Obscurity

Chapter 8

       

    Giselle arrived home about an hour after leaving school that afternoon. She had taken a longer route just because she wanted to think and listen to her music. She unlocked the front door and Gia came running to her, Giselle picked her up and let her lick her face.  She hung up her school bag and jacket in the hall closet and made her way to the kitchen. She grabbed a banana off of the counter and a bottle of Fiji water out of the fridge.  She began eating her banana as she walked to the dining room and opened the curtains to the sliding glass door she could see the pool out the window and it looked so inviting with her pink pool floaty that looked like a donut with sprinkles on it just floating around. She thought the weather was perfect tanning/ swimming weather and made her way up to her room to change.

    Giselle changed into her mint green bikini put some sunscreen on her face and stepped into her white flip flops, she made a stop at the hall towel closet and grabbed a neon pink towel and headed out to the pool. She jumped off of the diving board and swam to her floaty and just laid in it for a while thinking about Corey and how handsome he had looked that day in that leather jacket but then Nicole's face also flashed into her mind and the image of them at her locker dampened her mood again. She got out of the pool and wrapped herself in her towel and sat in one of the lounge chairs beside the pool trying to dry off.  Once she was dry Giselle made her way back into the house as she walked through the kitchen she noticed that Gia's food bowl was empty so she bent to scoop some food into the bowl. She grabbed the phone and called the automated attendance line so that her absence from school would be recorded and that way her mom wouldn't get a nasty call later saying that she had skipped school. Once she was done making her call she realized it was already quarter to four and thought school should be out by now. She ran upstairs and took a quick shower to wash off the suntan lotion and the chlorine out of her hair. Once she was done she wrapped herself in a towel and walked into her closet to pick out something to wear she had decided she was going to try to catch up with Amy that evening. She grabbed a pair of cut off shorts from the drawer in the closet a burgundy colored halter tank and pair of black strappy sandals. She put on the clothes and unwrapped the towel from her wet hair and scrunched it with mousse she put on some concealer, mascara and a nude lip gloss. She tied her black and white flannel with the numbers 86 printed in gray on the back around her waist grabbed her cross body purse then headed to the hall phone to call Amy.

Giselle dialed Amy's number and the phone rang four times, normally Amy got out of cheer practice around four thirty and it was almost five. Right when Giselle was about to hang up Amy picked up the other end, it sounded like she was out of breath. Hello Amy panted. Hey it's Giselle what are you doing? She told Giselle that she had just gotten home from cheer practice and barely made it to the phone. Giselle giggled and said that she could tell by the way that she sounded when she had answered. So what happened to you today where did you go? I started feeling sick in second period so I left for the day Giselle said. Oh said Amy. Well do you feel better now? Yea actually I do Giselle answered. I was wondering if you wanted to get together tonight and go to the mall or something? She asked. Umm sure you are gonna have to give me some time to take a shower and get ready though Amy said. I'm really sweaty Mrs. Carlson really gave us a run for our money today at cheer practice. Sure that's fine Giselle agreed do you think you will take more than an hour?  Nah said Amy if you want you can start walking over here that way we can just leave from my house to the mall.  Ok Giselle said. They said their goodbyes and hung up. Giselle grabbed her Walkman out of her school bag in the hall closet turned on the porch light for her mom in case that it was dark when she arrived home and walked out the door.

    Amy lived closer to the high school so it was probably a good mile to her house. Giselle took her time trying to give Amy plenty of time to get ready.  When she arrived at Amy's house she climbed the steps to the front door and rang the bell she could hear lots of different voices and people running up and down the stairs. Amy had two younger sisters Angela the youngest who was about eight years old opened the door and beside her was her little friend that lived down the street named Pam. She always seemed to be over at Amy's house playing with Angela. GISELLE!  Angela screamed. Angela loved Giselle it seemed like she looked up to her. Hey Ang! Giselle said as she patted her on the head on her way up the stairs. Amy! Giselle yelled as she headed up the stairs. I'm in my room! Amy yelled back. Giselle made her way down the never ending hallway that led to Amy's room passing by one of the many television rooms that Amy had in her house. She could see Amy's parents curled up on the couch watching the movie "Cujo". Hey Giselle! Amy's mom said as she walked passed Giselle waved at her and continued walking.

    Amy was sitting at her vanity blow drying her dirty blonde hair as Giselle walked in her door. She was wearing a grey and white maxi dress a cropped denim jacket and a pair of white Ked's sneakers. Hey there Amy said from under her mounds of hair. Are you almost ready? Giselle asked her. Yep she answered as she set her blow dryer down and proceeded to French braid her hair. So Corey asked me where you were in Algebra today Amy said looking up at Giselle. Giselle took a seat on Amy's window seat and said Oh really, what did you say? She asked turning to look out the window to avoid Amy's eyes. Of course I told him that I didn't know because I didn't. He looked pretty pathetic working on his assignment all by himself while everyone else in the class was paired up Amy said.  Giselle turned away from the window to face Amy again and said in a matter of fact way, well I'm going to talk to Mrs. Lawrence tomorrow morning and have her give me another partner because I no longer want to work with Corey. Amy stood up from her vanity and sprayed herself with some peach body spray. She looked at Giselle with a surprised look and asked. Well why on earth would you want to do that? Because it's too distracting Giselle responded matter of factly. Well it sounded like you two were hitting it off pretty well from the sounds of your ice cream "escapade" Amy reminded Giselle. Yea well it seemed like he was more interested in your buddy Nicole in College Prep this morning and didn't even acknowledge my existence so maybe he can partner up with her Giselle said stubbornly. Well! Amy said with her eyes opened really wide someone is jealous. I am not! Giselle said I just don't want to get my hopes up and get hurt and I  think I was starting to like him as you can tell from my note. Seeing how and how much he was interacting with Nicole I figured its best to keep my distance.  Uh huh Amy said not sounding convinced at all. Well I hope you are doing the right thing she said Corey seemed really disappointed when he saw that you weren't in Algebra.  Whatever said Giselle, he was just upset that he didn't have a partner.  I don't know Amy said maybe. Well lets' go she continued she grabbed her brown and tan Louis Vuitton tote bag threw a pack of gum a couple of hair ties and a pot of lip gloss in the purse , shut off the light to her room and walked down the hallway to the front door with Giselle trailing behind.