This Girl

Chapter 2: She'll Run Around Like a Child at Christmas

"Because I have a weird disease that gives me a British accent," I say and walk away quickly.

"You're so difficult," he sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I don't even know your name!"

"And you never will!" I salute to him and leave him standing there as I turn a corner.

***

I walk into my next class and sit down. The girl next to me raises her head and look at me. Blinking, she asks, "You're new?"

"Yeah," I nod and take out my notebook and a pencil case.

"Where're you from?" she asks curiously, brushing her brown, straight hair behind her ear with a pencil.

"Oh, I'm American. But I moved to Paris, now I'm back," I say.

"That's so cool!" she says. "When did you move?"

"When I was nine," I tell her.

"Did you befriend and Parisians?" she asks.

"A couple, yeah. My best friend's Australian though, she migrated there when she was five."

"That's so awesome!" she exclaims. I smile. "I'm Kate, by the way."

"Natalie," I say. She stops smiling. "What's wrong?"

"You're Natalie Bennett?" she asks.

"Um, yeah. How'd you know?" I say.

"Do you happen to know Amanda Harper?" she asks, fidgeting with her rubber.

"Yeah. We used to be best friends," I say quietly.

"Yeah, I know," she says. "Amanda's been spreading rumours about you since she came here."

"What?" I ask surprised.

"She never said you moved to Paris though..."

"What kind of rumours?" I ask.

"Like... Natalie Bennett is so mean! Natalie Bennett made me move schools! Natalie Bennett is such a fat cow."

"Does anyone believe her?" I ask.

"Psh, no way," she laughs. "You're safe."

"Thank God," I smile. The class starts and I start taking notes, grateful that Amanda hasn't forced anyone to believe anything.

***

Kate and I walk out to lunch when the bell rings and she introduces me to a couple of girls.

"Hi! I'm Claudia," says a small blonde girl, with a smile on her face. She looks like the kind of girl who would always be positive.

"I'm Natalie," I say and smile at her.

"Do people call you Nat?" she asks, looking at me from over her burger.

"Yeah."

"That's so cool! I wish I had a nickname. But, no, my parents just had to choose 'Claudia,'" she frowns.

I take a seat next to Kate, in front of Claudia. "A nickname doesn't have to be something associated with your name. It could be associated with your appearance or personality or something."

"Yeet," she says. "What about Bubbles? I like that. Bubbles are bouncy. Everyone! Call me Bubbles!" she says to the table. All the girls roll their eyes. I smile at Bubbles.

"Bubbles it is," I say and take a bite of my food.

"Yeah, she's like, REALLY crazy. Don't give her that much sugar, she'll run around like a child at Christmas," Kate tells me. "But we kind of hog her because she's friends with everyone, even the boys." Kate shrugs and places the spoon full of yogurt into her mouth.