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"Come on, Arri, don't be such a stick in the mud."
Arrietty Denise Mulligan— that's me, I academically attend Derry Junior High. My family had moved here at the beginning of the school year, towards the end of summer. Everything here in Derry was so different, the town itself was bright and beautiful— at least to me it was, but everyone in it seemed so dull.
"What do you mean, going to a dinner isn't boring— I thought you liked stuffing that big mouth of yours?" I stuck my tongue out at her. All of my friends were the same, pretty, short, and reckless. And white.
I was not, I mean, sure I was pretty but I seemed to not take as many health risks like they did. And I was also tall and, well, black. I treated my education like it was the only thing that mattered because it did to me. I wanted people to know that I had something to offer— I was also really into art.
She scoffed and pulled me to sit down. Lunch, at this time the cafeteria was a sea of hormonal, stressed, and irritated teens. I looked around the cafeteria and locked eyes with a boy across the way. Bill Denbrough— He was in my math class and was a member of a group that was known as the 'Losers Club'. Peggy told me not to talk to them. I didn't listen.
I gave him a small smile that was followed by a tiny wave, he just looked back at whatever it was that he was engulfed in before.
"Aren't you listening," Peggy snapped in front of my face which turned my attention to her, "we're all going to the skating rink this weekend." She said and continued to pick out of a bag of chips.
"Yeah," I said looking back at the boy I was before and catching his eyes again, "why would we do that?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows and taking a bite out of my apple. I then turned back to Peggy and Anna.
"The whole school's gonna be there," She said passing a flier in front of me, "it's Friday and they're having a disco." Anna was always one for a party, she was blonde and blue-eyed, too bad she was a bitch.
I then nodded slowly and took a bite of my boring apple. I felt as if my life was so bland at the moment, I need something that'll make life more exciting. I couldn't depend on these two for any of that because I'm the most exotic looking thing at this table. My fluffy, natural hair and circular glasses drew attention to my face and my brightly colored clothes seemed to make my body look better than it was.
As my mother had said 'my body matured faster than the girls' in my grade'. She wasn't exactly wrong, but that's why I wanted people to look at me for my academic achievements, to see I have a brain and personality. I wasn't one for parties, drinking, or sex, I'm a bookworm who was never interested easily.
"Don't look but Bucky Beaver is staring at you," Anna pointed out and then gestured to a table behind me to which I looked, "I just said don't look."
"Yeah, but you're also not the sharpest knife in the drawer." I said and had glanced over at the freckled-face boy who quickly looked back over to his friends that consisted of the following:
Stanley Uris- He was the most reasonable and polite of the following listed. I had social studies with him.
Bill Denbrough-He was the local 'stuttering stud' of Derry. He has an act for art like me and had a little brother— George Denbrough.
Beverly Marsh-People would always tell me about how many guys she's gotten in bed. But she doesn't look like the type to give herself away sexually— I've never been one who cared for rumors, I couldn't care less.
Ben Hanscom-You could find him in the library during gym with his nose stuck in a book and hiding behind skyscrapers of literary masterpieces.
Eddie Kaspbrak- I saw him and his mother at the grocery store once. I swear she almost suffocated him when she covered his mouth and nose while walking by the daisies for display outside.
And of course himself~
Richie Tozier-He was known as the school's 'Trashmouth' and was called 'Bucky Beaver' because his front teeth were a bit sticky-outty. The ironic part is that his dad is a dentist. I saw him and his father once when I was an office aid talking to our English teacher about inappropriate behavior and how he'd gotten a referral for 'insubordination'.
If only I would've known what they were talking about. Well, I guess I did, in a couple of years; the conversation went something like this; "wow, look at her." The young boy known as Richie Tozier had muttered to his group of friends that were also looking at the bored Arrietty Mulligan.
"Cool it, Richie, she is way out of your league." Beverly had said to her friend.
"That's just my type!" Richie exclaimed at his friends. But then again, I wouldn't know about this conversation for a couple more years, that doesn't mean you guys can't know about the boy's feelings for me now.
"Come on lets go to art." Peggy said and we began walking towards the door. I discarded my apple core as I reached the trash bins and turned around too quickly, causing me to bump into someone.
"I'm so sorry." I was the first to apologized and quickly realized it was Beverly Marsh herself.
"No, it's fine I wasn't looking where I was going." I then started to bend down to help her pick up her trash but was pulled back up by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
"Well then maybe you should look out, Beav-erly!" Peggy sneered, I pulled myself away and was quick to defend the fire-haired beaut.
"Can it, Peggy, it was an accident." I said and helped Beverly throw away the messy napkins, milk carton, and bits of food.
"Thanks." The red head said quietly and carried out with the rest of her friends.
We continued walking on to my locker with nothing said until we reached the destination, "What the hell was that all about, Arrietty?" Anna asked me leaning against the lockers that were next to mine as I twisted the dial.
"It's called being civilized." I said with a scoffed as I switched my books. Next class was science.
"Not to skanky sluts or Losers." Peggy snarled as she looked at the little compact mirror she had ahold of in her hand, fixing her fluffed hair and feathery bangs.
"Which is why I'm never civil to you." I said slamming my locker shut and walking away to my science class.
