Cute As A Button

“Daddy, I don’t wanna meet her!” I whined annoyingly. In my opinion, I’m pretty good. Yes, I know whining isn’t exactly one of the best things to do, but emergencies can change everything.

Yesterday, while I was so peacefully, eating my dinner that consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of whole milk, with my Daddy and my 2 (but it seems like 20) years older brother Garrett McGill when he told us the news. We were going to have to meet his old high school friend during dinner.

My Mommy died when I was four. She was coming home from one of those ‘Don’t drink and Drive’ campaigning meetings when she ironically, got hit by some intoxicated guy I’m thankfully, never going to meet again. I was small and naive, so all I understood was, “Mommy’s never coming back.” No one was ecstatic after that. Now that I think about it, we still haven’t gotten over it.

Whenever one of my Daddy’s friends comes over, it’s usually their first time since high school. He (it’s always been a he until now) mentions her and then walks on to a new subject. They just push her away as if she was last night’s dinner or they make a huge gigantic deal of it, like how I’m doing right now.

“Maddie you really have to. It’ll be rude if you weren’t there,” Daddy murmured gently, letting his finger attack my knotted hair. “And besides, it’ll be fun.” I’m sure it might be fun, but I’m still not sure if I’d like to go.

“By the way, when was the last time you brushed your hair?” Daddy questioned like a Mom would. He didn’t wait for my reply to start brushing my hair. After Mommy died, he had to take over the traditional Mom role along with his Dad job. That package deal included checking hair.

My hair was brown. It was light of dark brown, it was just brown. My shoulder length hair matched my brown eyes. The thin lips, small and round nose, and huge brown eyes that rested on my face was a very stereotypical ‘cute’ face. The fact that I was a lot shorter that most 15 year olds and that I had a pretty small frame, didn’t exactly help me look stern. I wasn’t ugly- no one is- but I wasn’t an ‘exotic beauty.’

The school uniform I had to wear Mondays through Friday every week, draped my body. It was a white button up t-shirt with a puffy sleeve and a green shirt that came up to my knees. Everyone had to wear one at MQ Parks Secondary School- the school Daddy taught at. Math was his subject. He loved it.

Garrett came into the kitchen and sat down beside me as Daddy just finished brushing my wild hair. “You’re on spoiled girl Maddie, making your Dad brush your hair like a slave,” Garrett teased. “I’m sure he’s thankful that I don’t have the needs of a 5 year old.”

~

The car ride to school was long, even though we live pretty close to it. The California grass below the rising sun made me tired. Everything moved so slowly in the morning and it made me sad to see how tired everything is. If I could make the whole world start in the afternoon- I would.

We arrived at school a few minutes earlier. Fortunately, this wasn’t one of the days, Daddy had to arrive very, very, very early and I got to see my friends. The first of our quartet I saw in the school yard was Alex Calloway. Some girl, who was his Alex’s new desire, was flirting with him. When he saw me, he nodded, telling me to leave. Grinning, I walked over to him.

“Hi Alex!” I exclaimed loudly, embracing him. I watched his medium, pink mouth go from a huge lustful smile, to a frown, while his brown eyes were glaring at me.

Sometimes, when I see Alex, I still see that scrawny, little sixth grader I first met. We were sitting next to each other in class when he told the funniest jokes. I started to love him, in a friendly way. Joyfully, the feeling was mutual. But when he started high school with me, he became even more girl crazy. It’s funny how much people can changed in just a couple of years. Inside, he’s still my friend.

The girl tried to say in a seducing voice, “Bye Alex, see you tomorrow.” She winked, signalling some sort of inside joke I ‘m getting.

“That was week 201, right?” I asked. I’m not really sure what number week it was, but I’m sure it was a lot. He started having a new interest every week, starting freshmen year.

Instead of a witty response, he picked me up and started carrying me to Tyler Mark who was sitting down on a bench. He was also one of my friends- the calm one, always putting up with our weird, immature acts. The shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes made him stand out from the group. It’s difficult to see how obnoxiously loud Alex could be friends with quiet Tyler. That Leonardo Dicaprio haircut he carried when I met still makes me smile when I see it. It’s a good thing he changed it, and it’s good thing that his height hasn’t. He’s only a few inches taller than me.

Alex’s arms released me as I hopped out of his arms, giving Tyler a hug. “Did you see Tallie, yet?” Alex asked. “I don’t know why I’m asking, she’s always late anyways.” She was our last and most recent friend. Until we met her, we’ve always been a trio.

Tallie came to school this year. Her skirt was worn higher and her shirt was tighter and revealing. She soon earned the label ‘School Slut.’ The first time I talked to her, it was out of pity- she had no friends. Surprisingly, she turned out to be a nice and very hilariously sarcastic person. We welcomed her into our circle of friends. “Maybe you’re asking ‘cause you like her,” I teased.

“Maybe you want a hit in the head,” Alex teased back, mimicking my voice.