7days7authors

Thursday: "Pretty is as Pretty Does" by Mandatory Volunteer

(Part Two)

I killed the rest of the week by finishing decorating my room, and unwrapping CDs. I emailed some of my friends, spoke to some over the phone, and even wrote some letters by snail mail. I spent an extra long time writing one for Damien, this boy that I’d had a crush on for forever, then on the last day in my home town, he tells me that he’s had a crush on me for a while too. Go figure. 

‘Rissa happened to be walking by when I was so intently writing this letter that I didn’t even notice her. Until she opened that big mouth of hers and the screech of her laughter gave me a heart attack. 

“Oh. Writing to a boy back home are we? Is he as boring looking as you are?” I glared at her for a second before she disappeared down the hallway. Man, that laugh is going to get on my nerves. You should hear her and Charlotte laugh together. I’m pretty sure your head would explode. 

Damien was — and I swear to you there’s no other word for it — hot. He had these pale green eyes you could get lost in, hair that couldn’t be tamed no matter how hard he tried (once, he shaved it all off. I didn’t recognize him, but he still looked hot after everyone got over the shock), and a grin that just made you feel happy. He was so full of energy, like a puppy almost. 

Out of everyone, I was definitely going to miss him and Naomi the most.

—

I told everyone of how everything was in the new town, and set out my clothes for the following school week out on a separate area in my closet. That feat alone brought me through the rest of the week. And I still hadn’t finished looking through everything they bought me. 

The morning of my first day of high school I was surprised (yet again) with a brand new car. Not just any car. A Ferrari. A. FERRARI. I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that the Ferrari is a status symbol of immense wealth. Drake and Charlotte were beaming with pride (while ‘Rissa was beaming death rays), until I told them that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for me to drive that because of my heart condition. 

Their smiles faltered for a minute, but then they said something along the lines of “Nonsense! You won’t be going over the speed limit and we’re sure you’re a responsible driver and you won’t get in a wreck. We trust you and we know it’s hard for you to adjust so we decided to get you something special…” 

But what I really heard was “Here! We’re so rich and extravagant that we can give our completely strange not-daughter with a weak heart the world’s most desired and expensive car! And we’re not even going to worry that she’s only sixteen! Your hesitant nature will keep you alive and we had an extra one lying around so we decided to give it to you!” 

Either way, I thanked them all the same and gingerly got inside of my car. My old car was a stick shift too, but it didn’t quite have as many gears, and I didn’t have the insane fear that I was going to die in my old car. It was a truck by the way. Built like a tank. 

I threw my messenger bag with my things for school into the seat beside me and sat in my car for a few seconds before I put the key into the ignition and turned. 

— 

I was hoping to make an unnoticed entrance into the school parking lot. Obviously, that didn’t go as well as I had hoped. I saw people physically drop their jaws at my car as I parked. Even from inside my car, I could hear people asking who I was, where I had come from, and what I was doing here. 

I parked my car as fast as I could and got out, avoiding eye contact with people as I did and tried to push my way through the crowd, but it wasn’t going to be that easy. 

“Whoa! Who are you?” 

“Are you new here?” 

“Hey sweet cheeks!” 

“Nice ride you got there.” 

Questions and people bombarded me but I just answered that I wanted to get out of here and find my classes before I got lost looking for them. Many people offered to help me but I just turned them down and kept going towards the school. 

Then I heard a high-pitched voice go, “What a snob. She probably thinks that she’s too good for our help.” I twitched a bit because the voice belonged to none other than the lovely Clairissa. I heard shouts of approval before the crowd dispersed. 

Well then. There goes my new aggressive way of living. Heh, well, it hasn’t actually started yet, but it will! I WILL be more confident in myself!