At the kitchen, I was too preoccupied to prepare breakfast so I would definitely give up chewing the first mouthful. I ignored breakfast. Alice jumped in her usual chair after she had finished dressing. She looked me straight in the eye with annoyance. Within seconds I understood her annoyance. It was my turn that day to prepare breakfast. Her facial expression soon changed; her eyes darted around the kitchen then she fixed a look at me questioningly. She raised one eyebrow trying to in courage me to speak. I resumed my stillness. I could see that she found it easy to control her anger; she smiled. She raised and moved smoothly to the kitchen just behind my chair. Her muted clanging and banging of the equipment reassured me of her calm mood. She placed a bowl steaming with hot milk and cereal in front of her at the table. The aroma of the chocolate hoops filled the kitchen in seconds. I disliked the smell; it gives me headaches. Alice scooped a mouthful of her favourite cereal, chewed and then cleared her mouth. “Bella, are you okay? You don’t seem normal,” she commented casually while she waved her spoon at me. Nothing she said made sense to me so I concluded that it was a rhetorical question. I froze in silence while she waited for a reply. “So…how do you feel today?” she asked anxiously.
“Am fine, Alice,” I simply mumbled, I am sure she has heard these same words more then anything I have said for the past weeks. I was going to tell her that she deserved the waiting but I dismissed the thought.
After she had another spoonful of cereal she asked, “Can you do this?”
“Nope,” I mouthed feeling my dry throat tightening. Alice’s facial expression surprised me; her green eyes widened and her angelic face softened.
“For me please, Bella,” she begged in her mellifluous tone with eyes full of sorrow. I opened my mouth slowly hoping that I would surprise myself by sticking to my point, but no words came out. I clenched my teeth with anger hoping that Alice wouldn’t notice this time. To my amazement Alice looked slightly surprised. Had I said something or is it the way my facial expression changed. I nodded and looked away.
Alice jumped up suddenly. I bounced back on my chair in defence and a nervous laugh escaped her mouth. “Let’s go now,” she giggled as she swung her pink Armani handbag to her shoulder. The university letter clearly informed us that we must dress formally. No one in this world could stop Alice’s obsession with fashion. I had never envied her style or beauty. Alice had gorgeous long curls that never lost their energetic and rich colour since the time we first met. Just then her blonde curls bounced on her shoulders making her look like a Barbie doll- lips full with clear lip gloss and thick curled lashes complete her perfection. I remembered her at high school; she would have suited a role as the pretty little girl in Alice in the wonderland. My beauty was admired but I am nothing compared to her. Alice’s angelic face is not as dreary as mine. Her skin would help the sun add to the day’s shine. But I – in fact everyone in town- still don’t understand why Alice would spend her time with me; her dull and boring friend. Surely the girls in town have had enough of their old-fashioned mums and clumsy dads. Those genetic girls would love to spend just one minute with Alice. What makes me think that my beauty is even looked at when Alice is beside me?
