Chapter 10
I woke up on Monday morning at six o’clock promising to be a whole new different person. The list of things I should and shouldn’t do in public lay on my bedside table, filled with black nail varnish and lipstick stains. I found out that red lipstick didn’t suit me…I also found out that when it says “Long lasting”…they do mean long lasting and I also faced a ten euro fine for breaking it. My mum was going to kill me if she found out that I rummaged through her makeup drawer.
“Ok Michelle,” I told myself firmly getting up and wiping my eyes with my hands, “Today you are a new and different person. You are gorgeous and smart…and sophisticated and you own lipgloss.”
Vanessa was going to be proud of me. As predicted it took me two hours to get ready, I didn’t even know why I bothered but any time I put down the makeup brushes and my hands itched to put my hair into a ponytail Erik’s face appeared in my mind. I wanted Erik and I would do anything I could to get him. April was a cow anyway, she didn’t deserve him she was way too fake. Besides, most guys might like her big tits but they were probably implants…I mean seriously? For a girl her age- they can’t be that big.
After my hair was sufficiently back combed and hard with hairspray but filled with volume, after my eyes were covered with dark purple smoky eye shadow and my cheekbones were smeared with a faint peach blusher I made my way down the stairs.
My parents were away at work as always and Avril walked around the kitchen wearing her uniform in a way that could only be described as one of those naughty school girl outfits you see people wearing on Halloween. She was making a pathetic attempt at frying an egg omelet. The contents of the frying pan were smoking.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked her, running to the cooker and staring at the pan. It was dark brown. I sighed and turned it off then moved the pan aside. “I see you tried cooking. Could you please try not to burn down the house?”
Avril looked at me with wide eyes; a faint smirk was making its way across her pale face. “What the hell have you done?” she asked me, “I see you tried giving yourself a makeover. Could you please try not to burn your hair…oh my god! Did you use hairspray? Oh my god! You used hairspray! But you hate using hairspray- apparently it wrecks the environment. Is that deodorant I smell? Oh well I can’t complain about that- at least now you don’t smell like sweaty gym shorts.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, “Your loving sisterly support is as welcome as always.”
“Who’s the guy?” she asked me with another smirk, “Is he not noticing your inner beauty?”
I didn’t answer and she started giggling to herself, “Oh my God. This is just priceless! I can’t wait to hear what people will say about you!”
“What’s wrong with me?” I demanded feeling my cheeks growing hotter. This seemed like a good idea yesterday. But now…under Avril’s horribly critical stare this seemed like a bad idea. “On second thoughts don’t answer that. I’m off. See you later.”
“Have a nice trip!” shouted Avril as I slammed the door shut behind me.
I cranked my iPod as high as it could go as I made my way to school, the refreshing spring breeze rolled around me bringing with it the faint scents of blossoming flowers and the hairspray in my hair. I hated the smell of hairspray. The school was already swarming with hundreds of students as they filed past me laughing and chatting loudly. I saw a couple of girls turn to look at me with wide eyes. I could’ve sworn I saw a couple of guys turn around to check me out. Avril’s criticisms vanished into thin air as I straightened up my shoulders and strutted past them, making my way through the door and tripping over a mat. My iPod shot out from my pocket and fell on the floor right on someone’s foot.
I cursed and quickly bent down to pick it up, the person bent down to pick it up as well and our heads bumped against each others. Our hands touched and a bolt of electricity shot down my arm. I flinched away and looked up into the eyes of Erik. My cheeks suddenly burned.
“Erik!” I said feeling a huge awkward grin making its way across my face, “I’m sorry.”
Erik laughed, picked up my iPod and gave it to me, “You’re a disaster on a flat surface. You might need to watch where you’re walking next time.”
“Well I try,” I said and giggled. We were both still kneeling on the floor and looking at each other. A flood of warmth was rolling through my body at the sight of his bright green eyes, the way his blond hair had brown natural highlights that gleamed in the faint sunlight spilling through the front door. Students walked past us, someone tripped over my foot.
“You look different,” said Erik with a small smile, “It suits you.”
I found myself giggling again and nodding, “Thanks. I just put on…em…”
“Michelle!”
Vanessa’s sharp and urgent tone snapped me out of my little embarrassing daze and I looked up to see her standing over us both with her hands folded and her face emotionless. That was weird. She was never emotionless.
“What’s up?”
“We have class.”
I sighed and got up, Erik got up as well and with another lingering glance at my face he walked away, he tapped me on the arm as he walked by. I was still smiling when I turned to face Vanessa. She gave me a long calculating look, for a minute there I was scared that she’ll laugh at me like Avril did but instead a huge dazzling smile lit up her face.
“You look hot! I told you a bit of makeup and hairspray would do you some good! You’re going to have him wrapped around your little finger.”
“You think so?” I asked her in relief.
Vanessa grabbed my arm and started leading me through the corridors, “I know so.”
My morning passed with comments from my classmates about my improved look. April and her friends giggled when they saw me, I saw them looking at me from the front of the class and pointing. I felt my heart sinking when April leaned into Caroline and started whispering something to her. Both of them looked at me and burst out laughing. That made my hunger for revenge even stronger. I gritted my teeth and went back to my copy.
At break time Vanessa and I found ourselves sitting on the table filled with Derrick, his band and their admirers. The girls watched us enviously as Mike gave me a high five and winked at Vanessa. They watched in confusion as Vanessa gave him a dirty look and sat in the seat beside me folding her arms. Her silence told us that she wasn’t over her little problem yet and we didn’t press her for any details.
Derrick watched me anxiously for most of break, rolling his harmonica between his fingers. His bright blue eyes narrowed in concentration.
I caught his eyes a couple of times and he looked away to play a note on his harmonica. I saw one of the girls- a blonde one who sat in front of me in Geography by the name of Laura- lean in towards him and start whispering something in his ear. He grinned and put a hand behind her chair. I winked at him and earned a kick from under the table.
By the end of break I was walking out of the canteen trying to put on a strut that April and her friends usually did to catch a guy’s attention. It was a disaster. I tripped over my foot and nearly fell over. A hand grabbed me and I looked up hopefully to find myself looking at an amused Derrick.
“Ok. You auditioned for a play and got a haircut…what’s all this for?” he asked me.
I shrugged and laughed nervously, “Nothing. I was just…practicing for my part…”
“Did you even read the script or find out what your character is like?”
I shrugged and pulled my hand away from his, a group of juniors pushed past us, a group of senior girls- those that used to terrorize me in class wearing ultra shortened skirts and too much makeup- giggled as they saw me. All of them were starting to make me paranoid. “I take it you have read it.”
“I needed to make sure there were no nude scenes on stage.”
“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” I stopped at my locker and pulled out a key from my skirt pocket. My bag was squashed inside with the strap hanging out, I sighed and pulled my sleeves back and started to pull it out. It remained inside the locker until Derrick sighed and effortlessly pulled it out for me.
“I’m not a pervert.” Said Derrick, “Which is why your new look is quite unappealing to me.”
I raised an eyebrow, “I noticed the way Laura was practically flashing you with her shirt, don’t tell me you haven’t sneaked a peak.”
“Laura?” he looked confused for a moment.
I rolled my eyes, “The girl that was flirting with you at break.”
“Oh Laura! No she wasn’t. She was just…look that’s different. She’s Mike’s fan and is trying to get close to him by flirting with me,” said Derrick and leaned against the locker beside mine, “It’s different. But you on the other hand, I know what you’re trying to do.”
“Come on then…shoot me. What do you think I’m trying to do?”
“You’re trying to get…”
“Michelle!”
I looked away from mine and Derrick’s heated conversation and looked up at Erik. He wasn’t wearing his jumper and looked flushed from playing some type of sport…his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show the top of his muscular chest. I quickly looked up from his chest up to his face and blushed. “Erik. What’s up?”
Erik nodded at Derrick, who stiffened in his place and made a face at me. I was oblivious to Derrick’s reaction. My gaze was too focused on Erik’s nice, emerald eyes that were staring right back into mine.
“Well I was just walking by and then saw you and decided to say a couple of words, you’re not busy…?” he looked questioningly between Derrick and me.
“Actually yes…” began Derrick.
“No!” I interrupted Derrick, “No we weren’t. He was just asking me for homework stuff…” I giggled nervously and did the one thing I thought I’d never ever do when talking to a guy…I flicked my hair.
“Ok. Well we didn’t get to talk after the audition and well I wanted to let you know that I talked to the director.”
“You did?” I asked and a huge smile spread across my face, “No way. What did you tell him?”
“I recommended you for the part,” said Erik smugly and gave me his winning grin, “You’re more talented…and less freaky then the other girls.”
“She’s also the only one you didn’t do yet.” muttered Derrick under his breath.
My mouth felt like it was about to fall off, I couldn’t stop smiling and Erik looked thrilled by that development, “Thanks. That actually means a lot. I’d recommend you…too….but you already have the part. I guess.”
“I’m having a party next weekend,” said Erik, “You should come over. I’m inviting most of the cast as well- I’m pretty sure you’ll get in so please do come. Plus your friends will be there.”
“I’d actually love to!” I said trying to act cool about it but inside I was dancing.
Erik gave me a shoulder pat, gave Derrick a head nod and walked off to join his classmates.
“Erik?” asked Derrick, raising an eyebrow at me, “You’re still trying to impress him? I thought you were over all that?”
“I never said I was over all that,” I scoffed and closed my locker, “I just didn’t…think I had a chance.”
“So now you think that just because you put on a load of makeup and shortened your skirt you suddenly have a huge chance with him?”
“He invited me to his house party. What else can that mean?”
“Em…I’m inviting you to my house so you can get drunk and I can rape you. That’s practically the message right here. He has a girlfriend Michelle. Don’t get your hopes up.”
For once I felt annoyed with Derrick. For once I was going somewhere and he couldn’t be happy for me, he had everything that he needed and he didn’t need to fight for it. Why couldn’t he just be happy for me, “I know he has a freaking girlfriend don’t think she doesn’t say it to me every freaking day. I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re changing yourself for some self obsessed prick!” snapped Derrick towering over me, he was fuming with suppressed rage.
“You’re meant to be my friend! You’re meant to be more supportive!” I snapped back at him.
“Well I’m sorry if I’m not like Vanessa and make you get a makeover and lie to people, I’m sorry that I’m the only one being honest about all this.”
“You can’t say much Derrick.” I snapped at him, “You say that Erik's a user? But what about you? Think about all the girls you've used! Think of all the girls you played your stupid games on! I could've said something to you but I kept out of your life. You can do your own thing so why can't I do mine?"
There was a long pause in which Derrick glared at me and I began to wonder if what I said was too much and too hurtful. I might've been angry at Derrick but I didn't want to lose him. Just as I was about to apologise he shrugged at me and started edging away.
“I played along with your audition plan but I am not playing along with this,” said Derrick and with one last angry glare at me turned around and stalked off towards his class.
There was the sound of the class bell and everyone rushed towards their classrooms. I was stuck in the middle of the chaos watching Derrick’s retreating back. One part of me told me that he was right, that I was fighting a losing battle that either way Erik and I couldn’t be- he was too good for me- and another part of me told me that I needed another layer of foundation, a tong and I’ll have the guy around my finger in no time.
I could’ve given up right there on the spot but I couldn’t do it. I shook my head, balled both my hands into fists and marched towards my next class. Derrick wouldn’t just leave me; he was too good of a friend to do that.
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