Silence Beyond Words

Massie Block

Norma sat at the very back, the last desk shoved in the corner, closest to the windows and grisly cabinets. She discovered from her previous school that it was best to sit away from everyone, where no one cares enough to give you a second look.

The class was about to start and she enjoyed watching, more like examining, her classmates' fashion choices as they strolled through the open door. She wasn't surprised to see so many girls wearing nothing but tight jeans and crop tops. Some of them with rain jackets tied around their waist.

The majority of them rocked high-waisted jeans and white chucks. What Norma couldn't quite get is why they believed it was a good idea to wear sunglasses inside the campus. She wanted to laugh at how ridiculous they look. But this is what society calls cool. If that's how being cool looks like, she doesn't want it.

Every girl had a full face of make-up. Their eyes batting fake lashes this early in the morning. Their sequenced bags blinding everyone, including that shiny, colored product settled firmly on the tip of their nose and cheeks.

It's always amusing to see how much these schools have in common. Girls never being themselves and dressing to impress and bullying others if they don't look like the rest. It doesn't matter where you go, it was always the same outcome.

It's safe to say that she's a broken piece in this large puzzle she'll never be able to fit in. She's like a cheerio inside this world of lucky charms or colorful Fruity Pebbles. Norma shuffled uncomfortably in her desk as a redhead, wearing a cheerleader uniform and gigantic bow on her head, strolled in.

'Is this Stacey from Nebraska?' Norma asked herself. 'Or the Samantha from San Francisco?'

Popular. The girls with the most followers on social media and in school. The typical cheerleader with hundreds of admirers and a thousand of people to please. 'Yes. This is the Stacey and Samantha of White Pine Bay,' she confirms lightly to herself.

Her smile was huge and her cheer skirt way too short. The group of girls that strolled behind her immediately reminded Norma of that movie called 'The Clique'.

The one where Massie Block thinks she owns the school and everything she says, goes. Every girl wanted to be friends with Massie. Everyone wanted to impress Massie. And then Norma realized that this beautiful redhead had nothing on Stacey and Samantha. This redhead was solely Massie Block.

"Settle down, everyone!" Mr. Mullier exalted, his tone of voice dictating respect. Norma liked him already. "Find your seats. Class is about to start."

But no one other than Norma heard his commands. They were too busy talking among each other, hugging and exchanging photos of their perfect summer together. Then she felt it. As much as she was trying not to, she felt lonely. She didn't have any of that. She couldn't share with anyone anything at all because there's never been anyone to share things with.

She looked away from the bunch, opening her binder and placing her two pens and pencil on her desk. She wrote the date on the left corner of her sheet of paper, writing in big letter's her name and 'TRIGONOMETRY NOTES' right underneath.

Norma fixed her glasses and whirled around, facing away from the cool kids. Learning that they're everything she'll never be. But despised how disagreeable it looks and feels, she's made peace with that. She's Norma Calhoun and she was happy with the way she was.

The classroom shrieked as the bell yelped furiously, indicating to the students that it was time to stop fooling around. Norma sighed contentedly, glad to no longer hear how Massie Block got a new BMW as an early graduation present.

"Life must be so hard for you," Norma said under her breath. She couldn't quite get how someone could be so mundane-so fake. It only took one look at her to have her all figured out. She was the typical brat, probably an only child, that got whatever she wanted. Shocker.