Thursday
Suzette
When I say I'm a nobody, I seriously mean I'm nobody. I'm not popular or have a spectacular personality. I'm just plain old Suzette. I only have one friend named Larken Woods and that's all I really need. I focus on my schoolwork so I can get into college and become a doctor. My mother is never home and she leaves me alone to thrive for myself. My dad is dead, and I never even got to meet him. Lark's mother Carol takes care of me, they live right across the street. But even though I have Carol, I still take care of myself because that's all I know.
I sit in math class, looking down at my text book. My brown hair creating a wall between me and the outside world. I twist a lock of hair around my finger. My hair is brown, just brown. Nothing special, nothing unique. I tap my pencil against the table. I glance at the empty seat to the left of me. I sigh, wishing that Lark sat next to me. But Lark sat on the other side of the room with his friend Porter. My eyes glance over to where he would be sitting, the seat turning up empty when my eyes met the chair. Lark wasn't in class yet. He's always late.
I look away and then when I look up I see a beautiful girl walk in. She has caramel hair that cascades down her back in long curls and olive skin that compliments her hair. From where I sit I can see her bright blue eyes shining when she observes the room.
Mr.Carter smiles at her. She hands him a paper and he scribbles something onto it.
Looking out to the class, he says, "Well, class this is Chastity Fellows. She is new here to Melrose High. Chastity you can take a seat next to Ms.Carrier."
He gestures to the seat next to me. I lower my head to my book, pretending not to hear a word that my teacher just said. I want to be lost in my book but truly I'm listening to everything that is going.
I hear Ava whispering to her friend Kendall. I catch the words "I...sorry...loser..."
Ava is the meanest girl in the school. I don't know why but she's always hated me. Her icy blue eyes always glare at me from across the room. I had known her since elementary school, her and her step brother Porter. They always acted like they were better than everyone. Ava more so than Porter.
Kendall really was just a bystander. She stood with Ava but never said anything bad nor tried to stop the mean things she did. She's just as worse as Ava, with her judging eyes. But if I had to choose who I wanted to be friends with then it would be Kendall because she could be nice too.
I swallow down the tears and don't let the words get to me. I experience this everyday so why does it matter right now. Chastity slides into the seat next to me and says "Hi! I'm Chastity."
"I'm Suzette."
"You know that's a really pretty name. Mind if I call you Suze." She suggests.
"No, that's cool. My friend Lark calls me that so it's fine."
Chastity smiles widely, not even trying to hide her teeth that are already white like snow. I smile back. The teacher hushes us, and I bring my eyes back to the book laid out on my desk.
And then the bell rings.
Lark walks in 15 seconds after the bell. As he walks across the room to his seat he looks in my direction. His eyes don't meet mine they look at the seat next to me. Chastity winks at him. He winks back and grins as he slides into the seat next to Porter. Lark has always been a big flirt, in my opinion that's one of his flaws. You never know when he's serious because he's always flirting up a storm.
"Who's that guy?" Chastity whispers to me.
"Larken Woods but you can call him Lark. He's my friend that I told you about." I say.
She nods, with a slight hint of a smile on her face
She likes Lark. Of course she does. Who wouldn't? I did too, though I'd never admit that to his face. His hazel eyes were to die for and made me weak in the knees when he flashed them at me. But Lark only thought of me as his friend, and I was okay with that, as long as I had him in my life.
*****
Class ends, with me clutching my book to my chest that held all of homework. Mr.Carter had given us a packet to help us review for the quiz. I knew that I would have to help Lark with it since he relied on me to be his tutor.
I walk through the halls. The tall skyscraper brick walls trapping me in. I wish I could leave this school and never come back. On the walls there are posters saying, "Vote Marin for prom Queen.", with her smiling face covering the posters. Marin wore thick coats of mascara on her eyelashes but somehow it made her look prettier and flattered her eyes, bringing out the intense blue. Prom is next week and my mom is forcing me to go. She never gives me the time of day but now she can tell me to go to Prom and dress me up.
My thoughts are interrupted by a voice behind me "Prom, aye?"
I turn around to see Chastity leaning against the lockers with her arms across her chest. Her lips are pulled up in a smirk. Her eyes glued to the posters of Marin's pretty face.
"Yeah I didn't get nominated or anything but my friend Lark got nominated for Prom King." I say.
"The guy I mentioned." I add, in case she forgot about him.
"Yeah I remember him. So can I sit with you at lunch today. Since I have been honored with the new girl status." She asks, chuckling.
I hesitate before answering. I don't want her to know about what a loser I am. "Of course you can. It's just that I'm not that cool. But yeah if you want to sit with me you can. I'll be the only one there." I say, realizing that I am babbling.
"Suzette, shut up." She silences me. "I don't care if no one else is there. I'll be fine sitting with you. See ya then."
Chastity winks at me before she saunters off through the hallways.
*****
Chastity has about 4 classes with me out of 8, lunch not included. When it had finally been lunch time, she came and sat with me in the back of the lunch room. People stared, and that made me uncomfortable, since I didn't like being the center of attention but I liked having her there for company.
*****
Right now I am in my English class, watching the teacher lecture us about how to use Alliterations. I take three pieces of my hair to braid them, when my phone vibrates against my desk. I let my hair fall back down my shoulders, and pick up my phone. A text from a unknown number pops up on my phone. Sliding my finger across the screen to open my phone, I see the words:
Unknown: Hello.
I wrinkle my nose and start to type back.
Me: I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number.
A response comes back immediately.
Unknown: No I don't.
I turn my phone off and place it in the pouch for my pencils, then I bring my attention back to the teacher. It's probably some dude who's too stubborn to admit that they were wrong or one of Ava's friends trying to annoy me. I decide to put the thought out of my mind, and ignore it.
*****
The day is finally over. I sit in the back of the bus. I listen to all the girls shrieking as the guys try to touch them and the distant chattering of Lark and his friends at the front of the bus. I bring my eyes to look in his direction. His arm is around Marin, his girlfriend. They'd been dating for about 2 years now. Lark and Marin had been really good friends -not as good of friends that me and Lark were- but still really good friends. I think Marin was only dating Lark for appearances. Lark was so cool and awesome, he had so many friends, everyone liked him. So why wouldn't Marin jump at the chance to be with someone so popular when she was popular herself? And really why wouldn't Lark want to date her, she is beautiful with her mahogany colored hair and dark blue eyes.
I look longingly toward them, a pang shocking my heart at the sight of her nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck. Lark then looks back at me with a smile in his eyes. He's oblivious to how I feel, but I just feel special that he thought of me.
"You okay." he mouths to me?
I nod, forcing a smile.
I turn my head away from him and look out the window, not wanting to have him see the emotion in my eyes. Green flashes through my eyes, the trees tall and towering over the bus as the vehicle speeds past the tall green giants. Washington, in my opinion, is so green it's all you see. Everything, included my house, is surrounded by beautiful pine trees.
Suddenly someone sits down next to me, knocking my attention away from the trees and now directed towards whoever decided to sit next to me. I turn to see Ava. She flips her flaming orange hair with her hand, a grin pulling across her lips
"Hello Suzette." She says.
"Hi." I squeak.
Her cold blue eyes burn into my skin, causing me to cower away.
"Marin sent me over. She can't come over here herself because she's with Lark." Ava says, the smile growing bigger by the second.
I know she's with Lark, you don't need to rub it in.
"Okay." I say, knowing that whatever Marin wants isn't going to be good.
"She wants to know if she can count on your vote for her to win Prom Queen." Ava tells me.
"Sure. I guess."
Ava narrows her eyes. "You better vote for her. It's not like there are any other candidates that are better than her. And it's not like someone like you would win." She adds, with a laugh.
The bus stops, making my body shoot forward at the surprise of it. Ava stands, still staring me down.
"Well this is my bus stop. I'll see you later Suzette." She says, bouncing off the bus, my eyes following her.
My eyes stop on Lark and Marin, she leans down to give him a kiss before running off after Ava.
I sit in silence the rest of the bus ride, without any more interruptions. The bus stops a few more times before finally getting to mine and Lark's stop. I slowly make my way off the bus, Lark is waiting for me when I get off, with a big grin on his face.
"Hey Suze!" He says. "How was your day?"
"Great." I respond, sarcastically but Lark doesn't catch on. He's never really understood sarcasm except when he's dishing it out himself.
He throws an arm around my shoulder. "That's good."
We continue to walk in silence from the bus stop until we are in front of my house, the two story building looming high above us with it's quiet demeanor.
"So." says Lark, turning to me. "I'll be back over soon, I just need to check on Sky and mom. Then we can study for that quiz in Math tomorrow."
He groans, sliding his arm off of my shoulder, leaving me craving for his warmth.
"Okay, Lark. I'll see you soon." Offering him a smile, I turn and open the door to my house. I raise my hand to wave but he was already walking in the other direction, towards his house that was at the end of the street. Disappointment floods through me, I silently plead for him to come back but he never turns around.
I sigh and step through the doorway, closing it behind me. The house is bare, there is a couch in the living room to the left of me, and a dining room with a table that is probably collecting dust from about 10 years of being out of order. I make my way into the kitchen, and grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Taking a sip, I notice there is a pile of mail sitting on the kitchen counter. I pick up one of the envelopes and am met with words that say my mother is behind on paying for the electric bill. That must be why the lights have been flickering frequently. I put the envelope back where it was and make my way up the stairs to my room.
And there hanging brightly in my closet is a blue prom dress. There is a note resting on my bed, it's words calling to me. My fingers slide over the side to pick it up. Holding it up to my face so I can read the words.
Thought you could wear this to the prom.
Love, Mom
My lips almost form a smile. My mother actually thought about me during her busy schedule, it makes me instantly forgive her for not paying the electric bill. I hug the note to my chest, breathing in her words and never wanting to let go. I imagine that this note is her, that she is here and I am hugging her. Her beautiful face is in front of me, and she looks at me with her adoring brown eyes, like she could never imagine being apart from me.
When I look back at the dress it makes me want to actually go to prom. It's so pretty. I'm tempted to brush my fingers against the sparkling fabric. So that's what I do. The dress is strapless, and from the looks of it it would probably meet my ankles. It is an ocean blue color with sparkles sprinkling across the chest and top area, with a protruding skirt that is all tule.
I visualize myself at the prom. Mine and Lark's arms linked together, as we make our way up the stage to accept Prom King and Queen. I wave at everyone from a stage as they admire the dress I'm wearing. And Lark is looking at me like I'm the only thing he's ever seen before. But that is a fantasy, and a dream. I shake the image from my head, knowing that those are dumb things to dream about, and check the clock on the bedside table.
3:23.
Lark is late.
He usually comes around this time to do homework and just to be with me since I'm home alone all the time. Sometimes he even spends the night, actually he always spends the night or I go to his house where I have my own room. My mom only comes home during the day because she knows I won't be there, I think it's because I remind her of my dad. From the pictures I've seen, I have the same brown hair as him and my nose is thin with graceful curves like his. I have his freckles sprinkled across my cheeks and nose. I blink back tears, from the thought of never getting to meet the father I look so much like.
A sound from downstairs knocks me out of my funk. I open my door, slowly and silently. I cringe when the door creaks, causing the footsteps downstairs to silence. I leisurely make my way down the stairs, stopping once I'm in the kitchen.
I slide open the knife drawer with shaky hands. My fingers close around the cool metal handle of the knife. I close the drawer and start towards the living room where the home phone is, since I was stupid and left my phone in my room.
A breath of cold air brushes past my face, icy and stinging. A voice in the wind, speaking to me and telling me that someone is here. I glance towards my right and see the window in the living room open.
I stare at it in confusion. I know for sure before I left the house for school that it was closed and when I got home it was closed because I didn't feel any cold air then.
I back away from the doorway to the living room and turn to go back upstairs but I'm stopped by a dark figure in front of me, that is down the hall coming towards me. I scream, my hands shaking as violently stick the knife out in front of me. I'm petrified by fear.
The figure gets closer and once it comes into the light I recognize Lark. His hazel eyes are glassed with worry and his sandy blonde hair disheveled as he stares at me.
"Lark." I mumble, my whole body shaking in relief.
"Suzette, why do you have a knife?" He asks, a confused expression on his handsome face.
"I... uh... thought someone was here. I heard someone downstairs." I explain.
Lark takes another step towards me. His hands close around mine that are still tightly wound around the hilt of the knife. He gently slides it out of my hands and places it on a small table. Once I don't have any deadly weapons in my hand, Lark pulls me to his chest, smoothing down my hair. I rest my head against his chest and let his warmth overtake me.
"It's okay Suze. I know how it must feel to be alone in this house and not feel safe." He says, his arms tightening around my waist. "And you know that I would never let anything hurt you, right?"
"Yes." I whisper. "I know that."
Then why do you let your friends hurt me.
"Good, then everything will be fine. You probably just psyched yourself out." He says, shrugging and pulling away from me.
"But the window was open!" I protest, angry that he doesn't believe me and also because he let go of me.
He looks at me warily before saying, "And the front door."
My body tenses, and my eyes widen. "What?"
He nods. "I was surprised that the door was open, and I just thought that you forgot to close it. I can stay over tonight if you need me?" He offers.
I smile up at him. "Yes please."
"Okay. I'm gonna go home and get my stuff. I'll be back as soon as possible, I promise." He promises.
Lark pats my shoulder, before turning and rushing out the door. From the window I can see him running down the street to his house. I like that he was running, he was in a hurry to come back to me, as I was anxious for him to come back.
I tear my eyes away from the window once I see him safely go inside his house, and then I close the window, making sure to lock it. No one else will be getting into my house tonight. I hope.