Foolish choices

*Friday morning finds me wishing I had stayed home. Its not so much the looks I get from the other ‘perfect people’….what hurts more is the way that my dad didn’t even say one word to me before I left for school. Which again makes me wonder if he knows how stupid his ‘broken puppet of a daughter’ really is. When that thought has gone I find that a tear has started to well in the corner of my left eye. A sure sign that being ‘the one and only’ is not going to happen for me today. Rather I have to face another day of being the ‘one and lonely’. And when I get like that….even my sister Megan doesn’t want to be around me. Which I don’t blame her for wanting to do. Heck when I get like this….I don’t even wanna be ‘in my own skin’ either. Luckily now…I have friends who can bring me out of it*

Lizzie: Hey Tina….how do you feel today?
*after a weak smile when I have come to a halt at the bus stop* Okay I guess. I might still have the flu so be careful.
Lizzie: *Chipper as usual* Don’t have to be careful. I got my flu shot yesterday at the free clinic.
*at that I turn pale* The one over on Blackberry street?
Lizzie: *Brighter than what she was 2 minutes ago* Yep. That one. Why?
*eyes wide from fear*~OMG. She knows~ *Quietly* No reason. Just thought maybe you went somewhere else is all.
Lizzie: Well that is the only ‘free clinic’ within walking distance of my house and the school. Why does it bother you that I went there?
~Lizzie….please….don’t ask me that again. More for my sake than yours.~ *Sighs* Okay….if I tell you why I am so upset about what you told me….you can’t tell anyone else. Do you promise?
Lizzie: Sure do.
Okay….well at the Halloween party we had at the Digital Bean….
Lizzie: Let me guess….you ate too much and almost threw up. I heard that someone did….*my look at her tells her that she was way off base. Afterwards she whispers* omg….no….its you….isn’t it. The one who was the subject of the rumor yesterday.

Lizzie you so can’t tell anyone! Not even Miranda! Please! You promised!
Lizzie: Why? They would only want to….*and then it dawns on her* oh. You fear what would happen to you when…not if….Kate finds out don’t you?
No….her I can handle. I just don’t want anyone thinking I’m ‘easy’. That and if my dad finds out from someone that I’m like his ex-wife….well that will be all she wrote for me attending school here.
Lizzie: Oh yeah. I could see how that would be bad. You don’t think he would pull you from school do you?
He might. Or worse. So can we please not talk about it anymore?
Lizzie: Gotcha. *luckily the bus pulls up and we have to stop anyways*



[Lizzies p.o.v.]

*Later during lunch*

Lizzie! Tina! Over here! *Watches as Miranda makes enough noise to draw in a ship from a fogbank and walks over to where she is sitting as Tina follows along behind me slowly as if she fears someone will pop out and accuse her of what she mentioned to me earlier today* Hey Miranda….what’s good in the way of news on your front today?
Miranda: Well I found out something that might be more on the ‘bad side’ of the chalkboard.
*Blinks as does Tina* Oh yeah? Like what?
Miranda: Well I did some digging and I found out that the guy who pulled the disappearing act wasn’t Ethan as someone first mentioned it might be. Turns out that its someone else.
*Frowns as does Tina* Yeah….who?
Tina: Um I don’t think I want to hear….*at that she stands and bolts for the nearest tree that she can hide under. Before I can pursue her Miranda looks at me and its then that I see in her eyes….that I need to hear the rest of what she has to say*

Miranda: Lizzie? When I tell you who the suspected possible ’father’ is….you might have more of a reason than what you thought you did at first….to go and check on Tina. Matter of fact….you might feel more like joining her for what is no doubt a good cry.
~Okay this is really starting to creep me out~ Am I going to need to sit back down for this?
Miranda: *all she does is nod*
~Okay~ *does what I asked*
Miranda: Brace yourself. I went to Kate and I hope what she told me is nothing more than one of her jokes….well….I asked her who the guy was that she told me she saw ‘duck out’ of the party for about 20 minutes….
And….?
Miranda: She told me it wasn’t Ethan. And I saw proof with my own eyes as he was right by her side while the guy was missing….
And….?
Miranda: She told me that the guy….was….*she pauses after that*
Spit it out!
Miranda: It was Gordo.
~OMG….NO way!~

Miranda: Lizzie?
*Blinks….fighting the tears that threaten to ruin my makeup* Yeah?
Miranda: You okay? ~Smooth Miranda…..real smooth. Go and state the obvious why don‘t ya?~
No….um listen….I gotta go talk to Tina right now. *at that I stand and make my way over to where Tina is sitting slowly….looking at the sea of faces that are my classmates imagining how they are talking about me after I walk past and scan their faces. Eventually I make my way to where Tina is sitting. At which point she looks up and my blazing eyes that are starting to well up with unshed tears make her want to run again*

Tina: *Quietly* Obviously you know the….
Shut up you miserable,rotten *****! HOW DARE YOU….you….*****! *before she can say or do anything I launch a kick towards her stomach. Upon seeing me draw my coltish leg back Miranda is up and running tackling me before I can make good on what I was intending to do. An act which has me laying on the ground looking up at Miranda breathing hard and looking at her as she kneels on my arms pinning me to the ground* You’re defending that tramp!?!
Miranda: Cool it Elizabeth!
**** you Miranda Isabella Sanchez! *Glares at Tina* And you! That also applies to you! I thought you were both my friends and this is how you both betray me? I bet you two cooked this up with Gordo just to get back at me for being so lousy towards you after the events of the first part of the summer!
Miranda: *at that she slaps me* Don’t you even DARE! You need to hear what happened! All of it! From Tina! Then you decide if you hate us! Am I GETTING THROUGH ALL THAT HAIRSPRAY?!?
*Slumps* Yeah I understand.
Principal: *After wisely choosing to stride over and insert herself into this matter* Well I don’t think I DO. So why don’t the 3 of you talk this out between yourselves while I am monitoring the conversation? In say….my office?