-: Part 4 :-

     Thank God, it's finally lunchtime - a substitute filled in during study hall today, and for some dumb reason, he thought we should actually be studying during it, instead of talking. Who the hell does homework in the middle of the school day? So we passed notes awhile, trying not to get caught, but it pretty much sucked. I stop at my locker, turn the combination, and lift the handle up hard so it doesn't stick. Check the mirror on the door, push a few strands of hair back, my make-up looks alright still, though everything always looks shitty under old fluorescent lights like these. I slide my notebooks and textbooks into place at the bottom of my locker, I'll stop by and get the ones for my classes after lunch later, I hate dragging them around when I don't have to. I pull the brown bag with my lunch off the top shelf, and turn to look in the mirror again, not paying much attention to the photos of my friends and I plastered all around it and down to the bottom of the door, but adjusting my ponytail just a little, then closing the door with a quiet slam.
     I stop by the vending machine to get something to drink, pulling my dollar taught so the machine won't bitch at me, and punch the button for a bottle of water. A moment later, it comes tumbling down loudly, even over the constant fuzzy roar of cafeteria conversations, and how on earth is that a good way for something to work, to just drop bottles like that? I grab the bottle out of the drop-space, and head over to our table, toward the middle of the room, where someone can always see anything interesting that starts happening. I set my bag on the table and pull out a chair between Kimmy and Tara, saying hi to everyone, and sitting down.
     "Ugh, I was just telling everyone how much study hall sucked, didn't it Rach?"
     "It really did, that was ridiculous. I can't believe she was going to leave a note for Clune, like we were first graders! I'm surprised she didn't start giving us checkmarks on the board."
     "I used to get so many of those in first grade! I talked too much, I was always giggling with somebody about something, and I got check marks allll the time."
     "Yeah, I always got those "excellent social skills" and "talks too much in class" comments, my parents had no idea if it was good or bad."
     "I got those too!"
     "I always got such bad comments from my math teachers, it was always "shows potential but does not apply self", stuff like that."
     "Ha, I never even got the potential part, it was always just bad grades."
     "Yeah but everyone always liked you, Tar, even back then, I remember everyone always fought over who got to sit next to you at lunch."
     "I bet it was because I always had two packets of fruit snacks, and Lunchables, and stuff, everyone always wanted to trade with me."
     "Nah, it was because you had such pretty, long hair, it was all the way down your back, and perfectly blond, and all the boys were in love with you and all the girls were in awe of you. I know I was!"
     "Really??"
     "I remember that too, I tried to grow my hair that long too but it wouldn't go past my shoulders."
     "It was such a pain to brush it though, y'know? I was so happy when I cut it short in third grade. I did get a lot of love notes in elementary school, though... Raymond used to write me one every day, with little x's and o's at the bottom! It was hysterical. I threw them in the trash though."
     "You bitch!"
     "That's so mean!"
     "No but remember, he was so "the bad kid", then, y'know? Like he always had to stay after in gym class, for... I don't even remember why, but he was always in trouble."
     "That never really changed, did it?"
     "Nope, saw him sitting in the assistant principal's office yesterday when I went to go make copies for Student Council, I don't know what he did this time but the secretary there was giving him the naaaastiest looks, it was pretty funny."
     "Which one, the old lady or the one who looks like a whore?"
     "The whore. She had on the most horrible bright red lipstick today, it looked terrible. And her tan! You know that's not real, it looks so bad!"
     "Oh I know, it's so gross."
     "I hate it when adults try to look like teenagers."
     "It's so disgusting, like they try to wear a halter and their boobs are all sagging."
     "Ewwww!"
     "Kimmy you're so gross!"
     "But it's true! They do and it looks so bad, I don't even understand how they can look in a mirror and think that they look at all attractive."
     "Maybe they're just high, they'd have to commit suicide otherwise, after seeing something that ugly."
     "That's so mean!"
     "Oh but you know I'm right."