C H R I S T I N A
What happened at the pajama jam made me really mad. Sure, I don't sing often, but I do love playing the piano and I felt that playing something different on the keyboard would be something people would enjoy.
And I was right because most everyone in the room - even Mitchie - liked it. Heather was the only one that didn't like it but that's because she doesn't like me and anything to do with me. Not to mention like I told her myself, she hates anything that has to do with people liking something that comes out of someone else, and not her.
She always has to be in the front of the spotlight, all eyes on her. I don't even see the point of having backup singers - let alone as many as she has - if she wants the spotlight all to herself. She's good, not going to lie, but she's not perfect.
Nobody is. And just because she's pretty and has a good singing voice doesn't mean everyone's going to like her style or the songs she sings. Half of the time she's singing about how she's 'too cool' or better than everyone else. And if that doesn't scream conceited and cocky and self-centered then I don't know what will.
It's been a few days since that incident, however, and I've now stopped making glares and stupid remarks at Mitchie. I kind of want to talk to her, because before I stormed out of the kitchen the other day she was trying to explain something to me but I didn't listen. I was honestly too busy being mad at her and trying to make her feel bad for letting on a big lie about her life, something that shouldn't need to be done in the first place.
After taking lots of time to think about everything, I realized that Phoebe and Griffin have been keeping a few secrets from me. They did say that what was going on there was something they weren't able to tell me, but with the way that Phoebe acts when she is around or talks about Aubrey, she sounds super bitter. I'm beginning to connect the dots and I'm starting to think that maybe Mitchie's not the one lying, it's Aubrey.
Walking into the kitchen, I bit my lip as I saw Mitchie sitting at one of the tables, lots of decorations in front of her as her mother was talking to her. The boy she's always with - Jonah - was next to her, engaged in the conversation too.
"Hey guys," I greeted, my tone sounding happy. Mitchie and her mom looked at me, Alice greeting me with a warm hug and smile. Mitchie just awkwardly looked down at the table in front of her, probably feeling awkward about everything that's happened.
She stuck up for me at pajama jam, in front of everyone, and in the process, she embarrassed Heather and I couldn't help but be super thankful for that. I wouldn't let her talk and made her feel horrible, said some harsh things and she still did that. Nobody's ever done that for me before, and it made me feel wanted and loved.
Sitting down at the table across from Mitchie, Alice quickly explained to us both that she just wanted us to blow up the balloons. Half them were going to have helium in it with strings tied to it, and the other half was going to have just us blow them up without to lay them across the ground.
Alice then left for a moment, leaving us two in an awkward silence. She came back with a tray in her hands, showing us some cookies with records on them. "Does this look like a record?" She questioned, holding them out to us.
"Like the vintage ones that lots of older parents and all have?" Jonah asked. "Those are dope."
"Yes those, I'm glad you knew what I was talking about." Alice smiled at Jonah, who smiled a little cute smile and looked down at the table in front of him. "I just want them to look good and authentic next to my eighth note cupcakes."
"Everything looks great, you're doing amazing." I complimented, smiling at her.
"Thank you, Christina!" She smiled at me. "Also, I'm going to leave you three to it so I can get other preparations done before the event tonight. Thank you so much again for helping, Jonah."
"Of course, more time to spend with Mitch," He spoke, and I watched as Mitchie blushed and looked at the balloons in front of her.
Alice then walked away with the biggest smile on her face, leaving us three in silence.
"I'm gonna go get us something to drink, what do you want?" Jonah began to stand up. He looked to Mitchie, and she whispered a reply before he looked to me. "And you, Christina?"
"Just water would work, thank you." I smiled at the boy, and he tapped his knuckles on the table once before walking out of the cabin, leaving just Mitchie and I alone.
We both began to work on the balloons, me filling them up with helium while she did them manually.
"So, are you signing up for Final Jam?" She asked, breaking the awkward silence. "I know it's at least a month away but it's still nice to know early."
"Yeah, I actually was." I looked up at her, before back at the balloons in front of me.
"So..." She trailed. "What are you thinking about doing?"
"This is freaking me out, to be honest." I tied the balloon. "Why are we talking exactly?"
She sighed, resting her hands on the table in front of her. "I don't know, I just guess making small talk-" The balloon then popped, causing the both of us to jump. "Or maybe I was setting you up for that, who knows."
I then popped the balloon in my hand and we both laughed, loud obnoxious laughs that we probably wouldn't want the world to hear. The laughter died down, and I decided to bring up the events from a few days ago.
"So, thanks for the other day and all, but-"
"Don't mention it. I always stick up for my friends. It's sad I can't really do the same for myself, but when it comes to my friends I'm the first to step up." Mitchie looked down, messing with some of the flat balloons on the table.
"Being friends with Heather's fun," I partially lied.
"How do you know?" She asked, looking up at me.
"Believe it or not, her and I used to be friends. We go to the same school together," I began to explain.
"That sounds impossible. What happened though?" She asked.
"We were best friends, then my parents split up and so I had to switch back and forth from my mother's house to my father's house. It was back when it wasn't okay to have split parents, and she didn't like that. So she split herself, and eventually began to hate me," I said.
"Oh wow," She mumbled.
"There's a little more to it though, she doesn't like competition, sans the fake snake thing at pajama jam. She also felt that I was kind of a competition because she can only sing and do a little bit of dancing. I sing a little bit and play lots of instruments. She thinks that there can only be one star - herself," I continued. "I know what it feels like to be friends with her, she's popular and can make you feel important and popular yourself - but so what? What does either of those things do for you when you really aren't that important to her."
"Being popular is not really a so what when you get lots of attention. I mean, it's really important to Aubrey." Mitchie shrugged.
"I mean yeah, it's the perk and there are a few other perks. Like singing backup, never getting to say how you really feel and let's not forget those super short tacky outfits!" I sarcastically said.
"On a real note though, I do want to tell you about the whole lie thing," Mitchie's tone was suddenly super serious, and she messed with the blown-up balloon in her hands. I watched as she tied it, throwing it into the tub we were supposed to put them.
"Okay," I quietly spoke, actually giving her a chance to explain this time.
"Aubrey has been telling everyone my mother's a super-rich chef in China or something. And I know, it's bad and I shouldn't let her say something like that, but I don't know what to do." She mumbled." I don't like lying, I hate it. If I had to choose I wouldn't do it."
"You shouldn't have to live behind a huge lie," I said.
"I know. I don't want to," She muttered.
"But she has to," Another voice spoke up, and we looked to see Jonah standing at the edge of the table. "So many people were trying to get drinks, it was such a long line, that's why it took so long." He sat back in his spot next to Mitchie, handing us our drinks.
"So you knew?" I asked, looking at the boy.
"Yes, Mitchie told me. Basically she's tried to get Aubrey to stop - and so have I, but she's manipulating Mitchie into continuing to be in the group and the lie." Jonah explained for Mitchie.
"That's so crappy. You shouldn't have to deal with that." I looked to Mitchie.
"Speaking of, I have to go practice. We're practicing for Final Jam, then for the other bonfire jam we're having coming up." Mitchie stood up. "Sorry to leave on such short notice."
"Don't mention it, the queen awaits," I jokingly said, and she sent a soft smile before walking out of the kitchen.
"So you two are good now then?" Jonah asked me, continuing to stay and help with the balloons.
"Yeah, guess so. I was kind of rude to her without letting her explain. She tried to say it wasn't her but I thought she was lying." I put helium in the balloon, tying it after.
"Understandable. You figured out her life is basically a lie, so it's understandable you wouldn't believe the actual truth at first," He said.
"So guess that makes you and me her only new real friends at camp, huh?" I questioned, and he sent a soft smile.
"Yeah, you're right."
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this is kinda short and ended weird, sorry :(
edited: september 12th, 2019