marshmallows for me to have a place to sit. For me to have people to talk to.
Was I proud of myself?
Yes. I mean I held the record.
But was I really proud of myself?
No. I didn't know you had to win something in order to have friends. What had this world come to? Of course I had to win. That's how people see things, right? You make the last goal and win the game, making you have more fans. If you had fans, you were cool.
And that's what I had. I didn't have friends. I had fans.
"I can't believe it, you made this challenge ten times better." Ben said as I took the last saliva covered marshmallow out of my mouth.
"I got beat by a girl." Clay said turning off his camera.
"She beat us all." Terri laughed.
"What other things can you do with your mouth?" Ben asked.
"I have to go to the nurse's office." I stood up. "Bye."
I left the cafeteria walking down the hall. Ugh, I was an awkward outcast, trying to fit in. This is not working out I'm just going to... ughhh!
"Hey, clam down." Clay said. "What did the wall do to you?"
"It got in my way..." I muttered. I held my hand in pain. It started throbbing telling me I had to cool it down.
"What's wrong?" He asked. "I thought you were going to the nurse's office."
"I needed an excuse to leave." I admitted.
"Is it really that hard for you to make a friend? You know what I think your problem is? I think you are afraid of showing anyone who you are. But in order to make one you don't have to show anyone anything. They all turn out to be fake either way."
"Are Ben and Terri-"
"Ben and Terri have been screwing each other for two months and a half. They think I don't know. The problem is we're friends, and if they are screwing each other than that makes me a third wheel. And I hate being a second, let alone a third choice. So I'm making you my first. I told you yesterday Amara, we're friends."
"It's not that easy."
"Nope, but I'm here to help, cause that's what friends do." He smiled. "And I care about my friend's health, so let's really go to the nurse's office."
He can't go with me! "No! I-I mean, I can go by myself."
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Friends." He reminded me. He put his arm around my shoulder and started to walk to the nurse's office.
Nurse Jones was talking to a student as we walked in. I was sweating as I stood, waiting patiently for Jones to finish. I didn't know if I was sweating because Clay still had his arm around my shoulder or if it was because Nurse Jones knows my secret and I'm scared it might slip out of his mouth.
Nurse Jones gave the girl a pass and let her leave the office. "Amara, is something wrong?"
"Mr. Jones, my friend Amara here punched a wall. She might need an ice pack."
"On a scale from one to ten-"
"I'm fine." I told Mr. Jones. "He's exaggerating."
"Okay, I think I can take it from here. Amara will be fine." Nurse Jones told Clay.
YOU ARE READING
Raindrop
Romance"I met Amara Rowe the week she started school here. She watched as an old friend stuffed her face with marshmallows. She left after looking lost, so I followed her. She was by a trash can looking... frustrated. She threw away a paper and I picked it...
