I went straight to the bathroom and cried my eyes out.
"No,no,this is not happening to me". I tried to assure myself.
"Everything is going to be fine, Marvel. You will be fine".
I knew deep down inside me that everything is not going to be fine. I cried for so long that I was starting to feel pain on my eyeballs. It became difficult for me to lift my eyelids. I raised my face and looked at the mirror. My eyes was red and swollen. It'd been so long since I cried that much. The only time I ever cried like that was when I lost my dad. I started to gasp and breathing was suddenly difficult. The walls around me seemed to be closing in,I walked forward and tripped.The lights went off.
*SPLASH*.
My face went numb as I felt cold liquid on my face.
"Barbie". I heard a familiar voice scream from afar. I turned my head to and fro, trying to get the cold liquid off my face.
"Wake up, Barbie can you hear me?".
I raised my hand to answer the voice but I didn't have enough strength. My teeth shattered and I struggled to breathe from the cold.
"Let me take you to the nurse. Let me lift you up".
"No". I said slowly and opened my eyes.
Lo and behold! It was Kimberley McAdams standing right above me.
I stood up with effort and sat on the floor. I took deep breaths and my breathing returned to normalcy.
"Thank you Kim". I said after a few minutes.
"I walked in and saw you laying on the floor and I knew you had passed out".
"I am so sorry".
"You don't have to be sorry. It happens to me a lot too".
"I must have tripped and fell".
"What were you doing here anyways?".
"In the bathroom?"I smiled.
"Yeah,I can't believe I asked you that. What else would you be doing?".
We were both silent for a while.
*Ding*
The bell rang to signal the end of break.
"I have a music class now. Let me help you to the nurse first".
"No, please don't. It will only create unnecessary attention".
"Like the time you vomited on your first day and everyone said you were pregnant?".
"Yeah like that"
"You do not look fine. I can't abandon you like this".
"Don't you worry, I will be fine".
"Wait here for a few minutes okay?".
She left the bathroom. I burst into tears again but this time it was controllable, unlike the last time. I felt touched to receive such level of kindness from Kimberley McAdams. She walked in carrying a bag.
"My emergent kit". She said indicating the bag.
"what's in there?" I was curious.
"Geez. You never let anyone finish a sentence, do you?"
"I am sorry, didn't mean to interrupt".
She brought out the contents of the bag.
The bad contained a hairbrush, hair clips, a pink lip gloss, a hairdryer among other items.
"Get up". She ordered and I did so.
"Spread your hand this way"She demonstrated for me to stand and spread my hands wide from the rest of my body. She took the hair dryer and dried my clothes with it. Normally, one would feel hot from this activity but I felt warm. I was almost freezing before and the heat from the hairdryer made me comfortably warm.
Kim went into one of the bathrooms and brought out a tissue.
"What are you going to do with that?". I was curious.
"Watch and learn".
She spread the tissue on a chair and dragged the chair opposite the bathroom mirror.
"Sit". She commanded.
"You are such a commando".
"I am naturally bossy". She bragged.
"Hmm. If there is one thing you got from your aunt Kyla it's your domineering presence".
"You are wrong about that".
"I disagree". I argued further.
"End of discussion".
The tone of her voice depicted that she didn't want to further stress on the issue.
She took the brush and brushed my hair backwards and pinned it. She tied my hair with a pink ribbon and styled it in a bun. She took a butterfly-shaped pink hairpin with purple spots and inserted it at one side of my hair. She applied hair gel around the edges of my hair.
"Turn around".
I turned to face her and she applied lip gloss. I turned back and looked at the mirror and could barely recognize myself. I looked even better than I looked in the morning. Even more interesting is that the whole process barely took ten minutes.
"What do you think?". she asked
"I look perfect. Thank you so much for the makeover. Now I don't look like a chicken that fell into a pool".
She laughed.
"You are so funny".
"Thank you so much again".
"It is the least I can do after you pulled me from the rain yesterday". She smiled and I smiled back.
"You would make a perfect makeup artist or hairstylist when you finally become one". I complimented
"I don't know". She hesitated.
"Trust me you are Hollywood quality".
"I will take that from a Hollywood named person". she joked.
We both walked out of the bathroom together smiling. We met Monica and Clara walking past the bathroom door.
"Kim, we have been looking all around for you. Come on let's go, we are already late for Music class. Clara said.
"By the way, what are you doing talking to this nerd?"Monica said referring to me.
"Oh, she?". Kim asked.
"Who else would I be referring to?". Monica rolled her eyes.
"You wouldn't believe what happened".
She looked at me and back at her friends.
"Okay? I am waiting for your explanation".
She shifted away from me and stood beside her friends.
"This "thing" was lying down on the bathroom floor when I came in".
"Eew, that's disgusting". Monica and Clara said in unison.
"That's not true". I turned to Kim. "Tell them what really happened".
"That's what happened nerd". Kim said menacingly.
"No, that's not true".
"Then tell us what happened". Clara said.
"I fainted.....". I tried to explain
"Is it the baby again?". Monica mocked and they all laughed. They walked away.
Kim looked back at me and mouthed "Sorry".
"Oh no, I am not taking this," I thought to myself.
"
I understand why Kimberley had to do that but it's wrong to hurt my feelings like that all because she wanted to impress her friends and look "cool". I appreciated her gesture towards me earlier but I did not approve of her being mean. If she was going to be mean in front of her friends, why being nice at all?
I walked to the class. Luckily, I didn't get in trouble because I had no class at that time.
*Ring*
The bell rang and it was time for Trig class.
"Come sit". Ryan called out to me and pointed to a vacant seat beside him. I sat down.
"Thanks". I said and he smiled.
"I'm glad to help". We were the only ones in the class.
"Are you sure this is the right class?".
"Of course, just that only a few students offer Trig. You know it's not a compulsory subject".
"But will look good on a college application if you are trying to get into a good university". I responded.
"You are not wrong". He affirmed.
The environment was uncomfortable for me. I did not really like the idea of sitting so close to a hot seventeen years old. For a nerd like him, Ryan is really good looking with blond hair, blue eyes and pink full lips. He is almost six feet tall with muscles and I could bet he has rock hard abs underneath his school shirt. At first glance, one could mistake him as a high school quarterback. Too bad Marc is described as the hottest guy in school and a potential prom king, Ryan could rightfully and suitably fill that post.
"So.....you have abs?". I found myself asking.
"What?". He said and laughed.
"Nothing, it just fell off my mouth. I am so sorry".
"You want to see for yourself?".
Since I couldn't be more embarrassed, I answered.
"Yes".
He lifted his shirt and trust me he really had abs.
"OMG, you have abs" I smiled and covered my face. He laughed. I looked at his face, he had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.
"Tell me something Ryan".
"What is it?".
"Why are you a nerd? I mean you could be the most popular guy in school".
"Well, Rhyme, Reggie and Angie are my friends and I always stay with my friends regardless".
"Wow, you are a really nice guy unlike some people".
"Who?".
"Never mind".
We chatted about other things before Rhyme, Reggie and Angie walked in.
"Hey bestie, long time". Angie called out.
"Hi". I stood up and hugged them both.
We sat down.
"Angie, didn't you say you belong to the press club?".
"Yes, why?". She inquired.
"Is there space for one more member?".
"There is always space. Do you want to join"?
"Yes, I do".
"Meet me at the press club meeting room today after school so that I can give you the requirements".
"Where is the meeting room".
"It's the last room on the second floor right beside the science lab".
"Okay".
Other students were starting to come into the class by then and so did the teacher.
"Good morning Ms Lewis". Everyone greeted me. it was my first Trig class since I resumed.
Trig class was soon over and I went back to the general class shared by all Final year Arts A students.
"I will probably get mocked again". I thought.
I was right, everyone started laughing immediately I walked into the class. I walked sulkily to my seat. I felt so humiliated that I almost cried.
"That's okay". Marc said.
"Let just let her be"Kim put in.
"I do not need your pity". I talked back proudly.
I wasn't going to allow her to make me feel less of myself.
The bell rang again for Arts class and everyone stood up to leave. I went to my locker to gather my art tools. I felt the presence of someone at my back. It was Kim.
"What do you want Kimberley McAdams?".
"I am really sorry".
"For what? Being nice or being mean?".
"Hey, I am trying to apologise here".
"You know what? Maybe you don't have to apologise".
"Look,I am sorry. I really am,I just didn't want Monica to know that am being nice to you".
"So one moment, you are nice and the other you are a complete monster. You don't have to be friends with them if all your friendship means is to impress each other and look cool".
"You are being mean". She was giving me that nice, cute, lost puppy look but this time, I am not buying that.
"You know what if you are going to be two-faced, at least one has to be pretty".
"I am so sorry". She paused for a while. "Apology accepted?". She asked.
"Kim let's go". Marc called out.
She turned and left.
I picked my tools and left too.
*Beep*
My phone rang. I had a message.
*Meet you at four at The Seven's. The drink's on me* The message read. It was from Kim.
*I don't know, I have plans* I replied.
*please it will be fun*
* it is my dad's death anniversary yesterday so am doing something in that honour today*
*Even better we can do something together*
*Text you after school* I replied,n ot sure if I wanted to accept.
I went to the press club meeting club after school.
The room was empty but well lit.
"Hi, babe". Ryan said standing at the door.
"Hey you" He winked at me and I was shocked.
"What are you doing here? Let me guess, checking on my rock hard abs again". He said sarcastically.
I blushed. "Of course not".
"Hey Babe, hey Ryan". Angie greeted.
"Good afternoon". I responded.
"To join the club, you have to submit a printed news article to me, the club president. Then I will decide if it's newsworthy and if you are club-worthy. You never know, if your work is good you might get a post".
"We are recruiting recently". Ryan added.
"Hmm Okay".
"Call me during the weekend to submit your work so that you can be a full-fledged member by Monday's meeting". Angie said.
"Okay, no probs. I have to go now".
"I'll walk you". Ryan offered.
"Uhm...hm..no....no... thank you". I stammered, trying to reject his offer.
"I insist".