Waiting to Exhale

Valerie’s POV

I woke up with a feeling of excitement. The sun wasn’t blaring today and the humidity was at least bearable. I stumbled to the bathroom in a half sleep. Quickly washing my face, my hands grazed my head and my eyes opened wide and I grinned. My day was looking good already. Bouncing over to my closet, I felt an uncontrollable urge to giggle. Taking out what I had set aside for today, I quickly put it on and rushed to the bathroom. I fixed my hair and looked at the object in my hand. Eyeliner. I had never worn it before and I didn’t know how it looked on me. I can’t believe you’re getting cold feet now!I scolded myself. Just put it on. I carefully applied it then added mascara before finally stepping back and looking yet again at the girl in the mirror.

I was wearing a pink tank top, not the girly kind of pink, or the kind that was so fluorescent that it hurt your eyes to look at, but somewhere in between. A black jean skirt came down to a little past my knees, no way was I wearing anything shorter. That was just going to continue the whole “whore” thing. Black and pink striped socks came went to about halfway up my calves. Black Chuck Taylor’s completed the look. The dark eyeliner around my eyes made the blue pop even more, making my eyes look haunted. My hair was messily tousled, a result of me being unable to do anything because of it being that short, and my skin looked extremely pale. I clapped my hands like an over excited school girl. I looked nothing like the Valerie that everyone had known, loved and hated before. I carefully tip-toed down the stairs, so as not wanting to wake my parents. Feeling stupid, I realized that they were gone and took the stairs down two at a time. Clattering about the kitchen, I quickly made myself a butter-and-sugar sandwich for breakfast. I savored the moment; the creamy butter, slightly salty, mixed with the tangy sweet taste of the sugar. Mmmm. Delicious. The food helped calm me and the nervous energy that had been running through my veins a moment before had disappeared. Still, the butterflies in my stomach refused to lie still and I was sure something exciting would happen today. After all, looking like this? Who knows, anything could happen. I grabbed my keys and made my way out the front door.

Adrian’s POV

The alarm rang shrilly. Groaning, I rolled over and smiled at the boy sitting next to me before shutting the stupid thing off. Matthew grinned down at me.

“Hey, baby,” he said quietly and leaned down to kiss me. Our lips met halfway and I giggled into the kiss.

“You taste like mouthwash,” I explain. His expression was bemused. He shook his red hair and sighed.

“What am I going to do with you?” he asked, “Now come on, you have school today and I’m driving you,” I pouted.

“I don’t want to go to school,” I cried, feeling very childish. He laughed and moved towards my bedroom door.

“Be dressed and ready at 8:00. I’m leaving the house at 8:05, with or without you!” he mock threatened and pounded down the stairs. Groaning loudly again, I yawned and stretched, cat-like. I swung both legs onto the floor and sat there for a minute, letting my mind drift between the hazy border of awake and dreaming. Knowing I couldn’t put it off any longer, I heaved myself out of bed and quickly got dressed. On came the tight black skinny jeans (customary), and Misfits t-shirt, followed by my old, beat up, red Converse. I really needed to buy new ones. Glancing at the clock and seeing that I had five minutes left to get ready, I quickly made a split second decision and plugged in my hair straightener, my make up was going to be done while it was heating up. I didn’t care if people called me an emo fag. This was who I was, take it or leave it. Smudging my eyeliner and simultaneously trying to straighten my dark brown hair, I looked frantically at the clock. Shit! 8:05! Matthew was known for keeping his word and this wouldn’t be the first time I’d have to catch the bus because I had taken too long and he had already left. I unplugged the straightener, threw my books into my bag and ran down the stairs. Matthew was standing by the open front door, foot tapping impatiently and dangling the car keys from one finger. That’s what I get for having a boyfriend who’s a year older than me; he can drive. He wordlessly handed me a piece of toast as we got into his car. Jamming the last piece of toast into my mouth, I prepared for exit as we neared Ivy High. Matthew put a finger under my chin and turned my head so that I faced him.

“Have a good day…” He whispered before softly pressing his lips against mine, leaving me breathless. I stumbled out of the car, dazed and joined the masses of students heading into the building. They all cast disgusted looks my way as they surveyed my apparel. In my haste to get inside, I jostled a girl into the wall.

“Sorry,” I muttered to the black head of the girl before continuing down the hall to the office.

Valerie’s POV

This is what you get for coming to school as late as possible,I thought to myself as I struggled to get through the crowd and to my locker. The good part of arriving just before the bell rang was that no one would see me in the haste to get to class. I don’t think I was quite ready to deal with the jeering remarks so early in the morning.

“Sorry,” the brown-haired guy said after pushing me into the wall.

“No problem,” I answered but he was already gone, running down the hall towards the office. Strange, but I decided to shrug it off and continue to push myself through the people. Finally, I got my books and headed to homeroom. Mrs. Miller called the attendance at her usual snail pace. Already, people were casting strange glances my way and I could hear the cheerleaders in the back whispering urgently.

“Valerie?” Mrs. Miller warbled. She really needed to retire. She was that stressed looking woman, with the fly-away gray hair and glasses. She had been teaching for over 35 years. She was in no condition to be supervising a bunch of loud, obnoxious 16-year-olds.

“Here!” I called but she didn’t hear me. The door to the class room had opened and Principal Deer (that’s her name, I’m positively serious) came in trailed by the boy who had bumped into me in the hallway. I kept my eyes up, uninterested.

“Students! We have a new addition to your class today.” The boy finally glanced up. It was the same one that had worked at the store yesterday. Well then. What do you know.

Adrian’s POV

Valerie’s haunted eyes stared back at my own green ones. Today was definitely going to be interesting.