High School at Laguna

Part 4

"Describe yourself in 5 words."

Disappointment. Alone. Crazy. Sad. Mistake. That's all the words I used to describe myself on the paper the counselor had given us. I looked up to see her walking to her computer. I looked around me and saw everyone in a group. My friends had gone for a Service trip to the animal shelter and it was going to take the whole day. I was sitting alone.

I looked back down at my paper and scratched the 5 words I had written and replaced them with some obvious words like: girl, short, and nice. I couldn't think of any more positive words. My mind kept going back to words like failure or good-for-nothing. I don't know why the counselor even thinks of doing activities like this. "This helps you understand yourself better", "This helps you know when you need help and where you may find it." Ms. Rita-our counselor- only pointed you towards the strangers and never really to the people we talk to everyday. She said that she would be able to give us proper help and understand us better than our friends. Everyone scoffed at that answer but she did not pay attention to that.

The activity dragged on for another 30 minutes. She came around and started to collect everyone's papers. I had just doodled on mine and thought of how it was just a waste of paper.

I was walking down to the parking lot when Serena stopped in front of me. She was flashing her wicked smile at me.

"I noticed you were sitting alone during last period today. Where were your friends?"

Some girls started to giggle behind me. I realized that Serena had brought her whole girl pack to torture me today.

"They went for a Service activity to the animal shelter." I replied as I looked for my bike.

"And they left you behind?" she said as she made a sad face. "That's so sad."

"Awwwwww," the pack empathized behind me.

"No, I couldn't go because I'm allergic to cat fur." I started to walk faster as I desperately tried to find my bike.

"Oh so you couldn't go because you have a problem. That's even worse than being left behind."

I saw my bike and let out a sigh of relief. I ignored Serena and started to walk away from her when she grabbed my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turned around to answer but she held her up to my lips to silence me.

"I wasn't done talking."

Looking down, I tried to pry my wrist free from her grasp but she just tightened her grip.

"Don't. Ignore. Me." She forced my chin up so I could match her gaze. Her eyes reminded me of icicles- cold, sharp, and deadly. "Look at me when I speak to you. I mean you should be grateful for the fact that the most popular girl in school gives you so much attention. Even though you don't even deserve half of it"

She was trying to make me feel small and worthless again. I tried not to care but she was hurting me physically.

Suddenly, she let go of me. I was a little shocked but mostly relieved to be free from her grasp. I looked down at my wrist and saw that it had gone red.

"Smriti."

I looked up when I heard a male voice say my name. It was the Principal. He was standing next to Serena. It all made sense now; someone from her pack must've warned her about the Principal's approach and so she let go of me.

I stood up straight and replied, "Hello, Principal Andrew."

"I was very impressed by your design for this year's mural, which is why I have decided that it will be painted on to the mural." He said as he patted me on the back for a job well done.

My eyes were wide with shock and I my mouth may have been hanging a little open. I looked over to Serena because I could hear her breathing heavily. She was looking at me like she might just kill me. I got a little scared at that moment and took a small step back.

"Oh...uh...It would be a honor to have my design be painted on to the mural."

"Why of course it would," he said and then looked over to Serena. "Well Serena you have been the one to beat for several years now and it looks like someone has finally done it. It's great to have some competition isn't it?"

Serena was shooting daggers at me with those looks. She finally managed to say, "Of course."

"Well I just wanted to tell you the good news Smriti and Serena. I was just lucky to find you both at the same place. What were you doing together?"

That question seemed to shed some light to Serena's fowl mood.

"Well I was just making sure Smriti was okay." She looked at the principal and continued, "She had been sitting alone during last period and looked gloomy so I thought that maybe I could cheer her up a little bit."

Her lie made the Principal look at me sympathetically. I didn't like that look. It made me feel like something was wrong with me. She just couldn't let me have my moment could she? She just always made me feel like I was the smaller person. Like I was the one who needed help because I have mental problems or something.

"I'm fine. I was just a little distracted, nothing else." I said mustering all the confidence I could.

"Well if there is anything that is troubling you then you can go talk to the counselor." The Principal said before walking away. I took that opportunity to also walk away from Serena but she grabbed my hand as soon as he turned to leave.

"How many times do I need to tell you that I wasn't done?"

"I have to go." I pulled my hand free from her grasp. I looked directly at her icy blue eyes, smiled, and said, "We'll talk tomorrow "

I walked away satisfied with the scowl that I had managed to put on her face.