The Richardson List

A smile appeared on Carter’s face as she read the scribbles in pink gel pen, written on a wrinkled and flimsy piece of lined paper. Her gaze caught Tiffany’s to see she wore the same amused expression on her face, mixed with a mischievous glint. Pressing her lips together, Carter restrained the giggle pushing against her lips, forcing her eyesight down onto her work in an attempt to calm herself down.

During the class Tiffany and Carter had both inconspicuously passed notes to each other, making sure that none of them were caught. It was pretty easy though, for the teacher had her back turned for most of the class.

The latest note from Tiffany was bashing the teacher that stood up ahead of the classroom, obliviously teaching the students around them. Tiffany wasn’t particularly Ms. Phillip’s favourite students, with her loud voice constantly voicing her opinion and the continuous questions spilling from her lips, whether it had anything to do with the lesson or not. But it seems that the dislike was mutual for Tiffany always wore a scowl whenever the teacher called her out.

On the note was Ms. Phillips, quite a crude drawing really, with a massive beak instead of her nose, pointedly making fun of her. And as rude and mean it was, Carter couldn’t help but smile at the picture. And while trying not to laugh the urge to pee came, causing her to rock in her seat.

Her hand immediately shot up and she resisted waving it, something that Tiffany did regularly that would annoy the teacher, while crossing her legs. This gained the teachers and most of the other teenager’s attention and Ms Phillip’s nodded, signalling for her to proceed.

“Can I go to the washrrom?” she asked hurriedly, hearing Tiffany and others giggle around her. But at that point she could hardly care, the need growing more urgent with each second that passed.

With a solemn face Ms. Phillip’s nodded her head before returning to the lesson, never giving Carter a second look as she bounded from her seat and out the door, into the empty halls. The pale blue lockers lined up against the walls were the only things to keep her company on her walk to the bathroom.

She was tempted to run, but decided against it in case anyone else decided to show up. So at a pleasant pace she strolled down the halls, the tapping of her shoes against the tile echoing through her ears, muffled noises from students behind the doors. A smile slipped onto her face when she saw the familiar washroom, her footsteps quickening.

When she stepped in she was glad to see it was vacant, leaving her to relieve herself in peace. And she did just that, pulling down her pants when she was safely in the stall, away from any wondering eyes. While she was about the flush the toilet, her pants back up again, she heard footsteps enter the room.

Hesitating she listened in closer, stifled sniffles being the only thing she could hear. The person, hopefully it was a girl, didn’t leave after Carter stood still for a moment and she found she had no other choice but make her presence known. Pressing down, she flushed the toilet before throwing open the stall door.

In the stall beside her sat Annabelle Waters, looking much more dishevelled than Carter had ever seen her before. With a horror-struck face she lifted her gaze from the floor to meet Carter’s, halting all her sniffling. A silence hung between them, both of them frozen in their places.

Annabelle’s white blonde hair was muddled and falling in heaps along her face, her usually perfect bangs now spacing and revealing the pimples penetrating the skin on her forehead that were usually concealed. Her black eyeliner was racing down her cheeks, mixed with the salty tears. In her hands were used tissues, most doused in her mucus and littering the floor around her.

On any other occasion Annabelle was vicious, a fierce spark in her eyes and a cruel smirk on her lips, and her petite figure seemed to loom over anyone’s. She had taken it upon herself to make some unlucky girls life’s a living nightmare, amusing her daily. But her usual light blue eyes were bloodshot, probably from the crying she had done, and her lips were slightly apart, showing how petrified she was. She looked so vulnerable and Carter couldn’t help but have sympathy cross her face.

Anyone seeing Annabelle that unattractive wasn’t very good but a look of relief passed through her bloodshot eyes when she saw it wasn’t anyone that important that would use this as serious blackmail, just Carter.

“Yeah?” she prompted in a nasally tone, grabbing another sheet of toilet paper and blowing into it.

Gingerly, Carter planted herself in front of the stall, curiosity drowning in her eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked, even thought it was clear that Annabelle was anything but, she still felt it to be protocol to ask, even if that person was lying on their death bed someone was bound to ask the horrid question.

The girl shook her head no, grabbing yet another tissue and made another feeble attempt to wipe of the running make-up with no prevail. Undecided on what to do next, Carter stood quiet for a moment, shifting her weight around.

“Would you like to talk about it?” she asked weakly, smiling comfortingly.

Carter was, admittedly, genuinely interested on why such a girl would be crying in a bathroom stall, any reason why escaping her. It just wasn’t the sort of thing a person would find Annabelle Waters doing.

Annabelle’s eyes fell downcast once more as she dropped the soft sheet from her hand and letting it mingle with the rest of the abused tissues on the floor.

“It’s that stupid list, y’know?”

Her gaze lifted and Carter took this as her cue to nod, notifying that yes she did understand about the list and how stupid it was. She of all people had already had a nasty run-in with it.

“I mean, it’s so… so stupid!” the blonde sighed exasperated. “I mean, who the fuck does this guy think he is? Rating me a five point nine! A five point nine, can you believe it? It’s like, I wear a little fucking make-up and he think I’m ‘fake’! And now no one will even say a word to me…” Her voice lowered into a whisper, all the traces of anger that had been were now drowned out by a fresh round of tears.

She wasn’t in hysterics, only silent tears running down her cheeks, but the sorrow behind her eyes made Carter feel sorry for her. It made her realize how insecure she really was, and how one little thing could tear down the reputation the girl worked so hard for. And of course she abused the power, but it was hard to believe that this girl in front of her was so vicious when she sat so defenceless on top of a toilet.

Of course, Carter didn’t reach out and hug her consolingly, or even pat her shoulder; she stood in front of Annabelle with a sad, understanding smile on her face.

“It’s just a stupid list right?” she tried to reassure the girl but it seemed to be of no use.

“You’re so lucky,” the girl whispered, envy flicking through her eyes. “You’ve got friends, real ones that are gonna stick with you even if you get a low rating. Cherish that,” Annabelle advised her, her eyes narrowed spitefully at the ground, as if it were the reason she sat in that position.

Cautiously, Carter nodded her head, feeling that there was no other way to go with it. With nothing left to say, Carter slipped out of the room and let out a deep breath she had been holding.

Sauntering down the halls at a slow pace, Carter began to think about what she had just seen. In all honesty, it caused her to become terrified. Here was a girl, bullet-proof; a girl who never lost, a girl who had everything handed to her on a silver platter with a snap of her fingers. Here she was, torn to shreds by one simple opinion. One guy’s thoughts ripped her apart, made her become the girl she had always dreaded, the one she mocked. The girl who had to make an effort to purely make it through the school day.

Yes, this list had created Melanie Santiago, who now strutted around with an unmistakable confidence and a certain poise, people were now listening to what she had to say, and quite honestly cared. If you glanced at her you wouldn’t be able to compare her to the shy little girl she had been only a month ago.

It was finally her turn to be a big-shot, to be envied, and the girl deserved it. After all those years she was over-looked she deserved to finally be in the spotlight.

And as great as it was for this girl, Carter couldn’t comprehend it as right. It was merely unthinkable that she would be what she is. And it angered her that Skye could waltz into their school and change it..

But her thoughts were interrupted when she saw her classroom door, and she knew that she would have to enter it with a smile as if her spirits weren’t troubled. With a deep breath she plastered on a believable quirk of the lips and pushed open the door to reveal the familiar room that was the exact same as she had left it minutes before.

The teacher didn’t bother to look up from her desk, and only a few heads lifted when she entered, including Tiffany’s. Everyone else was working on the sheets in front of them or quietly whispering to their friend’s around them. Tiffany waved at Carter from where she sat; earning an eye roll on Carter’s part, but a smile still slithered onto her lips.

For better or for worse was still undecided, but different the school definitely was



Sitting in front of the television, Carter absently nibbled on the re-heated dinner in front of her. On the plate was some meat substance that she didn’t even want to guess what it was and pickles. She settled on eating the pickles and throwing the meat out in the garbage, never to be seen again.

Her parents of course never knew that she would throw out her food if she didn’t like it, for they worked most of the day and were usually out for something, whether it be a sports event or at a friend’s house. Carter couldn’t complain though, having that she was out a good part of the time too.

Once a year would they all eat together, at Christmas, and conversation would usually come up empty or awkward. She was never very close to her parents, they lived their lives and she lived her own, it never bothered her though.

In all honesty she avoided any contact with them, the chats always evidently forced and uncomfortable. Her parents usually blamed it on the fact that she was a teenager and Carter didn’t feel up to contradicting them, leaving her input to herself on that topic.

And as she began dumping the end to her pickles, the parts she would never eat, the shrill phone rang. Carter wondered why she couldn’t have a customized ring, a cool melody that Audrey would always have for her home phone.

Picking it up she clicked the button and politely spoke a greeting, staring at the television that stood a few meters away from her.

“Carter?” Audrey’s familiar voice asked from the other side.

“Yes darlin’?” Carter asked, snorting afterward and hearing giggling courtesy of Audrey.

The commercials appeared on the screen, now giving Audrey Carter’s full attention. “You’ve got to come over! I really want you to meet Nina!” She laughed afterward and Carter assumed Nina had done or said something to instigate this, because what Audrey said wasn’t exactly funny.

In the background she heard a voice was most likely the mysterious Nina girl’s. She couldn’t decipher what the girl was saying, but soon heard Audrey’s voice again.

“So, are you coming?” she asked almost impatiently, laughing once more.

Feeling as if she didn’t really have a choice she agreed and told her friend she’d be there in fifteen minutes before hanging up. Her stomach churned as she anticipated the meeting of Nina and what it would bring.