If the slipper fits

I screamed when I woke up to find a hideous monster leering at me from the other side of my bed. I giggled nervously when I went up for a closer inspection.

It was the new mask my stepfather had bought me when we moved in here. It was a monster, reptilian with green blue scales. Very lifelike and quite good quality. I made a mental note to thank him properly. I collected masks, hats and costumes of all kinds. I did drama in my old school and such things as disguises have always interested me. I used to dress up a lot when my father was still alive, but that was years ago and now I only strike silly poses and try out funny accents in front of the mirror whilst wearing a costume of sorts.
No one knew I still dressed up and I wanted to keep it that way.

I rolled and twisted my thick brown hair, my only feature I viewed with pride, into a bun and kept it in place with chopsticks, a neat trick I’d learnt from an old friend. I opened my closet and put on the regulation maroon skirt, diamond patterned maroon (again) pullover and white cotton shirt underneath. I put on a pair of pristine white socks and my stiff new black school shoes that were slightly too big in the toes. I stared at myself in my tiny mirror propped up against my lamp.

My hair looked wicked like always, just the right amount of curls brushing my forehead and jaw. My skin was better than yesterday, with only a few spots on my chin and nose which I covered successfully with concealer. But the rest of me…Let’s just say that I need to lose weight or else I could forget about even getting away with the term plump. The big F wasn’t too far off if I kept on like this.

Downstairs I mumbled a greeting and downed a mug of tea along with a bowl of cornflakes that I munched on without thinking. Tess had rings under her eyes and Ella had already finished breakfast and was playing with our Alsatian, Max who was bewildered by the fluffy kiwi scented golden ball making baby noises at him.

I grinned openly. Max used to be a police dog and he didn’t like being moddy-colddled or cuddled at all. He always won with staring contests and he stood on the porch like Cerberus whenever there were strangers on the property. A serious force to be reckoned with. Ella would never get a response from him not even me. He was only fond of Tess who actually gave him the least amount of attention but that was dogs for you.

I rushed upstairs, brushed my teeth in the bathroom I now shared with my just my sister and grabbed my satchel. As I made my way to the front gate just behind golden Ella with Tess in tow I broke off a buttercup from it’s stem and placed it strategically in my hair.
I saw Tess looking and waved sheepishly putting my finger to my lips. Mum would freak and I hoped only Tess had seen me. As I held the gate open for Tess I noticed with surprise that Ella looked slightly ill and her skirt was actually longer than mine. I thought she would’ve been the type to show a bit more skin, not too much you must understand but she actually looked very demure this morning, which made her seem like the obedient innocent. Which for all I know she was. But what if she wasn’t and my suspicions were well founded?

Argh! I can’t get this girl. I had a bad feeling that I was blinded by jealousy and judged her too harshly but berated myself for being so sentimental. I wasn’t in the mood to look kindly on anyone at the moment no matter how modestly they dressed and tried to be overly friendly.

Besides, no one can be that friendly right? There’s a fine line between friendly and overbearing and Ella had fallen too many times into the wrong side.I felt slightly smug that she didn’t look so preppy this morning but my smile fell from my face when Ella’s father, Kevin motioned for us to get into his Mercedes. I thought we were taking the bus.

When Tess and I climbed in at the back I hoped for Ella’s sake she took the front seat next to her father which she did and I felt cheated.

“Just for the first week I’m dropping you girls off at the school. Seats on the school bus have to be booked in advance, can you believe it? So while your mother organises that I’ll be your personal chauffeur.” Kevin winked at us and I smiled despite myself. When he was not around my mother he wasn’t too bad…Maybe if I wasn’t around Ella she wouldn’t be too bad either.My grin grew and it was with a lightened heart that I got out of the car quarter of an hour later.

I decided to drop the idea of cycling to school. It was a bit too far for that especially for a person of my fitness level…or lack thereof.
I stood next to Tess and didn’t even growl when Ella came to stand next to us as we surveyed the massive school in front of us. Even perfect Ella, I’m sure, must’ve felt slightly intimidated then.