Incredible Shrinking Haley

This World is Starting to Feel too Big For Me

"No." She said firmly, looking straight down at me. I got scared a little, if I'm going to be honest.
"Uh... oh... ok" I replied nervously.
"You can be Skipper but I'm Barbie. Dana is Teresa." She seemed actually pretty mad, and even defensive over the title of being Barbie.
"I-I-It was just an h-honest idea... I've been wanting to go more blonde anyways..." I started muttering and trailing off, still scared.
"Tay, it's ok! She'll be Skipper. You can totally be Barbie still don't worry. Skipper is smaller than Barbie anyways so it's better that way!" Dana added, trying to ease the situation. I am still unsure why Taylor is so upset, but at my size I can't do anything. Just then, Isabella (who is also blonde, I should mention) stood up, and towered over Taylor.
"Maybe you can be Skipper. I want to be Barbie. And you're quite smaller than me." She said, with a grin on her face.
"Why don't all y'all blondies be Barbie?!" Liz added. She and Dana were the only two brunettes in the room. "Just be, like, different dolls?"
"Or," Taylor, still deadset I'm being Barbie, suggested, "Dana and I can do our Barbie and Teresa thing, since we've been called that since I dyed my hair, and y'all together can be Barbie, Skipper and Teresa!"
"Come on, Tay! That's no fun. We should all do our costumes together. Haley can be Chelsea, I'll be Teresa, you can be Skipper, Isabella is Barbie, Liz can be Raquelle. It's not that big of a deal. I think the idea of wearing doll's clothes for halloween would be cute for us!! Y'all full sized girls will have to do something else for your costumes." Dana was a natural leader. Despite being 4'8", and then reduced to 3 feet, she is still so strong and determined.
"Ugh, fine. I suppose it'll be okay to not be Barbie and Teresa for us. I was going to suggest we do it since we haven't done it since sophomore year of high school, when I first dyed my hair."
Taylor backed away from me. I never felt threatened, but I was still scared. It was a weird feeling. I wondered if I would have to get used to that from now on. I can't imagine if someone that didn't like me or a kid with no self control had done that what would happen. And Taylor isn't even that tall herself!!
"Hey," Taylor started asking, "where are your other roommates, by the way?"
"Oh yeah! Julia and Maria are out of town for this weekend, and I think tomorrow too. They should be back Tuesday. So it was just us here."
"Wow, That was kind of a convenient time to shrink, if there ever was one." Said Isabella.
"Well, I mean I have to see them eventually. Just like my family..."
"Have you talked to them yet, speaking of that?" Liz asked me.
"Uh, not yet. I don't know how I should, to be honest."
"I just told mine up front." Dana announced. She had made her way to our coffee table, sat down on it and was kicking her hanging legs while leaning back, supporting herself with her arms. "I was just like 'hey mom and dad. I got affected by that shrinking wave. I'm safe. I'm home with Taylor who is still sleeping. Haven't gotten out of bed yet.' I mean of course they called, and got annoying with all the questions, but it's to be expected. Then I texted my older brother, who got super defensive. He was already worried about Tay and I being 4'8" in college. But now that I'm 3 feet?? Well, he damn near moved in with us to protect me."
"Aww that's sweet."
"Yeah, I can see how it would be like ripping a bandaid off." Said Isabella.
I made my way to the couch, sat in between Liz and Isabella. I took a deep breath, and just stared at my phone.
"I can't. Not right now. Not my parents at least. I'll try to tell my sister, I know she can keep a secret."
"This'll be a nice practice run." Taylor said. I have to get used to people looking down at me when talking to me. "We're here to support you. Let's call her." So I did.
"Hey, Annie. It's me. Before I tell you what I need to tell you, I need you to promise you won't tell anyone. Especially not mom and dad."
"Sure Hayls what's up? Are you on speaker by the way? You sound weird." I was in fact on speaker. But I doubt that's why I sounded weird.
"Yeah I am. Listen... I shrank." There was nothing on the other end.
"Sorry I had to climb out my window to get on the roof. You WHAT?! This isn't funny Haley. You remember Becky?! Her boyfriend shrank a few waves ago. Don't be joking like this!!"
"No, Annie. Seriously. I did. I can send you a photo. I'm legitimately wearing a pink, child's dress right now. Sitting in between Liz who is ginormous now, and one of my teammates, who is even bigger."
"I can't believe this. You haven't told mom and dad?! Are you serious??"
"Yeah. I don't know how to so I called you first as kind of a practice."
"Haley, listen. I found out earlier today my classes are cancelled for the week. I assume something to do the new wave. I can tell mom and dad I want to come up for the week to view the campus and spend time with you if you'd like. I don't want you to be alone. But you need to tell mom and dad too. Like, ASAP.
"I know. I know. I'll call them tomorrow. I would love for you to come."
"They'll be pissed if you wait until tomorrow. But you know best. Listen, I have to go now but send the photo! I still don't really believe you. Call mom and dad too! Bye!"
"Bye! I'll send the photo now. I'll think about calling them... I don't think I can. I'll talk to you later."
I asked Taylor to take a of me since her angle would be better and sent it to my sister. Of course she was freaking out when she realized I was telling the truth. If anything good came it of that, it was the motivation to call my parents and get it over with. Which I did. But it took an hour and a half to get off the phone with them. I was thankful to have the girls here to support me, but it was getting late and they had to leave. Before Dana left, she had mentioned that there was something she'd like me to join her in tomorrow around 7 P.M. I told her I would try to make it, but since my parents thought my sister coming to see me was suddenly the best idea now, she would arrive tomorrow at 3 and I might not be able to make it. I really was going to try though. Having Dana around was great. Her being my size when everyone and everything else was double helped me have some normalcy. Seeing how strong she is inspires me to be like her, despite being towered by almost everything. I went to my bathroom to shower again, and it was a struggle. I almost asked Liz to help, but I was determined to learn how to do it. I had some time for myself finally after I took a bath (I had taken a shower before, of course). I emailed all my professors about having been shrunken. I guess the school provides iPad Minis for those who are victims and the teachers give a free copy to the online textbook so that you don't have to lug around those ridiculous hard copy text books. To us, an iPad Minis feel like a regular iPad. I almost feel asleep in the bath, but I managed to get myself out of there, dry myself off, and change into one of the the Disney Princess pajama that Liz got me. I went back to let the water drain out (I was scared of not being able to fight the force of the water and go down the drain too. Which is ridiculous, as I couldn't fit in the drain), brushed my teeth, climbed my massive bed and passed out. I remember my last thought being "I need to contact those furniture people tomorrow."