You Aren't Real... Right?

Chapter 7 * I Hate Popularity.

The rest of my weekend went by pretty uneventfully. My mom gave me shopping money which I just put on my debit card (planning for it to go unused) and Jess tried to get me out of the house but I refused. No body else called me, not even Ethan but I guess that was expected unless I was needed from him.

On Monday, I grudgingly dragged my body up from my beda nd got ready. I changed into a pair of washed up skinny jeans, a light blue turtle neck, and a pair of UGGs. I slung my bag on my back and headed downstairs for a quick bite to eat before Jess came to pick me up. My mom had already left for work, something about how she needed to do inventory today. As soon as my phone blasted with Ke$ha's song 'Die Young' I knew Jess was waiting outside for me. I scurried out the front door and locked it behind me as I headed for Jess's waiting car.

"Hey," I greeted as she started pulling out the driveway.

"What's up," she replied in her distracted way of greeting. She pulled out of the driveway and drove onto the main roads. Within five minutes we were entering the parking lot of the school. I slung my bag onto my back as we exited the white Honda Accord and went over to Monique, my other friend.

"Hey Mackenzie! I haven't seen you in forever," Monique cooed as she ran to give me a huge hug.

"I missed you too Monique," I said as she let go of me. Monique had gone to Paris to be with family for the whole summer and I hadn't seen her since last year.

"So how was Paris," I asked, linking arms with her.

"Il est tres bon," she said with a smile. "We got to stay near the Eiffel Tower and I met my baby cousin for the first time. I even got to meet some family friends there!" The blush on her face was pretty self explanatory.

"Oh my goodness! Spill it Monique! Who's the guy," I inquired, jumping up and down in excitement.

"His name's John and he is extremely nice and sweet and-and-and, like he's just amazing," she sighed.

"Aww," I swooned for my friend. Monique, like me, had never had a real boyfriend and I was ecstatic for her that she finally found someone that she generaly liked. Before she could go on anymore a dark shadow was bestowed upon us, both literally and metephoracally. I looked up to seem Meagan and her friends all standing in front of us.

"If you're looking for Jess I dont know where she is. She left when I got out of the car," I said before Meagan could explain herself.

"I'm not here for her. I'm here for you silly!" she said happily. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion at her sick smile.

"Why? We arent even friends," I said. She pouted out her bottom lip  in an offended manner.

"Hurtful words aside. So how's the boyfriend doing since we last saw him," she asked, linking arms with me.

"You have a boyfriend," Monique asked in surprise -which i didn't find to be hurtful.

"It's complicated," I muttered.

"What's complicated about it? At my end of summer party Mackenzie was embarassed by not having a boyfriend so she set out looking for one and came out with the hottest of the bunch," Meagan explained before shutting out Monique completely.

"So Mackenzie. How was the rest of your weekend? Good I hope," she asked, strolling through the crowds easily.

"Why are you so clingy," I squirmed in her grip.

"Because you're one of us now," she replied easily, waving to those who she considered worth waving to.

"And why would I be one of you," I said, finally getting out of her death hold. She shrugged sweetly and continued to walk. Her posse followed, and their closing in on me made me instinctively follow along.

"Because you just are. Your social status has been moved up close to mine, so that means that you have to be close friends with me as well," she explained.

"That's messed up," I scoffed. She nodded.

"I agree," she said quietly. "After all, you're not somoene who I would willingly hang out with be it not for social status."

"So can we just pretend we hang out like best friends then, because we can both agree we can't stand each other," i offered. She shook her head.

"That isnt how it works. Now smile. People are watching," she said. I did the opposite of her instructions and stretched a large frown on my face.

"You are so stupid," she muttered.

"I know you are," I muttered back as I walked through the splitted crowd. Everyone waved and I suddenly remembered why I didn't like popularity. People expected more than I could offer. They expected me to be a perfect role model: which meant burning anyone who other populars deemed worthy of a burn. I smiled politely at a few people I kind of knew.

"Dont fraternize with the underclassmen," she said as we reached her regular morning seat.

"Since I walked with you to your morning spot, can I leave now," I asked.

"And risk losing your newfound status? Guess again."

"Why do you care if I'm popular or not" I asked. She said nothing in returnand I took that as my cue to leave.

"Don't mess up your life Mackenzie. Populars have more fun." I ignored her little side comment and went back to where I left Monique in hopes I could fiind her again.

***

After the first second and third period passed it was lunch time, which meant I got food. And I liked food.

A lot.

As I got my lunch I was about to sit with Monique and my other friends when I was suddenly pulled up by my elbow.

"Populars sit with popular," Meagan chirped. I groaned inwardly yet followed anyway.

"Kenz," Jess said in surprise as I sat in between her and Meagan.

"I'm just as surprised," I murmured. The whole lunch I barely talked. I didnt listen to their stupid conversations because, as mentioned they were stupid. I didn't get the appeal of being popular. It was exhausting and I just hated it. I hated popularity.

Period.

***

Hi everyone who reads this. It's just a quick author's note on this chapter. Sorry It's kind of short and crappy. It's just a filler and I was pretty impatient writing this because there was literally no substance and I had just finished updating another book. Sorry once again.

Bye *awkward wave*...