One Of the Boys [An All Time Low Fic]

One Of the Boys

Chapter 3,

While in Macy’s, we walked by my most dreaded spot. Makeup counters, ugh… I never messed around with makeup. Even to Homecoming, I wouldn’t wear makeup or heels. I didn’t think it was worth it, and I still don’t. I tried to walk by them fast, but Adrianna grabbed my arm and said, “Hey, let’s check out the MAC counter!” She yanked me over to this counter filled with crazy colored makeup. I sighed and tried to break free, but she held me in a death grip. “Come on, Elizabeth. I’ll bet you’ll like something here.”

I yanked away from her. “You must be forgetting, Adrianna, I don’t even wear eyeliner or lip gloss. Makeup is a no!” I tried to walk away, but she grabbed me and pulled me back.

A young lady walked up to us and asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

I started to say no, but Adrianna talked over me and said, “Do you have any lipstick or mascara that you think might be good for my friend here?”

That pissed me off. Why was Adrianna trying to control my life? Maybe I liked not wearing makeup, fancy clothes, and high heels! Maybe I liked smelling like the inside of a baseball mitten! Maybe I liked the nicknames, “diesel dyke,” and, “Lezzy Lizzie!” I yanked away again and said, “Adrianna, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but me plus makeup equals a big N-O with a cherry on top!” I turned to walk away and find everyone else.

When Adrianna got back from buying makeup, she started to tell the others what had happened at the makeup counter. “So, has Liz always been against makeup the way she is now?”

Claudia continued to thumb through the junior clothes and said, “Makeup, nice clothes, heels. Anything that’s girly is pretty much Satan to Liz.” She smiled at me in a teasing way. I flicked her off.

Adrianna then said, “But I don’t understand. I mean, you’re so pretty, Liz. You could be so much prettier if you just used a little eyeliner. Maybe comb your hair and leave it out of the ponytail.” She went to reach for my ponytail dangling out of the back of my head, but I pulled away from her.

Alex chuckled and said, “Good luck with that, Addie! Liz-Beth here has never even worn eyeliner and I don’t even think you own a dress do you, Liz?”

That hurt. I know Alex is my best friend and he knows me better than I know myself, but it still hurt to hear that that’s what he thought of me. “I do own a dress! Remember? I wore a dress to Homecoming this past year when I went with Dawson?”

He laughed. “Oh yeah! You did. She went with Rian last year as friends, so she does own a dress, but that’s probably the only time I’ve ever seen you in one, Liz.”

I rolled my eyes. “Are we done talking about how un-feminine I am for one day?”

Jack spoke up next. “Well, it’s not that bad, Lizzie. I mean, you are the reason our girl’s basketball team has gone to Nationals every year.”

“And I never have to worry about any mean girls talking shit about me behind my back because you’ll kick their ass in a heartbeat!” Claude said enthusiastically.

I shrugged. “It’s not exactly something I could be proud to tell my kids in the future.”

Alex laughed again and said, “You have a lot of good points, Liz-Beth. Like, you’re tougher than I could ever be, you’re not afraid of anything, and you’ve got amazing determination. So what you’re no beauty queen?” He nudged me playfully. “You’ll always be one of the boys!”

My heart sank. Just one of the boys forever. Yeah… No hope of a guy loving me because I was beautiful. Just the girl who could take down any guy that got in her way. I knew instantly why Alex chose Adrianna over me. In that instant, my brain started forming a spectacular plan.

When school started in a week, no one would be saying that Elizabeth Schechter was “one of the boys.” Starting next week, I would be a beauty queen.