Salty Coffee, Old Friend. Jane☕
854 Words
My toe hurts as I run down the stairs and I remember I didn't take the painkillers to ease the ache in my head and the swell in my toe. But I'm too late to care. I already applied mascara and a little make-up to fix my zombie look and the bump on my head was almost invisible.
I ran past the coffee maker towards the door but my hands stop on the doorknob. I'm a fool for coffee and even though I'm late for school, just the sight of the machine on the kitchen counter makes me want to run back and make coffee to keep me through the day.
I find a hot freshly made coffee sitting beside the machine. Who made this? Mom already left the house after taking my clothes, so who... I find a little note attached to the cup.
"It's the least I can do after selling your clothes."
Oh! she sold the clothes. Whatevs. I pick the coffee and take a sip, and immediately spit it out. The f**k?! Is that salt I taste? Why would she ruin coffee for me? Maybe it was a mistake and she mistook salt for sugar. Uurgh.
I rinse the odd taste from my mouth and head out into the bright morning. My hair was usually packed in a messy bun on my head because I didn't want it getting in my way, but this morning was too rough and I just brushed it and rushed here to meet my salty coffee.
I hop into my hand me down and drive all the way to Sixth High, nervous as hell, wishing for one thing; that I'm still the invisible girl from Foxtail Street.
I pull up into the gigantic school and struggle to find a parking spot. Then I grab my backpack and get out, ignoring the stares I knew I was getting. God! I want to disappear! Someone even whistled. It's like the whole school stopped to stare at me. There are probably holes in my head right now, wait! maybe the bump grew bigger. Oh Gawd!
They're probably wondering why someone this ugly was admitted here. And did I tell you? It's taking all of my willpower not to stop and stare with slack jaws at the level of hotness I'm seeing. They all look rich and sophisticated. But me? Well, I'm the girl whose mom sold her clothes cos she was broke and made salty coffee for her.
The hallway is nothing like my school's hallway in Foxtail. It's big and I feel out of place. I keep expecting people to point at me and start laughing or for mom to call and tell me it's a prank and we really didn't have to move.
"Jane? Is that you?" Who? Who knows me? I turn to find someone I instantly recognize. Jennifer. Jenny Karli. I nod repeatedly breaking into a big smile. She literally runs from where she stood and dropped her books on the way but she didn't stop. Jenny gave me a warm hug and didn't let go till I did.
She looked beautiful. Very beautiful. I felt so small and ugly and intimidated by even her perfect smile. Jenny was my best friend. We lost contacts when her family moved away after our tenth birthday. Yup! Our tenth birthday. she wasn't just my best friend, she was my birthday mate too.
"It's been years Jane." She says, looking at me like she's not sure it's really me. She obviously didn't know how life was without her, without any friends, she doesn't know anything about my life after our tenth birthday. Then she says, "Wow! You look... beautiful"
I almost roll my eyes at the lie. Beautiful? Oh please. I pull my timetable out and show her. I have
HISTORY
VISUAL ARTS
ECONOMICS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
After that, I'm free till school's over. Coincidentally, Jenny had the same schedule as me and walked me to class. On the way, she tells me the people to avoid and the nice ones. Harry was the guy with the round rimmed glasses and sparkly shoes. If you bumped into him, he'd roll his eyes like a ten year old before pushing you rudely out of the way. Betty was the school slut, according to Jenny. Not that I had the right to judge anyone but Betty was caught with the Janitor and she wasn't even embarrassed about it. I'll stay away and watch and learn myself. Some people might have been misjudged. I was once in that position.
But if there's one group I'd steer clear of even if Jenny didn't tell me, it's the cheerleaders.
"Those girls are bitches." She said. If there was one thing I missed about Jenny, it was her bluntness. Jenny always said what was on her mind and she was so intriguing you wouldn't know what she'd say next.
The relief I feel after realizing I know someone here and I'm not alone or invisible is scary. I just want to live in the moment before I f**k this up. Because I always do.
- Writer
