Wake Me

Chapter Two

Dani smiled as she sipped hot chocolate from the thermos cap. "So, the end of the school year didn't end all that great, mom. But I was proud for finally standing up for myself. As you know, I bottle up my emotions like dad. Not that day. I was hurt, I'll admit, because my best friend from kindergarten had no remorse for screaming at me and making me feel...un-girly and heartless.

"I mean, I've been raised by boys my entire life. What do you think she expected from me? Had she forgotten that I confided in her when I started my period? I was so scared! Biology doesn't really prepare the mind of a young girl to realize that hormonally bleeding to death rarely happens." Dani tried not to go into detail because that's how her mother died.

"So, Jules's mom came and picked me up from school and took me to the store and she showed me what I needed to buy and how to use it. These are the things that best friends never forget, no matter how bad of a day we could be having. But she obviously did. She had no remorse in her hurtful, accusatory words.

"Like, did Jules actually think that embarrassing me would somehow make me change my mind about Lars? Maybe I should've pointed at him and demand him to date me, kiss me, hold me, be—cruel to me. Then, by all means, smash my heart into smithereens after making me believe that my purpose of being born was to make you a man!" Dani ranted in a soapily tone before laughing aloud.

"Yeah, right! Well, I suppose I could've been the strong, silent type and strode off with my tail between my legs. Nope, she got the opposite; she broke something inside of me that day because I'd had enough! I was sick and tired of people talking behind my back without any tact of discreetness..."

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School was excused twenty minutes early so everyone could clean out their lockers for inspections. I had a stack of library books that I'd waited for the last minute to return. And unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish my thriller, thanks to Jules. I removed the bookmark my brother, Pete, had made in wood shop as a birthday gift and loaded my arms full of books before leaving my locker open for the last time.

Weaving my way through the crowded halls, I managed to not drop a single book until I reached the library counter. Suddenly, four books hit the floor as I heard the librarian gasp behind the counter. As I was picking them up, I noticed Jules's love-of-her-life sitting at the table behind me. He watched me with a blank look on his face. My eyes rolled as I turned around and placed the books on the countertop.

Old, Mrs. Barnes carefully inspected the dropped books before slowly scanning each one into the system. Her beady eyes glared at me, over her reading glasses that clung to the tip of her nose, in a way that made me feel unworthy to have so many books in my possession. She never asked if I preferred one over the other, so I assumed she didn't care that any genre of storytelling was game for my eyes.

That's when I overheard them talking about me.

Lars's girlfriend was tapping her acrylic nails on the tabletop. "I saw you watching her! What's wrong with you?! She's a freak! She killed her mother, you know! I mean, if you're into cow poop, Wranglers, and...and murderer's, then maybe...you're not my type!"

As much as I wanted to rip the hair extensions from her "American Girl" head, I forced myself to not turn around. Not seeing her was the only forcefield I had from unleashing my rage upon her.

But she didn't stop, "And her brothers are like serial killers or something..."

That's when I lost it, my entire body spun around so fast that it must've made the nearby book covers flip open from the sudden gust of wind. "Oh, Marcia! You—are—preaching to the choir! I'm so glad you finally broke the secret of my brothers being serial killers. I can't tell you how many times I've tried stopping them from eating all the...", I paused long enough for anyone who cared to hear, enough time to cling to the air about to escape my lips..., "Cream of Wheat and oatmeal, let alone the boxed cereals we seldom get. May the Lord bless you! Oh wait, He already has! He's given you such beauty! But sadly, for most people who are fixated only by things they see with their eyes," I pointed to Lars, "they don't understand that without your disguise of beauty, you'd be a loathsome, disjointed beast that would frighten every woman and child who dared to come close."

My face relaxed into an angelic smirk, "But, keep the faith, little one! Faith can and has changed many hearts...made of stone!"

Without giving them another moment of my precious time, I turned back to the librarian, whose beady eyes were now wide and alert.

That's when I heard Lars speak. I think it was the first time I'd actually cared to hear his voice. "Marcia, you are wrong. You're—not my type. Never have been. Never will be. And most importantly, this is over." His voice was stern; deep and unsympathetic.

The librarian finished scanning my last book when the computer beeped. "You still have an unreturned book." She accused in a birdlike screech, but only after taking a step back from the counter.

I shook my head, counting them when I realized one was indeed missing.

"Excuse me, Dani. This one slid under the counter." Lars handed over the lost library book, as I looked deeply into his eyes. That's when I caught the scent of something manly. Something my brothers would wear, but always wore too much. His aftershave was just enough to make me want to move in closer, for a better whiff, of course.

"Wow, thank you." I tried to keep my tone even, but I said 'you' in a higher pitch, which made it sound more like a question.

His full lips slowly thinned into a grin. He stood there for a moment like he had something to say, but didn't—or couldn't.

A bit flustered, I handed the book over to the librarian. "Have a nice summer." Mrs. Barnes exclaimed, waving her small, wrinkled hand in a shooing manner.

"I—yes. Okay. Well, you too, Mrs. Barnes. See you next year." I somewhat stammered.

When I turned around, Lars was already exiting the library.