Only Once

Chapter Thirteen: Fantasies

 Chapter Thirteen: Fantasies

Time flew by and, before Erika knew it, it was already Friday during last period. To her surprise, Erika was finding herself to be rather anxious. Leaning forward in her seat, her fingers tapped an unknown rhythm on the desk and her long dark hair surrounded her face in thick, clumps of curls.

As she impatiently waited for the class to hurry up and end, Erika reflected on how she had actually made an effort to be like herself that morning. She was dressed in her normal clothes, had on makeup and was even wearing contacts. A+, Erika, looking absolutely gorgeous! as Melanie had squealed when she’d seen her that morning.

It was strange though. Albeit people were saying that Erika was returning to normal and acting more like “usual herself”, she wasn’t feeling like it. In fact, she wasn’t feeling anything. She didn’t know enough about whom she really was to be able to distinguish whether or not she was being herself.

Erika suppressed a giggle when she realized how none of her thoughts and thinking was making any actual sense. Another thought then occurred to her: Was this the real her? Daft, difficult and confused?

Why certainly not. That was the exact opposite of the “real” Erika. Or at least, she hoped so.

The bell then rang and Erika got up and made her way to her locker. Clearing her mind of any more drivel thoughts, Erika opened her locker and did what people normally did at their lockers: moved around books and binders while trying to determine what to take home and what to leave at school. 

“Erika! Are ya ready?” Melanie cried out in sing-song manner as her and Jenna approached her.

“Yes,”

“Did you bring a dress?” Jenna inquired.

Erika pulled a plastic bag containing her dress and shoes from her locker and nodded her head.

“Awesome,” Jenna exclaimed as Erika shut her locker.

“Okay so first we’re going to go to my house, where we’ll get ready and then we’re going to Isabelle Scott’s place and after that we’ll head over to the party.” Melanie said as they made their way outside.

“But why go to Isabelle’s?” Erika ventured.

Both Jenna and Melanie stopped walking.

“Are you feeling okay?” Jenna asked worryingly. Erika couldn’t help but noticed how much she sounded like a blonde bimbo despite being Asian. “We almost always meet up at someone’s placing before heading out. You know, to take pictures and make sure no one has the same dress as us.”

“Right yeah, I don’t know why I asked that. Silly me.” Erika muttered as they started walking again.

As they left the school and made their way to the parking lot to where Melanie’s car was parked, Erika’s eyes fell on Chade and his new girlfriend. They were both leaning against his car and he had what Erika had come to known as his genuine smile on his face.

She then examined the new girl he was dating with, surprisingly, no particular emotions or feelings towards her. She eyed the girls boot cut jeans, baggy sweater and messy hair. And then she looked away, not wanting to make any awkward eye contacts with each of them.

“You’re way prettier than her.” Melanie loyally said, knowing what Erika had sneaked a glance at.

“Yeah, like a lot prettier.” Jenna offered.

“Shut up,” Erika simply told both of them as they reached Melanie’s bright red Toyota and climbed in.

Erika sat in the back seat while Jenna sat in the front. Melanie drove since it was her car. As they pulled out of the school parking lot, Melanie blasted some loud pop music. Both she and Jenna started loudly singing along, knowing almost all of the lyrics.