Sunset

Chapter 1: Perfect

"Rue! Your going to be late for school!" My mom yelled from downstairs. I was applying my new mascara, which luckily, actually worked pretty good. I looked at myself in my mirror that hung above my dresser. I had my cheerleading outfit on, a light blue, black, and white tank top with a skirt that matches, and a black jacket. I had on white tennis shoes and a white bow tied in my half up half down bleach blonde hair that I had died yesterday. My makeup and clothes were perfect.
"Coming mom! I shut my bedroom door and ran downstairs. I kissed my mom on the forehead and grabbed my cheer bag, my backpack was already in my car. "Love you, mom." I said as I grabbed my gas station coffee my mom had picked up on her way from work. "Love you too. Get home quick, okay?" She said, reminding me of the party tonight. "Yes maam." I replied.
I walked out the door, the cold morning air hitting my bare legs. I ran to my car, which I had started earlier so I wouldn't be freezing. I jumped in and threw my cheer bag in the backseat. I turned on the radio and flipped stations until a Demi Lavoto song came on. I pulled out of our gravel driveway and started to school.
As soon as I got there, I ran to the gym locker room to put my cheer bag in my locker and check my make up. "Heyo Rue!" My best friend Skyler said. She was my co captain for the team and she was super flexible, just like me. "Hey sexy! Your looking nice today." I complimented her, as per routine for us. "Oh thanks, I already knew that though. New mascara I see? Very nice." She said. She knew me like she knew our cheer routines. I laughed, and we took several Snapchats and selfies for instagram.
"I guess we better get to class huh?" I asked sadly. I hated my first period, which was algebra. " Not for me! Remember my new schedule? I have a free period first. Ta-ta bestie." She blew me kisses. I laughed and walked out and into the gym. Just as I turned the corner to go into the hallway, my boyfriend, Landon, walked in. He was a the football quarterback for our school. "Hey baby." He said grabbing my waist and pulling me closer. I smiled "Hey." He kissed me, letting his hands fall to my ass. "Nope... Not until tonight." I said, guiding his hands back to my waist. He groaned. "Baaabe. That's too long."
"Sorry. You'll just have to wait." I tapped his nose, getting closer than necessary to tease him. "Where are you going?" I asked, wondering why he wasn't at the football field doing morning practice. "Coach let us off this week, seeing as the dance is coming up, he dosent want us smelling bad and not getting dates. Not that I have to worry about that right?" He asked, smiling. "Of course not. I already have my dress." I said. "Okay babe. I have to go get my backpack, and you are late." He said right as the bell rang. "Shit. Bye, love you!" I yelled over my shoulder as I ran to math class.
As Mr. Baker preached about stupid equations and expressions, I texted my friend June, who was a base for the team. "Hey gurl" I texted her. "Hey u wassup?" She asked. "Nm, just tryna not pass tf out. Baker is sooo boring." I said. "Ikr. He is kinda sexy tho." I giggled, covering my mouth at the last second. "Dude, he is like, 40 and has an old lady wife that feeds him pie" I texted. It was true, his wife was sixty and he was twenty nine. They got married as soon as he turned eighteen, everyone knew she was a cougar, but he didn't care.
"Ik idc tho. I might try to get w/ him today after class to raise my grade. Think it's a good idea?" She asked. She couldn't be serious. Who knows what STDs this guy has gotten from his wife. "Ig just be careful k? Ask him if he's been tested." I said against my better judgement. "K. Thanks for looking out for me bestie." She replied. "Np."
Several classes passed by. The most boring day this week by far. The day passed on for infinity. But eventually I home. I ran upstairs. I threw off my clothes and slipped into a short black party dress. I put on some heels and waved my hair. I checked myself in the mirror. Perfect as always.
I drove to the party, getting there a little late because it was all the way across town and traffic was a nightmare. I walked in, and several boy's eyes turned from their dates to me. I smiled, paying them no mind. I knew my outfit would do this. It's why inpicked it out. Worked my way through a crowd of people and to the kitchen, where several bottles of beer rested in a cooler, along with some whiskeys and pina coladas. I grabbed one and asked Paul, Landon's best friend, where he was. "I think he is upstairs. Waiting for you." He winked and I giggled. I waved goodbye and walked upstairs. I opened the first door, a black one with a silver knob, and opened. I immediately saw London's back hovering over a small figure. I stopped. My heart stopped. My gaze dropped to her face. Skyler. It was Skyler. I backed up. "Babe, no, it isn't what it looks like. Landon shot up out of the bed and away from my naked "best friend". I ran down the stairs and back into the sea of people. I danced as much as I could, which was basically just swaying from side to side. I eventually sat down on a white sofa next to a girl named Izzy. She had long dirty blonde hair and was wearing a knee length navy blue dress. She was very pretty aside from the intense acne covering every inch of her face. "Hello Rue." She said politely.
"Hi." I muttered. I couldn't believe this girl was actually talking to me. "Having fun?" She asked, tilting her head at an angle and raising an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why would I not be?" I asked standoffishly. "Um I don't know, I was just trying to make conversation." She said, she sounded hurt. Good. I thought. Now she knows not to talk to popular people. I stood up and worked my way to the exit. I walked to my car and turned it on. I backed out of the small lot and drove off. I drove in silence for several minutes. Then I switched to the first channel that didn't have live songs. The first song that came on was "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" by Panic! At The Disco. I let myself melt into the words. The lyrics pretty much summed up my situation. I sang at the loudest possible decibel I could reach and drove myself to a Wal-Mart parking lot, where I listened to a "heartbreak" playlist on spotify. After doing that for about 30 minutes or so, I decided to go back home.
I slammed my car door and walked up the front steps. I opened to door to see my mom passed out on the couch with several bottles of beer on the ground next to her. "Great." I mumbled. "Now I have to deal with her in the morning." I walked quietly upstairs and ran to my room, locking my door behind me. I wiped all my make up off and stared at myself in the mirror. For the first time, I saw why he would wanted to cheat on me. I was fat. I had huge boobs and a huge waist and big thighs. My head was too round, and my eyes looked weird. I knew then I wasn't perfect. I was anything but perfect. I cried myself to sleep.