Hype

~Chapter 15~

         I looked at myself in the mirror.  I think this looks okay…I stood there in my new violet dress, my hair straightened, and my makeup done.  It’s not something I’m a fan of.  All I use is maybe just a little mineral powder, a dash of lip gloss or eye shadow here or there.  I put on a little more than usual today.  Even mascara.  I borrowed it from Mom.  All I want to do is fit in and look nice, of course.  Yes, Reverend always told us in chapel that the Bible says we need to be separate.  I’m not going to be driven away from the Lord like all the other kids though. 

          I was talking to Mom about it last night, how I didn’t want to be to be the same as everyone else and go against what the Bible says.  As always, she was reassuring.  Her response was: “There’s nothing wrong with fitting in, as long as you have Jesus.”  Then you have one of those moments where you’re like, yay!  I’m good!  So, I’m sure that wearing a little more makeup than normal is okay.  I think it’ll be a problem if guys start giving me looks though…I know I mentioned how I want no part of that. 

           Now, you might be thinking, why the dress instead of the clothes Hayden, an “expert” helped me pick out?  I wanted to make my first day at Newpoint a little more interesting.  It was going to be a test.  I wanted to prove Hayden wrong, and I had a strong belief that I would accomplish said task.  All those times she told me about the bullies, how they’re so mean, and so horrible−enough already.  I put on my new dress on purpose, hoping to see if anyone calls me names.  It sounds stupid, I know.  But Hayden always said that “I’ll never know how it feels” unless I’m in the same position.  Well, here you go Hayden.  Bullies, this is your all-call.  Come and get me so I can find out how bad you really are. 

           I yawned.  It was still dark out to a good extent.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome that I get to leave school at one-thirty, but the bummer thing about it is that school starts at seven instead of eight-thirty.  I have to get up at five am every day.  But again, in two months it’ll be all over.  I feel so bad for the people who had to do this every day since freshman year.  I went back into my bedroom (I was in the bathroom because Faith was still asleep) just to see Faith still sleeping with the lights off.  I tip-toed over to our beds.  Due to my giant-ness, I was able to reach up to her. 

            “Faith,” I whispered.  “Have a good day at school.”     

            She didn’t respond.  I turned around, and quietly left the room.  But when I opened the door, I could swear that I heard a tiny voice say “Good luck Frey-Frey.” 

            Downstairs and out the door I went.  We left the house at six fifteen.  I wanted to get there early so I could figure out my locker ordeal, maybe find some of my classrooms.  It felt weird to have Mom driving me to school again.  I don’t know…I just don’t like it.  I’ve been so used to driving myself everywhere; I guess I forgot what it’s like to actually be the passenger in a car.  It hurt so bad to leave the house and see my car sitting in the driveway.  Then again, gas money, five foot tall giraffe. 

           Mom dropped me off in the front of the school; no busses had arrived to block the sidewalk yet.  A lot of people were being dropped off by their parents as well.  Mom wished me luck, and I stepped out of the car.  From the moment I put my foot on the gum-plastered sidewalk, I was already lost.  Of the students getting out of cars, they were all heading inside the school, but were using three different entrances: one on the left, one on the right, and one straight ahead.  The one going straight was the one we used on Thursday, so I decided to follow the group of students going that way.  I got a bit of advice from Mom on the way over: “Just follow everyone else.”