Feel Real

Chapter 7

                “If you two can go whenever, with Daniel having a car and the nurses loving him, why don’t you just go out and party? Be normal teenagers?”

                Daniel and Sammy looked at each other and exploded in laughter. My face flushed red with embarrassment and I sucked on my drink. Once Daniel and Sammy had contained themselves Sammy answered me. “I was a social outcast and Daniel didn’t go to high school long enough to get used to it. You really think we’ll know where parties are? And if we happened to find one what to do?”

                I shrugged, hiding my embarrassed face. “I don’t know. I’ll take you guys to a party sometimes. I know when they normally are and where they’ll be.”

                “But won’t that just be bad for you? Going out to a party and seeing all the people that put you in this mental hospital? And how will you explain to them you just walked out to go party?” Daniel asked, of course. He was the only person that would think of questions like the ones he just asked. I hadn’t thought of drama it might cause, I just wanna party. And, of course, bring Sammy to her first party.

                I shrugged again. “Never thought of it but I don’t really care. They won’t notice me.”

                “Considering that you’re the most popular girl at school I think someone will notice you.”

                I rolled my eyes at him. “I just want to have fun and bring Sammy to a party. Is that too much to ask for, Daniel?”

                “Do whatever you want, I won’t come,” Daniel said, annoyed with me being so unconcerned.

                Sammy sat watching everything playing out, a smile on her face. “Well looked like counseling is helping!” Her face was way too happy. Daniel and I both gave her the evil eye. She rolled her eyes at us and then said, “If we’re going to party anytime soon I am not going in sweats and a baggy shirt. We got to go shopping, just buy one outfit. Because someone will definitely notice us if wear this,” Sammy said, gesturing at her attire, “to a party.”

                I had totally forgotten I went out in public in sweats, slippers, and a gray shirt. I must have gotten so used to wearing it and seeing everyone else in it I just blocked it out, not even noticing people’s clothes anymore. My mother would kill me if I ever went out wearing this. Now I’m required to wear it.

                “I am not driving you two around to buy clothes, you don’t even have money,” Daniel said. Sammy started to pout. My mind started to work, figuring out how I could get my hands on some money or clothes. Then my light bulb lit up.

                “I could ask my mother to bring in clothes!” I said. Right away Daniel responded with, “They won’t allow that.” And once again I was back to thinking. Maybe Daniel could get money from the nurses; but I knew he wouldn’t do that and the nurses didn’t deserve to be stolen from. Then another light bulb went off in my head.

                “I could get my mom to give me money, that’s no harm.”

                “That’s true,” Sammy said. “My parents give me money for getting coffee and the nurses don’t think twice whether if it used for coffee or not. And they give it to me in chunks.”

                “Perfect! I’ll tell my mom to give me a hundred dollars or something. That should be more than enough for clothes and coffee and whatever else I want to use it on. My mother won’t think twice.”