Perfect To Me

Chapter 2

Angel walked happily up the path to her school, her best friend, Carlos, following behind her.
" So, Angel," he said. " I've been meaning to tell you. My birthday is coming up, and my mom said I was only allowed to invite so many people. I was wondering if you....
She ran up ahead of him.
" You better hurry, or you'll be late to school!!!", she hollered.
She was wearing brand new back to school sneakers, and a bright shiny, neon backpack. Her mother insisted upon buying her a new pack of pencils and markers, and had brushed and combed her hair the previous morning. " You have to look your best on the first day of school," she insisted. Irritated, Angel had complied.
Now, she was glad for her mother's insistence, as all the other girls were wearing brand new clothes, and had the latest, newest school supplies.
One of the girls, situated in a small group, approached her.
"Hi, my name's Becky." "This is Su-Chan" , she said, pointing at the girl next to her. " And this.." She said, pointing to the girl behind her, "...is Hailey".
One of the girls, Hailey made a disgusted face at Angel's friend.
" Who's that?" she sneered. " Your boyfriend?"
" No," she said. "He's just a friend."
"Here, Angel," they said, pointing to a spot on the rug. "Come sit with us".
As they sat together, in the front of the room, their teacher began speaking.
"Welcome to your first day of Kindergarten. I'm your teacher, Mrs. Auburn. As you can see, I'm very old, and have trouble hearing. If you want to be heard, you have to speak very loudly."
"Yes, Mrs. Auburn", the class echoed.
Angel droned out the teachers long, boring lecture, and before she knew it, the class was dismissed for recess and lunch.
Angel hopped in line with her new friends.
"Hey guys",she said, as they approached the cafeteria. " What are you having for lunch?"
" Why don't you find out?" said Sue Chan.
Quickly, they found a table to sit down, and exchanged lunches.
Hailey pulled out a tomato and carrots. Then followed Becky, who was eating broccoli, as well as lettuce and celery. Finally, Sue Chan fished out a container of Brussels sprouts, along with an orange.
" What are you having to eat, Angel?," they asked.
Silently, she pulled out a large Hershey's bar, as well as an ice cream sandwich.
The other three stared, watching in shocked silence.
"No wonder she's so fat," said Hailey, accusingly. "Look at what she's eating!"
" She must weigh at least two hundred pounds!", said Sue, giggling.
" How can you keep an ice cream sandwich," asked Hailey, "in your lunchbox?"
"I have one of those lunches that cool the food down inside. It's amazing."
" I saw an ad for those on TV," said Becky. " They look stupid."
Hailey and Sue Chan laughed, while Becky sneered.
Angel looked shocked and mortified.
" I love it." "My mom bought it for me."
" Who's your mom? Isn't she an orca whale? That would explain your weight problem."
Angel pretended to laugh along with her new friends, while in reality, she was deeply hurt, and upset by their shocking behavior.
****
As the dismissal bell rang, the students clambered outside in the hallways, eager and anticipating their arrival home.
Sue Chan stopped Angel in the hallway.
" Hey Angel," she said. "What are you doing after school?"
"I'm going over to Carlos's house for a birthday party. You?"
"Seriously?" she said. "You're going to that ugly boy's house?" I can't believe you're friends with him."
" I swear Angel," she said. "If you go to his birthday party, Becky and Hailey and I won't be your friends anymore. I mean it."
***
Angel walked meekly and sadly up the gravel driveway towards her house. She stopped, staring at the brightly colored balloons adorning Carlos's mailbox and front lawn . Outside, a brilliantly colored pinata hung from a tree. She stared at it.
Quickly, before she realized it, tears filled her eyes. She ran home, shutting the door behind her. Her mom was waiting for her on the other side.
" Angel, are you ready to go to-" she was interrupted, as Angel rushed past her, eager to get to her bedroom.
Angel quickly slammed the door behind her, locking it closed. Her mother ran up the stairs.
" Angel," she cried. "What's gotten into you?"
" I don't want to talk to you right now, Mommy!!!" "Hailey and Becky and Sue Chan said they wouldn't be friends with me if I was Carlos's friend as well".
" Sometimes quality is more important than quantity, my little Angel". " Who do you like more, Carlos or those girls?"
" I don't know, leave me alone!!!", she cried, tears streaming down her face. She stared out the tiny window in her bedroom, seeing her friend talking to another girl, someone from their class. Jealousy tinged her body and soul.
" I just want to be left alone," she cried.
Silently, she wept.

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