My Girl

I hadn't talked to Sylvia since the night she left my house after she had gotten me upset, and even though there was Nick and everything, I felt completely alone.

It was a Sunday afternoon, 80 degrees outside, and the best thing I could find to do was stick my headphones into my ears, turn the music up too high, and try to work on my pathetic tan while I was home alone. My mom had to work, no surprise, Sylvia and I weren't on talking matters (and if we were, she was at her aunt’s house today), and Nick was probably still at church with his brothers.

I hummed along silently to the song and turned the pages of Seventeen, flipping all the way to the back few pages. The embarrassing stories were honestly the best part of the entire magazine, if you asked me.

My phone buzzed on my lap and I stared down at the caller ID through my sunglasses. Guess who?

I decided to answer it, since I was sick of her calling me. “Hello?”

“Elise? You’re alive? God, I thought you might have died or something, you haven’t answered any of my calls.”

“I was busy.” I had already worked through this entire conversation in my head.

“With what?” Sylvia asked, a slight sound of humor in her voice. I don't know why she always thought I was a lifeless freak. I glanced around my empty yard and imagined what she was doing. Well, that’s why.

“Hanging out.” I said simply.

“Oh yeah, with that Nick kid.” She mentioned his name like I had only told her about him. “How did that go?”

I smiled and twirled a strand of my hair around my index finger. “Good.” More like great. Amazing. Wonderful.

“Sounds awesome. So do you want to know what happened at Shane‘s Friday night?” No. Not at all.

“Of course.”

“You should have been there. These seniors crashed it, they were MAJOR hotties. They were Meadow Wood kids.” Big wh-wait. What?

“Who?” I was honestly interested now.

“I didn’t recognize them at first. But then, I was like, ‘Oh my God!’” I hated when she did this. And then I was like, and she was like, but he was like. “It was Joe. El, it was…Joe.”

“Really? How do you think he found out about the party?” I questioned, although I had a slight idea.

“That’s the funny part. I totally asked Joe to crash it, since having Meadow Wood kids at a Green Oak party is like, social suicide.” Sylvia erupted into laughter on the other line. I stayed completely emotionless.

“Sylvia. That is like, the dumbest thing ever. You were at the party they crashed, so isn’t that just as bad?”

“No, dumbass. It means Shane is the victim here. He threw the party that they crashed. It’s obviously him that is the freak now. It would never be me.” I rolled my eyes and considered hanging up on her right there. I don’t see how I could ever tolerate her, but I somehow still did.

“Whatever, Sylvia. I’m going to go.” I closed my magazine and stood up from my chair.

“Why? Big date?” She teased.

“No. I’m just sick of your conceited shit.” I mumbled, pulling open the sliding back door. Sylvia scoffed.

“Whatever. You want to know something worse than having a Meadow Wood kid crash your party?” She questioned. I shifted my weight to one foot and rolled my eyes.

“What?”

“Dating a Meadow Wood kid. You better watch it, El. I’m not going to be seen with some freak.” And with that, the line went dead.