The Tough Girls Club

Chapter 3: Miss Rose

I had the best dream. The Tough Girls Club took a trip to Disneyland and rode on the rides until we all got sick. Then we shared a delicious funnel cake and, well, Tim Gunn popped out and started chanting shark bait oo haha. It just got crazier from there.

Anyway, for the most part it was a great dream. I woke up that morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. I skipped down to breakfast and was delighted to see my mom was making pancakes.

"Morning Mom, " I chirped.

" Morning Honey. You're quite perky this morning. Good dream?"

" Great," I said, wandering over to our coffee pot and pouring myself a large mug.

Our kitchen was designed so that it resembled a cafe. There was a large, raised counter with red seats that spun on metal posts. Above it where three hanging lamps with metal shades. We had the regular kitchen appliances, as well as a small coffee nook and a chalkboard fridge, where we wrote notes to each other when we were away. Behring the counter, a plethora of pictures hung in a neat pattern, all in black frames. I stopped to admire the pictures of me with blond little pigtails and a toothy, gapped smile, back when I didn't have a care in the world.

"Honey, there's something I've got to tell you."

Oh no, I thought, coming up with about twenty-five illegitimate reasons to drop the something to tell you bomb. Are we moving? Did she lose all her money on a potato peeler? Is she showing symptoms of teenage mutant ninja turtle fever?

"My law firm, as you know is very successful, and I am one of the best lawyers in the firm. Our firm, and more importantly I, have been assigned to a huge case. This means I will have to work an hour later in the evenings, so I'll probably be home around seven thirty. Are you okay with that?"

"I mean, I guess," I said, my good mood deflating like someone had stuck it with a pin.

" Alright then honey, that means you'll probably have to cook for yourself. I'll be checking to see if you've eaten enough.

"Alright."

You're probably wondering where my dad is. If I was reading this story I would be too. We'll, here's the answer: in a motorcycle shop in Dallas, Texas. He left us a long time ago, a few months after I was born. Mom had a baby and he didn't want to accept responsibility, so he ran away. In short, he was an immature bastard.

Mom left for court after I was done for breakfast, and I went upstairs to change. I chose my favorite peach-colored tee shirt and ripped cut-offs. I pulled on my red high top converse and I was ready to go. As I was changing, however, I caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror. I had gained twenty pounds since my anorexia. I sighed, wishing I could just chop it all off.

Then I ran downstairs, hopped on my bike, and rode to the place where The Tough Girls Club had first met. When I got there, however, they were all huddled in a tight circle.

"She can't know," Alana said, " It'll ruin everything."

"What can't I know?"

"Oh, nothing," Alana said in a voice that meant I'm trying to cover up the fact that we had a secret meeting without you.

"Anyway, today's our day to visit Miss Rose. So, let's get our bikes and go! "

"Who's Miss Rose?" I asked.

"You'll see," Alana responded.

We rode our bikes for about half an hour along the beautiful, sunny beach. All the time I was thinking about Alana's secret, and what it could possibly be. But, after ten minutes of complete concentration, I still hadn't thought of anything. So I turned to the beach, watching the tan surfers, sunbathing friends, and swimming kids. Suddenly I wished I could be on of those people on the beach. They seemed so surreal, like a smiling teenager in a YouTube video. They seemed like they didn't have a care in the world.