The Lovely Adventure (Why Don't We Imagine With Jonah Marais)

Upside-Down

I woke up to the horrifying sound of my alarm and a mess on the floor. Colored pens and pencils were spread across the wooden panels, my journal lying among them.

I didn't have time to clean up. It was 7 A.M. on a Monday, which meant I had to get ready for school. I struggled to get out of bed. Back stiff, legs sore, eyes tired; I never got used the symptoms of sports practices on the weekend, but I loved them.

I went to the bathroom and washed my face. I looked into the mirror, seeing the the dark circles under my eyes, looking slightly better. I reminded myself that I would see Jonah later today. I reminded myself that I'm the best. I reminded myself that no one can change my point of view of myself.

I've been doing this for a while, ever since I started getting bullied. The other girls in my school would treat me badly when no one else was around. I used to talk to more of the guys, but once they started dating the girls in the grade, they began to believe what the girls would say, leaving me with one choice: I had to be my best friend.

The girls mainly didn't like me because I was different. I didn't wear skirts or really skinny jeans or leggings to school everyday. I didn't wear crop tops or tank tops. I preferred jeans and hoodies. I either chose a sporty tomboy outfit or a professional shirt-pants outfit. I didn't wear make-up as I didn't really have to. I didn't care how I looked to others, simply because I believed I wouldn't see anyone at this high-school ever again when these four years were finally done with.

I didn't sacrifice my education for impressing others. I took the hardest math and science classes, yet I got top grades. I didn't under-age drink or smoke as I did high-level sports, basically competing and winning for the state and country.

But just because I wasn't like everybody else, I couldn't be friends with everybody else.

I hadn't told Jonah. Not yet, at least. I planned on doing so, but now that he would be pursuing his dream soon, I didn't want him to think about it.

I got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast. My mom was somewhere upstairs showering, but she had made pancakes for me, leaving the honey out for me to spread.

I wasn't excited about school. I used to be, since school used to be the only way I would see and spend time with my friends. Especially with Jonah not going to be there, I was dreading every thought of having to sit classes without anyone to talk to.

After being dropped of at school and saying bye to my mom, I went to my locked to put my jacket away. I was just checking my phone when a friend of Jonah's came up to me.

"Hey, you're Liza, right?"

"Depends on who is asking?" I ask jokingly.

"Oh, I'm a friend of Jonah's. Nick." He raises his hand for a hand shake. I found his response funny, so while laughing I shook his hand.

"You got a pretty strong handshake, I got to say." Nick said truthfully.

"I suppose that's what sports with guys does to a girl."  I reply, rather shyly

"Well, I have the same classes as Jonah, and he told me to hang with you today."

"Oh, really, well, that's very nice of him, but-but you don't have to if you don't want to" 

"No, no, he told me to do so even if you said that." He chuckled.

"Then I guess you're going to have a rather interesting day."

The whole day, I was with Nick. Sometimes his friends would join us, including me in the conversations, even some of the guys I used to talk to. I still couldn't believe Jonah did that for me. No one had ever done such a thing for me. I felt my whole life had been turned upside-down. After remembering our conversation during the weekend, it made more sense why he asked Nick and his friends to be nice to him and become close to me. Nick started talking to me again during lunch, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"So, when is your date?" 

"What date?"

"Aren't you having a date with Jonah after he comes back?"

"Oh my god, I completely forgot!"

Nick chuckled. "It's okay. I'm sure you guys will figure something out tonight."

"Ooh, who has a date tonight?"

I mentally groaned, while putting on a smile and turning around. I met eyes with one of the girls I had believed to be my friend in the past. Julia.

"Oh hey Julia, it's nothing really important" Nick said in a rather monotone voice. He didn't seem to excited about her trying to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"So, you're telling me I heard you wrong?"

"Yes, he is." I replied to her question rather tersely. 

"Oh well, if it isn't miss smarty pants...how have the parties been recently? Oh wait...you don't get invited to any." Julia laughed, her friend group tagging along.

"Am I only miss smarty pants to you...or did you forget about the world champion part too?" I spoke, confidently, my voice carrying without having to raise my volume. This was new. She wouldn't make fun of me in front of other students before, why now?

Julia whipped her head back to me. "Like as if you can actually take me down, Liza"

"You're forgetting who is the bigger and trained one here, Julia."

"Liza, let's just get to class. Come on. Don't waste your time on random cowards." said Nick, causing Julia to break her eye contact with me and give an open-mouthed scoff at him. She and her friends walked away dramatically.

Nick, his friends, and I left the cafeteria. My hands were still closed into fists, until Nick told me my vein on my arm was beginning to protrude. We then continued down the hallway, turning into the English classroom.

I sat in my usual spot, Nick taking Jonah's spot for the day. We became excited to here about who would be our partner for an English essay we had to write. While we were talking, everyone else entered, along with the teacher, Ms. Kathrine.

"Good afternoon, class! As I'm sure you all remember, I will telling you who your partners are for the essay due in two weeks. Yay!"

She went through the list revealing everyone's partners. Jonah got lucky and was paired with Nick.

"And Liza, you are paired with Julia."

Nick shot me a glance quickly before looking for Julia in the classroom. She was sitting all the way on the other side of the room. She turned around, giving me a fake smile. I could tell in her eyes she wanted to hurt me. The only question was when and how.

"Nick"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Can you guys stay near Julia and I when we change seats? I have a feeling I'll be ending up in the principal's office soon."

"Yeah, definitely. But I think you're exaggerating. She wouldn't risk it."

"Trust me. She will."

"Okay, everyone! Please go sit with your partners and start to discuss how you will structure your essay!" Ms. Kathrine shouted with enthusiasm. 

She had no clue what she had just done.