Risking it All

3

Like I said, school has always been an issue. It's either that I'm not there half the time or I fail everything because I wasn't there. And the teachers blame me for it. Oh I'm sorry, it's my fault I have cancer? But it wasn't just the teachers that annoyed me. I'm was new to the high school, and I didn't know anyone so that's big. But when the teachers are awful to you because you have cancer just makes it worse. But it wasn't until the first day of school when I met a girl who I thought was my best friend. Her name was Eliza. The first time I saw, her I knew she was popular. She had long, straight black hair and a perfect body. She was really thin due to her year round gymnastics competition. She was that queen bee who had her entourage of followers and for the oddest of reasons, she talked to me. And it was all because Mr. Mallows paired us up as science partners.
"And Eliza can work with Mackenzie," he said on the first day of school. I froze. But I saw Eliza look over at me and smile. She gestured me to come sit next to her. Everyone else was already paired up and chatting away as I slowly walked over to Eliza's science table. "Hi," she said. I gave her a smile though I felt like I was about to faint. "Hi," I said. My voice cracked but I cleared my throat and said. "I'm Mackenzie." Duh, I thought. Sometimes I want to smack myself for sounding like an idiot. But Eliza smiled and I sat down and we hit it off. She asked me everything from what I like to do to what school I uses to go to. We talked and laughed throughout the whole period while we were really supposed to be working on our first quarter science project. "I don't suppose you have any friends here right?" Eliza said when we got our laughter under control. I shake my head. "No," I said. "I don't."
Eliza smiled. "Do you want to sit with me and my friends?" she asked. My eyebrows shot up. She really wants me to sit with her and her friends? I've only known this girl for twelve minutes and she already feels like a friend. I tried not to sound too desperate as I said, "Yeah, thanks." I kick myself inmates left leg, causing me to cry out in pain. Eliza shot me a worried look. "What's wrong?" she asked. Honesty seemed like the best option but I said, "Oh I just hit my leg on the chair." Tell her! Tell her about the cancer and surgery and the leg. Tell her. Eliza just stares at me. "Are you sure you're okay?" I nod and give her a forces smile. Eliza gives me a calm, happy look. She seems really cool and seems like we'll be friends.
I gave her a smile. I tried to picture what my life would be like if I become friends with the most popular girl in school. "What does your schedule looks like?" Eliza asked. I reached into my binder and handed her my schedule, printed on blue paper. He read it over and said, "Hey, you have English fourth period with me. And that's right before lunch! We'll walk down together." I was seriously happy. "Great!" I cried.
So when English class was over, Eliza and I walked to lunch together. When we got to the cafeteria, her friends waved us down and we sat with them. That day, I met her two other friends Brooke, who danced and Avery who played flute. They were very nice to me, complementing me on my earrings and shoes. I was happy until Avery asked me about my hair, which at the time was a blonde wig.
"I love your hair," she gushed. "Seriously, what do you use?" She seemed amazed about it. I awkwardly smile and nervously pat my head. Tell them, I thought. Tell them it's a wig. But I didn't. "Oh you know," I said. "Just shampoo and conditioner." They laugh and luckily Eliza switches the subject and talks about my singing career. The girls seemed amazed when I told them my grandmother sang backup once with Ella Fitzgerald. This is why I live singing, it helped me get through my surgery and radiation. If I'm feeling upset, I'll just start singing and I instantly feel better.
Sitting there in the cafeteria with Eliza, Brooke and Avery felt amazing. I'd never really had a friend until then and I just felt important. I felt popular. I felt wanted.