Magcon: the boys next door

Chapter 4

As the bonfire approached, my nerves increased. I changed into a million different outfits. I couldn't figure out which one fit best, or if I looked too tall, too small, and none of my clothes seemed to fit right. I did what I'd never done before: I went to Karmen for help.

For once, she was actually helpful to me. She did my hair, makeup, and picked out my outfit. It was casual but nice. I had to say I was impressed and so was she. Karmen never thought I'd actually go to her for advice.

I stood in front of the mirror and saw a figure that couldn't possibly be me. I was much too tall but the outfit complemented my long legs and and showed off my flat stomach. My blonde hair was usually a wreck but when combed it didn't look too bad. Even my light brown eyes stood out with the eye makeup my sister had done for me. I pretended that it wasn't that big of a deal but Karmen said

"Um, Stella, this is actually a huge deal. You don't look so dirty anymore. I have to admit you're almost as pretty as I am"

I rolled my eyes because of course her compliment would still compliment herself in some way. In an odd way, I felt flattered because I did have to admit that I didn't look half bad.

Nash and I rode to the bonfire together. When I first opened the door all that he did was stare at my with his wide eyes. I felt myself blush and he didn't say anything to me but just motioned to the parked car and we were on our way.

The night turned out to be a huge disappointment for me. I should've known not to get my hopes up. Nash went to a group of friends when we got there and I was left alone to wander. As I walked I caught snippets of each conversations and one caught my attention:

"So now he's practically famous?"

A different voice laughed, "No he's not famous yet but his vines are getting really popular"

"If he does become famous it's so freaking cool because he's in our grade at school!"

This was pretty confusing to me at the time. Each conversation seemed to have a similar topic. I couldn't stand not knowing what all the talk was about. Finally I found a girl named Emily from my Spanish class,"Emily, what is everyone talking about? I keep hearing about someone is supposedly famous in our grade and it's driving me crazy not knowing who they're talking about"

She gave me a look of surprise and then laughed,"c'mon you're not serious right?" I stared back at her blankly until she answered,"Stella, Nash Grier, ya know the guy who you've basically been dating since the 1st grade, he's like a celebrity now or something"

I laughed in disbelief, "Well actually we aren't dating and no that can't be true...I mean he would've told me about it or something. This is crazy. What even is this vine thing?"

"Don't you have any social media? Or at least a smart phone" I shook my head. I didn't own a single social media account and I rarely used the cheap cell phone I had. My mother didn't believe in using smart phones which of course drove my sister to near insanity but I hardly minded.

"Well tonight find something where you can look up your boyfriend on vine" She walked off and looked at me stupidly but behind that I saw jealousy which confused me. I wandered more around the bonfire bumping into people in the crowd. I searched aimlessly looking for Nash. I heard people's whispers and saw stares when I walked by. I felt self conscious and as I was walking I bumped straight into him.

"Oh! I'm sorry Stella" And there he was. He smiled down at me. I used to be a full three inches taller but now he towered over me.

I felt nervous as I opened my mouth, " Um...hey, can we talked somewhere?" Me walking up caught the attention of many of the guys from the large group. They gathered around us

"Oooh looks like Nash is in trouble with his girlfriend" Nash gave them looks but walked with me to a less crowded area.

He must've known what was coming.

"What's up?" He questioned but his face showed he already knew.

"Well I was just curious to when you became a local celebrity and just...how come I hadn't been informed..." I felt awkward and betrayed as if he'd been keeping a secret from me.

"Oh c'mon just be happy for me!" His face showed pain. Maybe I had spoken as if I didn't care much about his new updated status, which I wasn't sure if I did.

"It's not that I'm not happy for you it's just I would've like to have been told from you and not almost every person in our grade" I felt my voice rising and I couldn't understand why it made me so upset.

"Well maybe I was going to tell you until you got all-all that" he empathized that and motioned to me clothes and my hair. I was taken back by this and it embarrassed me. I felt stupid.

"I mean for the past year I don't even know how to talk to you. You're just so different and tonight you look just like every girl at this bonfire. You were supposed to be different." This hurt me deeply more than I could show. I felt my throat tightening and it made it hard for me to speak.

"It's called growing up, Nash. It's what people do and it's what you need to do. Sorry I turned into a girl and it's been hard for you to talk to me since then. Grow up and talk to me when you're mature enough to" I walked off and felt a tear come down my cheek and angrily wiped it off. I hated him so much. Couldn't he see that I'd done everything for him? Just to impress him and hope that one day he'd look at me other than someone to play around with?

I left the bonfire that night determined to never speak or look at him again. I hated him and loved him which made me hate him more. I never wanted to speak to him but he was also the only person i wished to talk to. I sat back in the crowd and watched his popularity grow both at school and on his social media. Newspapers splattered pictures of the "new social media sensation." I convinced myself that I didn't care. I wouldn't care and even if he apologized I wouldn't forgive him.