I'd Rather Shut My Eyes
Chagrin
chagrin, [shuh-grin]: noun. A keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment, or a disconcerting event.
***
As the rumbling pickup truck made its way slowly through lunchtime traffic, the occasional sliver of old paint crumbling away in the wind, Michaela watched houses go by and thought about how long she could keep this up.
I may be angry, but this can't go on for much longer.
She was shaken out of her thoughts by a harsh bell screaming through the rolled down window. Snapping her head around to find the source of the noise, she saw a grey school building with kids pouring out of the huge front double doors to gather on stairs and grass to eat. The car park nearby was about half full; and it was here her father stopped the truck.
Michaela gasped, remembering her hair and her shoes.
"No, Dad! Can't we come back after lunch? I can't go in like this!!" she hissed, shrinking in her seat to avoid the gazes she imagined were tuned to this out-of-the-ordinary event. Then she groaned, realising she'd just broken her promise already.
Well, I won't talk to Lucy or Joe. Or Dad, as much as possible. And definitely not Moms.
"Sorry honey, but we've got an appointment with the principal to discuss your classes and make a schedule. Hop out, no-one will even notice you. Kids never notice the new kid." Her father's lined face shot her a comforting smile.
Maybe on the outside. But inside, they're just DYING to find something wrong. Won't talk to them either.
Groaning again, she opened the door as little as possible and slipped out, slippers hitting the asphalt and immediately picking up a layer of dust around the sole. Michaela tried frantically to smooth her hair down a little, digging through her pockets for a hair tie, elastic band, even a piece of string to pull back the massive frizz. There was nothing, so she had to leave the half-tamed mop hanging in her eyes. She shuffled along behind her father, eyes down, the whole way to the school. She heard sniggers, but on the whole people ignored her.
I thought being ignored wouldn't be too bad, but if it's like this…
Peeking up as she entered the building, Michaela spied four boys about to pass her. She dropped her head again, too quickly to take in any appearances, trying to ignore the brush of an arm on her shoulder and their loud conversation.
"Then that bitch of a teacher gave me a detention! Why did I let Bob convince me to take Latin?"
"Because you heard Latin and thought Latino, which means salsa, music and good looking ladies?"
"Too true, Mikey my brother. Too true…"
The doors slammed behind Michaela and her father as the two boys exited the entrance hall. Turning a sharp left, they ended up at a small window with papers stacked up and an arch leading into a small waiting room. A kind-looking office lady was answering a phone when she spied the two tentatively enter. Poking her thumb towards another door labelled "Principal", she started to rapidly fire questions over her headset.
Michaela father turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, standing aside and pushing Michaela lightly through the doorway.
***
As the rumbling pickup truck made its way slowly through lunchtime traffic, the occasional sliver of old paint crumbling away in the wind, Michaela watched houses go by and thought about how long she could keep this up.
I may be angry, but this can't go on for much longer.
She was shaken out of her thoughts by a harsh bell screaming through the rolled down window. Snapping her head around to find the source of the noise, she saw a grey school building with kids pouring out of the huge front double doors to gather on stairs and grass to eat. The car park nearby was about half full; and it was here her father stopped the truck.
Michaela gasped, remembering her hair and her shoes.
"No, Dad! Can't we come back after lunch? I can't go in like this!!" she hissed, shrinking in her seat to avoid the gazes she imagined were tuned to this out-of-the-ordinary event. Then she groaned, realising she'd just broken her promise already.
Well, I won't talk to Lucy or Joe. Or Dad, as much as possible. And definitely not Moms.
"Sorry honey, but we've got an appointment with the principal to discuss your classes and make a schedule. Hop out, no-one will even notice you. Kids never notice the new kid." Her father's lined face shot her a comforting smile.
Maybe on the outside. But inside, they're just DYING to find something wrong. Won't talk to them either.
Groaning again, she opened the door as little as possible and slipped out, slippers hitting the asphalt and immediately picking up a layer of dust around the sole. Michaela tried frantically to smooth her hair down a little, digging through her pockets for a hair tie, elastic band, even a piece of string to pull back the massive frizz. There was nothing, so she had to leave the half-tamed mop hanging in her eyes. She shuffled along behind her father, eyes down, the whole way to the school. She heard sniggers, but on the whole people ignored her.
I thought being ignored wouldn't be too bad, but if it's like this…
Peeking up as she entered the building, Michaela spied four boys about to pass her. She dropped her head again, too quickly to take in any appearances, trying to ignore the brush of an arm on her shoulder and their loud conversation.
"Then that bitch of a teacher gave me a detention! Why did I let Bob convince me to take Latin?"
"Because you heard Latin and thought Latino, which means salsa, music and good looking ladies?"
"Too true, Mikey my brother. Too true…"
The doors slammed behind Michaela and her father as the two boys exited the entrance hall. Turning a sharp left, they ended up at a small window with papers stacked up and an arch leading into a small waiting room. A kind-looking office lady was answering a phone when she spied the two tentatively enter. Poking her thumb towards another door labelled "Principal", she started to rapidly fire questions over her headset.
Michaela father turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, standing aside and pushing Michaela lightly through the doorway.