Sequel: Postcards From... ›
Status: Re-written
The Club Is Open Until 8:00Pm
Vingt Huit
I stood on the sidewalk in front the house. My arms folded across my chest and my hips turned out. I wore a t-shirt and jeans while I waited for the bus to pull up.
Joanne was pulling out of the driveway. The passenger seat closer to me. She leaned over and spoke to me through the open window. "I need you to come home on the bus today?" She was suppose to pick me up and go shopping for new clothes.
"But mom, you said--" I stopped abruptly. "Yeah, I know what I said but a very important meeting came up and I can't miss it. I'm sorry." With that, she had pulled out and was speeding down the road. I was left staring out after her and I didn't come to until the bus driver honked his horn. I sat in the middle on the left.
...
Mr. Grey lectured on about the importance of History even though it was over and done with. "That's the problem with today's generation. You only know that there was some people here way before you and that they did some stuff. You don't know who they were or what they did. End of story." History was my favorite class and Mr. Grey my favorite teacher. The other kids could disagree.
...
After health was science, and then lunch. I had only glimpsed Thomas, but he hadn't seen me. Imogene wasn't in school because she was sick and Adrian had a test in french. Adrian hates french. And tests.
The lunch room was packed with the usual people. I watched the lunch lines gather and slowly move. Jocelyn and August weren't here either. Is it Fool Monet Day and Not Come To School Day? I saw an empty seat by Lauren and went for it.
She looked at me alarmingly as I sat down with my bagged lunch. "Hey." I tried. "Hi." She said. I breathed a sign of relief but to soon. Her friends came over. I knew all of them. Bailey Nason, McKenzie Swift, and Katie Stade. "Lauren, you didn't say Monet was having lunch with us." Bailey said curtly.
McKenzie picked at the food on her tray. "I offered her a seat just before you showed up." Lauren explained for me. I couldn't protest. "Is Chris here?" Katie asked, looking around. Bailey shook her head giggling. "No, but her hottie boyfriend is."
I looked behind me and instantly regretted it. He was coming towards our table. I looked down at my lunch and the green apple in my hand. He was here. His palms pressed against the yellow table, trapping me between his arms. His chest hovering just inches from my back.
"Hello ladies." Derrick cooed. "Hi Derrick." Bailey flirted. I could smell him. Old Spice mixed with the natural smell of teenage boy. I held my breath. I started thinking things I normally wouldn't be caught dead thinking. Like his hands. Big, strong hands. What could they do...?
My forehead was almost touching the table. Nobody noticed. All caught up in their own business. I couldn't hold it anymore. I pushed back in my chair, pushing him back and stormed off. I left my lunch. I wasn't hungry.
Derrick watched me leave the cafeteria and turned back towards the girls. "What's wrong with her?" Lauren didn't know who to answer, so Katie did. "She's a freak." and then Bailey continued. "She's got serious problems." Derrick looked at her coldly. "Name someone who doesn't have problems."
Joanne was pulling out of the driveway. The passenger seat closer to me. She leaned over and spoke to me through the open window. "I need you to come home on the bus today?" She was suppose to pick me up and go shopping for new clothes.
"But mom, you said--" I stopped abruptly. "Yeah, I know what I said but a very important meeting came up and I can't miss it. I'm sorry." With that, she had pulled out and was speeding down the road. I was left staring out after her and I didn't come to until the bus driver honked his horn. I sat in the middle on the left.
...
Mr. Grey lectured on about the importance of History even though it was over and done with. "That's the problem with today's generation. You only know that there was some people here way before you and that they did some stuff. You don't know who they were or what they did. End of story." History was my favorite class and Mr. Grey my favorite teacher. The other kids could disagree.
...
After health was science, and then lunch. I had only glimpsed Thomas, but he hadn't seen me. Imogene wasn't in school because she was sick and Adrian had a test in french. Adrian hates french. And tests.
The lunch room was packed with the usual people. I watched the lunch lines gather and slowly move. Jocelyn and August weren't here either. Is it Fool Monet Day and Not Come To School Day? I saw an empty seat by Lauren and went for it.
She looked at me alarmingly as I sat down with my bagged lunch. "Hey." I tried. "Hi." She said. I breathed a sign of relief but to soon. Her friends came over. I knew all of them. Bailey Nason, McKenzie Swift, and Katie Stade. "Lauren, you didn't say Monet was having lunch with us." Bailey said curtly.
McKenzie picked at the food on her tray. "I offered her a seat just before you showed up." Lauren explained for me. I couldn't protest. "Is Chris here?" Katie asked, looking around. Bailey shook her head giggling. "No, but her hottie boyfriend is."
I looked behind me and instantly regretted it. He was coming towards our table. I looked down at my lunch and the green apple in my hand. He was here. His palms pressed against the yellow table, trapping me between his arms. His chest hovering just inches from my back.
"Hello ladies." Derrick cooed. "Hi Derrick." Bailey flirted. I could smell him. Old Spice mixed with the natural smell of teenage boy. I held my breath. I started thinking things I normally wouldn't be caught dead thinking. Like his hands. Big, strong hands. What could they do...?
My forehead was almost touching the table. Nobody noticed. All caught up in their own business. I couldn't hold it anymore. I pushed back in my chair, pushing him back and stormed off. I left my lunch. I wasn't hungry.
Derrick watched me leave the cafeteria and turned back towards the girls. "What's wrong with her?" Lauren didn't know who to answer, so Katie did. "She's a freak." and then Bailey continued. "She's got serious problems." Derrick looked at her coldly. "Name someone who doesn't have problems."