Mom had talked me into seeing a therapist the next day after school. But I still had to go to school. I’d have given anything to have been able to just stay in bed forever. I didn’t feel like facing Jerry and Becca and Hannah. I was done with all of them. I was done caring about what they thought of me.
Once I finally got myself out of bed, I decided to dress nicer today. I had found that over the past several months of my life, I had stopped trying to look nice at all. Huge sweatpants and baggy t-shirts had become my every day wear. Sometimes I wouldn’t even brush my hair. I’d just let it hang over my face in tangles. But today, I pulled out a pair of jeans and a purple shirt Mom had given me for my birthday that I had never worn. Then, I worked a brush through my thin, brown hair, and pulled it back into a ponytail. It was so strange seeing my hair away from my face. Actually seeing my face was strange. I’d stopped looking in mirrors a long time ago. Today, I was looking at a different person.
After surviving my morning classes, lunch finally came around. I went and sat at my table, alone as usual, and tried to ignore the squeals of Becca, Hannah, and the rest just a few tables away. Quietly I pulled out an apple and forced myself to take a bite.
“Hi!”
I swiveled in my chair. Behind me was a girl with fire hydrant red hair and a beaming smile.
“Uh, hi,” I responded, startled.
“I’m Cherry. Can I sit with you?”
“Sure.” I didn’t recognize Cherry. Maybe she was a new student. But then again, our school was pretty large. She sat down next to me and pulled out a sandwich.
“Want some?” she asked, offering me half her PB&J.
“That’s alright,” I smiled. I bit into my apple again.
“So, do you have Mr. Roslend for chemistry?”
“Yeah, he gave us an insane amount of homework today!”
“I know, right?”
We kept talking the whole period. Cherry was quite a cheery companion and I don’t believe I’d ever smiled that much in just an hour’s time. Not in a long time, at least. Then, we got up to throw our trash away. Just before I walked away, she said,
“Hey, do you want to hang out after school tomorrow? I’ve got track practice after school today but I’m free tomorrow!”
“Yeah, that sounds great,” I said, grinning.
“Okie doke. Sounds great! See you tomorrow, Tessa!”
“Bye, Cherry!”
And I kept grinning all the way to English class.
DU LIEST GERADE
When Sleep Doesn't Come
JugendliteraturTessa doesn't know what to do with herself. She cannot sleep. She eats too much. Her friends don't understand the first thing about her. And she has absolutely NO idea what to do about any of it. But listen to one girl's story as she chooses fi...
