“Thanks for walking me to class,” I say bashfully.
“Anytime. I’ll see you around.”
With a smile, I wave as I walk into class, and everyone stares at me for walking in late.
The first week of school was tiring, even though it was fun to catch up with everyone I hadn’t seen for months. It’s finally Saturday, and Paige and I are trying to find something to do today. We stayed up all night burning CDs. We wanted to make CDs with all our favorite songs to listen to in the car. My favorite is “Summer Nights”by Lil Rob.Even though the summer is about to end, it always makes cruising in a car so much more enjoyable.
“What should we do today?” I ask Paige.
She flips a page in her issue ofCosmopolitanmagazine. My mom thinks they’re trashy because it talks about stuff someone my age shouldn’t be reading; she banned me from reading them. The ban hasn’t stopped me from reading Paige’s magazines, though. Mom just won’t buy them for me. I’ve actually learned a lot between the pages ofCosmopolitan. Yes, there are articles about sex, but it’s notallabout sex. I’ve learned a lot about skincare, fashion, and makeup. It’s not all bad.
“Should we go to the mall and meet some guys?”
The only guy I’ve been wanting to meet up with is Kai. I’ve seen him around school here and there, and we say hi when we pass each other in the halls. He hasn’t tried to talk to me again. I haven’t tried speaking to him either, though, but shouldn’t the guy try more than the girl?
“Maybe we’ll run into Kai. You still haven’t talked to him?”
I shake my head.
“I don’t want to go to the mall again. We’ve spent all summer there.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”
I laugh. “Come on. You can’t tell me you’re not sick of it.”
She sits up on my bed and throws the magazine away from her. “Then what doesMs. Too-good-to-go-to-a-mallwant to do?”
“Shut up. It’s just a mall. It’s always going to be there.”
“Why don’t you call Kai? Doesn’t he have a car? He could pick us up.”
I stand up and move to sit on my floor in front of the tall mirror; it’s way easier to apply makeup using this mirror. “I’m not sure if he has a car. I assumed he does since he’s a senior.” Grabbing my Maybelline Mousse Foundation, I dip my fingers into the makeup and glide it onto my face with both hands. Its light, whipped cream texture makes my face look flawless—even if it’s a shade or two too dark.
“We haven’t even talked since the first day of school. And I don’t have his number.”
Paige sighs and rolls over onto her back, making herself more comfortable on my bed. “You know, if you want to get laid, take down the glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling.”
I grab my blush brush and chuck it at her. “Who says I’m going to get laid?”
“I’m just saying. It looks like a little kid still sleeps in here.”
I’ve had those glow-in-the-dark stars since I was little. It was a big thing for kids growing up. They don’t bother me. I hardly notice they’re there.
I grab my lighter and melt the tip of my black eyeliner before drawing it around my eyes. “Let’s go to Sonic and get a drink.”
Sonic is the place to hang out on the weekends. Everyone lines their cars up side by side. We all walk around talking to each other. Sometimes fights break out. One time, there was a girl who literally yanked a fistful of another girl’s hair out of her head. That wasn’t even the worst of it. The girl that got her haired yanked out was sitting in the passenger seat of a car and the car drove off while the other girl had her hair wrapped in her fist. It still makes me cringe when I think about it.
“Fine.” Paige comes and sits next to me, and starts doing her makeup. “Sonic, it is.”
“What canI get for you guys?” the waitress on roller skates asks. I could never do her job. I would fall right on my ass with food in my hand, and the food would go flying and fall right on top of me.
“Can I get a small blue coconut cream slush?” I ask.
“I’ll have the same,” Paige says.
The waitress nods as she writes down our order.
“Should we get some tater tots?” I ask Paige.
