So Not Normal

I stayed up all night last night, thinking about James. Why would he like someone like me? What did he even like about me? There has to be a reason...

When I woke this morning, I was beyond tired. I put my pants on backwards and the milk carton in the microwave. My mom didn't seem to question my actions and I couldn't care less. I walked to school half asleep and was late to class. Bridgette wasn't there, so I guess I'll have to survive without her, which wasn't going to happen, especially at lunch. I might even get eaten alive by Nicole. Oh well. It's not like that's going to affect my life anyways. Mrs. C gave me a glare before going back to teaching. I have a sneaking suspicion she doesn't like me much...

At lunch, I wasn't in the mood to have to put up with Nicole's insults so I tried to find someone to sit with. Besides, I couldn't really find them. I started to think that I don't have many friends when I saw Navy. Of course! Navy! How didn't I think of her? Navy was in most of my classes last year and I became really good friends with her, although she has a habit of taking my food without asking. I rushed over to her before Nicole and Susan could see me.

"Hey, Navy! Can I sit with y'all today? I, uh, can't seem to find my friends..." I didn't want her to think that I didn't have many friends, so a little lie was necessary, at least in my case.

"Of course! We, uh, kinda have a lot of people here, so if you mind-" She aimed for my stuff and I gave everything to her. She set them all across the table before anyone could sit there.

"Better," she smiled. "Now, why dontcha sit here, "she patted the seat next to her.

"Um, sure! What are you doing with my stuff?" I questioned.

"Saving seats, duh! I told you we had a lot of people coming," she said as a big rush of people came towards our table.

"Woah! Didn't know you had so many frien- er, I mean people sitting with you!" A minor slip wasn't too big, as long as I kept it locked and away.

"Evie! Amber! Y'all sit here everyday?" I was on a sugar rush. I mean, all my good friends all sit together and I was the odd one out!

Evie was a rather short girl, about as tall as me, with black hair that reached her shoulder blades. She was Asian, but not many people knew where she was from. Even I wasn't so sure myself.

Amber was a tall girl with long, gold, blond hair that was always neatly combed and ran down her back. She wore glasses and she, obviously, was from Sweden.

"Yeah! You could have sat with us! We could never find you." Evie answered. I smiled in my head at her reply. So I did have friends who cared about me.

"What do you have for lunch?" Navy leaned over my lunch box.

"Um, grapes, cucumbers, and chicken nuggets- dinosaur shaped!" I told her cheerfully.

"Ya!" She yelled back, grabbing three grapes and stuffing them in her mouth.

"Hey!" I complained.

"You'll get used to that. She does that really often." I heard someone say. I turned.

"Amber! Haven't seen you since... last year!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah! You were in all my classes and this year we barely have any classes together. Bummer..." She trailed off and started staring behind me. I turned around and saw Mickey sitting behind me. Ah, right.

"Hmm," I smiled at Amber who was still staring at Mickey. "You still like him? I thought you got over him ever since you told him that you had a crush on him."

"Well... he did get braces and a new tan, which he looks so hot in!" she admitted. Navy rolled her eyes. I snorted. Lunch was a blast after that. I left the cafeteria with an overflowing self-esteem meter. I started daydreaming and thinking that maybe I could sit with Navy everyday from now on when Nicole came up to me. I sucked in my breath.

"Where were you at lunch!" she screeched.

"I couldn't find y'all!" I said in my best you-can't-control-me voice.

"So?"

"So...I sat with my other friends,"

"Oh..." She had that disappointed look on her face, like she didn't want me to have other friends. I gave her my fake smile. She smiled back.

"Okay, then. Just... make sure you can find us tomorrow," she told me and gave me a hug.

"I'll try," I muttered. And right then and there, my self-esteem meter broke in two.

As I started thinking how I could sit with Navy at lunch, I felt an arm swing my way. I ducked.

"Oh, sorry," said one of the Populars, holding a thick necklace. Oh, right. Gotta cross the danger zone first.

"Excuse me," I sighed as a group of girls stood gossiping in front of my locker. I made it clear that I needed to get to my locker and they moved aside.

As I shoved my stuff inside, I overheard something.

"...that's where you got your clothes? I thought you went to AE or something! I mean, that's where I would go. Who buy their clothes from... wherever you got yours?" One of the girls had said. I turned around. Paisley was wearing a bright pink top with a lacy bottom edge, paired with a neon green skirt. Three girls were standing in front of her, all hands on hips.

"Well..." She had a hesitant face, as if she didn't know what to say. Then her face lit up.

"My mom bought it. She made me wear it today. Of course, I didn't want to disappoint her so I wore it," she said with a hopeful look on her face.

"Huh. So that's your story? You're lucky that's believable. One more time, and you're out," said what seemed to be the leader of the clique. Paisley hung her head.

Wow, those girls really think they're something! I thought. Paisley really got lucky; she could've gotten humiliated!

My thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. S. She stood in front of the class as she watched me run into a desk. She crossed her arms.

"Uh, yeah, that's right," I stammered as I pointed at my seat. I looked around before letting the horror sink in. Everybody was laughing at...me. Confusedly, I glanced down, but didn't see anything. I turned around, but then realized that something was wrong. My hair...was gone. It just wasn't there anymore. I reached up to touch it. My usual hair that ran halfway down my back was cut. Tears filled my eyes. I ran out the door. I cried even harder when I realized that James had witnessed the whole thing.