"Ahhhhhh!" Simultaneously we screamed at the tops of our lungs. It was over! We were officially graduating today and leaving Callor Maine High School. I can't say I was sorry to leave. I hated high school. I hated the hormone infested students. I hated the strict schedules. SchooI was so restrictive to me. I was more of a free spirit. I was eager to get out and leave the narrow mindedness of this place.
Victoria loved school. She was my best friend. We grew up together from two years old, so we just accepted the fact that we were more like sisters instead of friends. Our parents were really good friends since they were kids and history repeated itself. We were definitely the definition of "opposites attract". We couldn't be more different though.
Victoria was head of the cheer dance squad. She had long curly locs that were the brightest Red and gold with caramel cream skin. She looked like a Victoria's Secrets model. She was damn near perfect. Her energy was always hype and lit up a room the moment she walked in. She brought me out of a lot of dark places in my mind with everything I had been going through. She saved me and didn't even know it.
"Sel! We gotta go get ready!" Graduation is like four hours away! I rolled my eyes at her excitement. I much preferred to skip graduation and the parties and just pick up my diploma from the office. I wasn't one to make a big deal about dressing up or doing my make up even though I was a bad ass make up artist.
I enjoyed transforming the already gorgeous Vikki into a goddess. Vikki was who I practiced on throughout my makeup journey. She endured the good, the bad and the ugly…literally. As soon as I was great at it, which didn't take long since I was a natural artist, she benefited from always having amazing makeup done for her performances and special events.
"You are putting on makeup today! No excuses!" I rolled my eyes again. "Don't roll your eyes at me miss. Be careful before they stick that way"! She giggled. "We are going out with a bang! You are getting dolled up throughout this whole celebration! "Ugh, I am not feeling it, but I will do it this one time, just for you." I glared almost enough to barely see out of my squinted eyes at her.
I was the total opposite of Victoria. My 5'5 frame didn't compare to her 5'9 model look. "I swear, you never need make up." She said. "You are so gorgeous naturally. Make up is gonna make you cause some accidents!" She laughed. My eyes were large and cat like with long thick lashes. I always looked like I had on false lashes for some reason.
The green in my eyes, accented by golden flecks, often changed between grey, hazel and green. I had high cheek bones and full lips with a big bright smile, when I actually decided to flash a smile, that is. My hair was perfectly straight and long to the end of my back. It was jet black with a blue hue, which cause my tanned complexion to glow against it. I wasn't very thin. I had a tiny waist and my Latina curves did not hide at all. I didn't mind either. I was always told I looked exotic. I guess that is a good thing.
"Perfect!" Vikki was standing next to me in the mirror admiring my artwork. "Girl, you are gonna break some hearts today". She said with a devilish grin. Are you going to the after party?" "Nope!" I replied sarcastically. "I rather binge watch Lycan and Vampire movies all night." I would be 18 tomorrow and the thought of ringing it in with the same people I was eager to get away from was not my idea of a great night.
I was so determined to leave this place I started saving money from doing make up art from the age of 14. Art had its perks and people paid well. Everyone wanted to look their best. I wanted to travel and see the world. I desired to experience different cultures. I was looking for something but I don't know what the hell it was. I always felt like I was missing something, like I needed to be somewhere. My first stop was going Spain. Instead of going crazy jumping from place to place I decided to trace my roots. It would be a great start.
"You should go to the party. Let's have some fun. Its our last party with our peers, Su." Exactly the problem, I said, flopping down on my make up chair and spinning around like a big kid. "Come on!" "Two hours and we are out of there. I promise!" Vikki begged. "Brent will be there." She said teasingly, will a cheesy wink. I perked up instantly.
Brent was the captain of the football team and he was every girls dream. He was the God of football. He was tall, muscular, handsome. His dark hair reached to his ears and fell over his brow. You know that motion when you watch the hottest guy on the planet rake his hand through his hair and all the girls look like they simultaneously had wet panties? Yeah, that's the effect he had on me and every other girl in school I suppose. He was really sweet too, which was rare considering all the Jocks were cocky bastards.
I always thought Brent would end up with Victoria for some reason. I mean, they were Captain of the football team and the Head of the Cheer Dance Squad. It was a perfect match. He wasn't her type though. She had her eyes on Abel. The secret love of her life. Abel was cute in a dorky way. He was tall, lanky, super smart and motivated.
Victoria was in love with him her entire high school life but she never tried to make it into anything except friendship. She was always afraid that he would run away or just not like her in that way. You would think that with how outgoing she was, no one could intimidate her like Able did. She was always a little extra though. It worked for her personality.
Brent on the other hand had an evil girlfriend since 10th grade and she ended up cheating on him with her professor early this school year. It broke his heart. He walked in on them in a classroom. She was in doggy style position over the professors desk. He didn't even get mad. He just walked out and ended it. I was kind of weird. I would have probably burned the whole place down if that happened to me. Maybe that's the real reason I didn't really care to take anyone seriously in the dating world.
Brent never dated anyone or talked to any girls after the breakup. He kept his smile on, his game face, but I could see beyond that. The only girls he ever really spoke to were me and Vikki. I assume because Vikki was head of the cheer dance team. No matter how many girls asked about him or tried to talk to him, he just smiled and didn't pay them any attention.
We had a couple school projects together that allowed us to bond a bit, but I couldn't tell him how I felt about him. Rejection was not something I was interested in, especially when I was freaking in love with him. I had dreams of taking advantage of his perfect body and making him mine. I knew I had to let those thoughts stay in the dream world unless he miraculously became interested in me. He was still an amazing friend, regardless of how in love I was with him. So, I was happy with being friends and admiring him without him knowing until I couldn't anymore.
"Earth to Su! Stop dreaming about Brent. I know you are!" I glared at her even more narrow than the last time, and threw one of my large make up brushes at her. "Hey!" She shouted. "Wait… I'm keeping this brush…its soooo soft!" She giggled. "Ok, ok, I will go for 1.5 hours. Not a minute more and I am driving." "Ugh! You always have to negotiate, huh?" Vikki said, totally annoyed. "Yup!" I replied with smirk. "Fine 1.5 hours and not a minute more." Vikki agreed in total defeat. "Deal!" I said. "Oohhh, I get to dress you up!" She said, with that look like she's a kid in a toy store. "I have the perfect dress. And you have to wear heels!" Wait just a damn minute! That was not a part of the deal! No! I am not doing it!" I refused. "Yup! Im not listening!" She sang with her hands covering her ears.
"Su, Vikki, lunch is ready !" My mom shouted from downstairs. "Coming!" We said in unison.
"Hey." Vikki said before we headed downstairs. What's up with the marks on your neck? Did it happen again?" I looked down and couldn't answer. Vikki sighed. "What are we gonna do Su? This isn't right! I asked my grandma about it without telling her it was you and she said some things that might help. Somehow she knew I was talking to her about you even though I tried to keep that part a secret. It creeped me out a little bit. It's like she has some kind of powers or something. We should go see her tomorrow."
"I don't know Vik. I really don't want to bother anyone else with my crazy shit. People look at me differently when they find out what happens to me." She won't mind Su. Grandma is already a little strange and you're like family to us. She loves you." I let out a slow, exhausting sigh. These negotiations with Vikki were exhausting.
"Ok, but can we wait until after my birthday? I'm not sure how I will feel about what she says." "Ok, bet! Vikki agreed. "Did you tell your mom?" "No. I don't talk about it anymore. She thinks I need holy water and a priest. I know she means well. I understand her. I just know I can't depend on her to understand my situation." We got this ma." Vikki said, squeezing my hand as we left the bedroom and head downstairs.
"Oh, you girls look fabulous! Come here, I need pictures!" Thanks mom but do we have to take pictures? Can't was skip the pictures and pretend we took them?" I teased. "Thanks Mrs. Breaker, you know how Su is." Vikki rolled her eyes, as she grabbed me into a headlock to take the first picture.
"Victoria, are you riding with us today or are your parents back?" Mom asked. "They are on the way Mrs. Breaker, I will come with you guys in case they are late." "No worries, we will leave as soon as you girls are done."