My Marjorie,

It was Monday morning and Clarisse was brushing her hair, she thought she was going to be sick. She hated getting up every morning knowing what was to come. She was going to get ridiculed and possibly shoved around. Not many kids hit her, but the select few did enjoy shoving her against lockers. She’d asked to be homeschooled, saying that she didn’t think she was getting a good enough education, but her parents said that she’d be missing the ‘high school experience’.

Clarisse set down her brush and tied her hair back into a ponytail. One more hour, she thought to herself. Maybe she should just drop out. Plenty of drop outs have done well for themselves, and she had the scholarship. Although it might get taken away if she did drop out, Clarisse certainly did not want that to happen.

Grabbing the foundation she started applying her make up. Nothing too over the top, just some cover up and a bit of eye shadow, just enough to not make her look like the living dead. As she applied her make up she recited her speech in her head. When she saw Marjorie she wanted to be prepared this time, she didn’t want to ramble about nothing.

Hey Marjorie, it’s Clarisse. Yeah the one from the pet shop. –insert charming smile- What classes do you have? Here, let me see your schedule. Weird, we have all the same classes! –insert cute laugh- Yeah, let me show you around. Ignore those kids, -insert pointing to Emily and her friends- they’re terrible people.

Just thinking about Emily made a shiver go down her spine; she stopped applying the eye shadow and looked at her reflection. Emily was the worse one towards her, it’s not like Clarisse murdered her parents then made her eat them, she’s never been anything but pleasant, but it wasn’t enough. Emily loves to trip her in the hallways, throw things at her in lunch, crack jokes about her when she was talking to the teacher, etc etc. It never ended.

Clarisse stood and grabbed her backpack and her shoes, quickly lacing them up and heading downstairs. She was greeted with the delicious scent of eggs and coffee, her father was the chef in this house, her mother refused to go near the stove. Well there’s that, and the fact that Clarisse and her father Olivier made a rule against her cooking. It’s for the best, they told her.

She took a seat at the island and waited patiently as her father prepared the breakfast for her, “Here you go Clar,” he smiled warmly and pecked her forehead, “Are you ready for school?”

Stuffing her mouth with eggs, she nodded her head. She washed down the eggs with a warm cup of coffee, “Yeah, I think I’m gonna walk today, it’s nice enough.”

Olivier sent his daughter a look, “Clarisse, when will you get a car?”

She shrugged her shoulders and sipped her coffee, “When I get over my irrational fear of driving,” she said in a small voice.

He smiled and checked his watch, “Well, I’ve got to get going,” he pecked her cheeks, “Do not be late,” he called over his shoulder as he walked out of the kitchen.

Clarisse grabbed some bread and stuffed it into her mouth, swallowing nervously. What if Marjorie didn’t like her? What if she thought that Clarisse was a total and complete loser? “That’d suck,” she whispered.

She grabbed her backpack, and set her dishes in the sink. The school was a couple of blocks away and she now had forty-five minutes to get there. Not to worry, she’d make it. Clarisse would be right on time for the scariest day of her life.

With every step she took Clarisse recited her speech in her head. She thought about Marjorie’s perfume, she smelled so amazing. Her smile was bright like Lily’s in the spring. And her eyes, dear God, Clarisse couldn’t forget those eyes, large doe eyes that seemed to see right through her. She wondered if they ever changed colors, when she was upset, happy, or excited. Would the soft Carolina blue eyes turn into a powder blue if she’d see Clarisse? Or would they become a dark, steel blue shade? Would they change at all?

Before she knew it Clarisse was in the parking lot of the school, she heard her name being called out and looked up. There she was.

“Marjorie,” she breathed lightly.

The tiny girl rushed over and enveloped her in a hug. Clarisse kissed her cheeks nervously, Marjorie grabbed her face and smiled, “Deux baisers? Nous embrassons quatre fois dans ma maison.” She kissed both her cheeks again. Clarisse could feel them heating up. “H-Have you gotten your schedule yet?”

She shook her head, “Nope, been busy talking to them,” Marjorie pointed at the group of people snickering. One particular brunette with a lip ring stuck out to Clarisse, “Emily Greenwood?” She asked nervously.

“Oui. She’s very nice,” Marjorie said pleasantly.

Clarisse grabbed Marjorie’s hand, “What’d she say?”

“Nothing much, except that you are a bit of a loner.” The smaller girl frowned, “Why’s that?”

This was not how their conversation was supposed to go. Clarisse was looking like a fool, “Oh, well. I’m not a loner, per say. I’m just very picky.”

Marjorie smiled, “It’s ‘cause you’re French, isn’t it? You must be from somewhere North, c’mon, I need to find my schedule.” The girl grabbed her hand and dragged her into the school. The sinking feeling in Clarisse’s stomach was once again replaced with butterflies. Marjorie’s hand was soft and small, it seemed to fit in Clarisse’s perfectly.

“This sucks, my parents aren’t gonna be home tonight,” the tiny girl grumbled as they walked, “I hate being home alone.”

“You can come to my place until they get home,” Clarisse blurted. Marjorie dropped Clarisse’s hand. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, she thought. She bit her lip and waited to see her reaction, “That’s perfect. Are your parents making dinner? I didn’t order any flowers.”

The taller girl smiled down at her, “It’s fine, it’s just dinner.”

Marjorie raised an eyebrow causing her to laugh, “On the other hand, it is dinner. We’ll pick some flowers on the way.”