The Hidden Evil

Chapter 12- Different

The trip to near the islands came up again. School conversation was rattling on as usual. With several boys glancing her way across the cafeteria.

Why were all the older boys looking at her like this? Yeah. I've turned twelve but it was no biggie. Unless.... Livvy had given her the detox that made all the guys swoon. Amy crunched her fist.
"I hate this," Amy muttered, upon the contemplation of the self image profile topic around school grounds. (She was used to peer admiration and socially, loved her friends and hanging out. But this was... kind of next level.) No one looked beautiful compared to the elves!
It had made Amy realise how much everyone focused on it. Looks.
Her feet were about to swing onwards with Cadance. When Amy remembered. She had to switch over her books before heading to the sports ground.
"Catch you in a bit!" Amy called, jogging off.
Then she caught them 'boys' looking at her again.

"I hate this," Amy muttered for a third time. "Not because I am pretty, which I am. I want someone interested in me. For me."

Amy was staring at herself in the locker mirror.
Green eyes, curly brown hair like her mums. Plus a generous dollop of freckles, which all but disappeared when she smile. Her wit was by far the best thing about her. Amy contemplated. And her sporty side.
"Amy!" Crystal called.
Self analysis ended.
"What is it, Crystal?" Amy asked, sing the locker door shut.

"We heard you were coming to the island charity trip. Do you have all the paperwork you need?" Crystal was the Pastor's daughter. Always wore nice cloths, spoke nice.
"Yeah," Amy said. She sometimes thought it might be a bother for Crystal sometimes. Being perfect. (Like me being popular.) "Are you okay with going?"
"Definitely to escape my brothers- Hallelujah!" The winkle of humour was there.
She knew how weird she sounds, right? Amy tried looking at Crystal differently, maybe...
"It's pretty weird how annoying families siblings can be," Amy said instead.
"Tell me about it," Crystal seed to relax, since Amy hadn't acted all weird around her after her saying that.

Crystal slipped away. I am not actually going, so yeah... I have all the paperwork I need, Amy reasoned. She'd tell them in class.

"Hey, Amy," It was Jackson Turner again, slipping next to her. "Thanks for being nice to her. Others tease her all the time but she is pretty cool once you get to know her."
"I'm guessing she just says stuff like that first time round. Sees if you act weird." Amy slipped her backpack over her shoulder.
"Nah, slip of the tongue more like. Its said all the time at church." Jackson rubbed his short cropped hair, running it through. It looked gorgeous, even though he appeared slightly off-topic about it. Embarrassed? Really?
"Oh," Amy thought about it. She hadn't been. "Do you go (to church)?"
"Nah, only Christmas sometime with the old folk. What about yours?" Jackson asked beside her
"Not religious. And We don't have grandparents," Amy said. Otherwise... would I have know? Amy suddenly wondered.
"Um, are you hungry or something. You are frowning. My face always frowns when I'm hungry." Jackson asked.
"Hungry?" Amy repeated

"Yeah, I'll see you in the cafeteria." Jackson waved.
Amy had always been the heart beat of popularity, they say incidences change people. Being around 3 people total, for 4 months, totally changes you. Amy wasn't used to the constant rush of people her age anymore. She had changed. And they had stayed the same.

Amy joined Cadance with Jeremy at the bench they use. Maize came over, soon accompanied by Jackson, so sat one bench over.

"I can't wait to go on the trip," Maize said.

"Me too," Jackson agreed.

"What? Are you going?" Amy asked, astonished.
Jackson, quarterback and good looks was sitting there going on the missionary trip.
"I heard about it, seems like the decent thing to do," Jackson seated in front of her.
And just like that, Amy ran out of excuses. She wanted to go. Needed to.

*