Skinny

She Bounced Back

Chapter Four:

We were still at the mall in the food court. A group of people, I knew went to school with Mia, but I wasn't acquainted with, had followed us out of the store. We were all talking and having fun.

"A bad girl, huh? Why didn't you just say you were being bullied and left?" Gabriel asked. I really wanted to be honest with this guy, but I didn't like him implying that I had to tell him my life story when I only just met him.

"Because I don't know you and I wasn't going to admit that I was a loser and a coward to you, a complete stranger. I was feeling lucky to go back to school knowing at least one person didn't know anything about me. I just wanted to put that behind me, after rubbing it in their faces how awesome I look now, of course. You don't even understand what I went through and how it affected me. I had eating disorders from it and I had done nothing wrong. I broke up with him and he sicked his dog, Alicia, on me just because I hurt his over-inflated ego."

"I'm sorry--"

"No, you don't get to be sorry. I was hurting and no one, not even Mia, could see that." Everyone had gone quiet. "I blamed myself for being stupid enough to date Mick. When I gained weight, I blamed myself for them making fun of me for being fat. Then, when I couldn't lose the weight, I would only eat every once in a while, and I blamed myself for not being able to lose the weight! I spent two years depressed and pitying myself. I don't expect you to understand or apologize. I want them to, but I know they won't, so I guess I am just wasting my breath." I took a deep, calming breath as I looked at Mia. "Now, I just want to have a normal Senior year, graduate with honors, and then go off to college and get a PhD in whatever, because I can. I still haven't decided in what, yet."

It was silent and thankfully my best friend knew how to break the tension.

"I'm in band, did I tell you that, Rave?" I shook my head. "Yeah, well, I play the violin. That's how I met Gabe. He plays the guitar." I laughed. They looked at me funny, not in on the joke.

"Sorry, it's just I tried to learn to play both the violin and the guitar, but I sucked at it. My mom loves the piano, though, and she tried to teach me by playing songs I like, but I would just end up singing as she played. I did retain a little something from it though."

"You sing?" Gabriel seemed intrigued.

"Not really. I'm shy and I have no formal vocal training."

"Well, my mom's the music teacher at the school and she's looking for some choir singers. You can always tryout for her and she could tell you from a professional stand point how you sound." I liked the idea. I did have plenty of open blocks I needed to fill. I had excelled past my junior year into my senior classes. I had already completed half of my required AP courses. I was excited about the prospect of getting into an ivy league college.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

Mia screamed excitedly. She would have been a singer, if she wasn't completely tone deaf. I looked at my best friend with her scarlet hair done in curls. She looked at me with those big blue eyes of hers and I couldn't help but smile.

"You know what? How about you and Mia come over this weekend and meet her?" Mia nodded.

"I'll bring my violin and we can jam out," she said and I laughed and nodded as well. This would be interesting.

***********

"Are you ready, Raven?" My mom called up the stairs. I had asked her to call me that because I was turning a new leaf and wanted to start fresh. She and dad seemed to understand and my dad discreetly admitted that he had picked my middle name to begin with.

Mia had come to pick me up and was in the living room catching up with my mom. They hadn't seen each other in a while, what with my mom's tight schedule as of late. I didn't blame Mia, I hadn't expected her to stop her life for me. We had texted all the time and she had kept me in the loop.

I was dressed simply in jean shorts and a green tank top that brought out my green eyes. I had braided my long hair with the help of my mother and I put on the glasses I had recently gotten. I usually wore contacts but I thought these glasses actually looked pretty good on me, so I decided to wear them.

I was kind of nervous about going to meet Gabe's mom, but Mia said I would be okay since she hadn't really met her either because she was the choir teacher, not the band teacher.

We arrived at a huge mansion and I wasn't really phased because Mia's house was about the same size. It's what you get when your father invents or founds something. I was used to the butlers and maids and eccentricities of a rich family because Mia, and about half the student population, was from a rich family. I wasn't from a poor family, but we were not particularly wealthy either. I was happy with who I was and I was thankful for my family because of that.

Gabriel greeted us at the door.

"My mom won't be home for a while, but we can just hang out for now. I don't really know much about you and would like to get to know you. If that is okay." He walked us around the house, pointing out particular rooms of interest, the living room, various bathrooms, the kitchen, the media room, and the entertainment room. We ended up playing a friendly game of 'go fish,' since I didn't know how to play poker very well.

"Okay, go fish, Gabe," Mia said after he asked for a seven.

"Raven, do you have any fives?" I handed her my five and turned to Gabe.

"Do you have any queens?"

"Go fish. Okay so you have been homeschooled this entire time?"

I shook my head. "I was transferred to Wainwright Academy but got expelled after a few months because I got into a fight with some girl for calling me names. I heard she had to get a new nose after that. Just as well, the original was ugly on her." I shrugged as if it was an everyday thing.

"That was you? My father told me about this badass chick that had stuck it to that snotty Chelsea Hendrick, but he had to expel her because Chelsea's parents threatened to sue her family, if he didn't. She did in fact get a new nose. I can't believe it. Small world."

"You mean your father is Dean Wainwright? I thought your name sounded familiar." I laughed at the coincidence.

Gabriel's cellphone rang and he answered it on the second ring.

"Hey, mom. Yeah, I'll come down and help you." He hung up with his mother and got up off the floor, where we were all seated around a coffee table.

"I'm going to go and help my mother with the groceries." We got up and followed him. I did, mainly because I had no idea where we were and I didn't want to get lost trying to find my way back. Mia probably followed because she didn't want to be alone. Time to meet Mrs. Dean Wainwright or was it just Mrs. Wainwright?