Despicable Arrogance

Chapter 8

I let out a laugh before shaking my head. She grabbed my hand and we walked over to the section of the library where we were holding Girl Scout meetings. “So, have any plans for this weekend?”

She laughed and nodded. “I’m going to Taylor’s party later. Do you have any plans, Audrey?”

I felt my stomach clench. I totally forgot about the party. “Yeah, I do. I’m going shopping for my costume for Halloween.”

“You’re going trick-or-treating?” she asked excitedly.

I nodded. “Actually, I’m going trick-or-treating and to a Halloween party!” I explained. I doubt she’d know what a masquerade party is, and I don't feel like explaining it. I tried to shove the party later on to the back of my mind.

“That’s so cool!” Grace explained and once we reached the area where the girls were, I let out a laugh. They were all surrounding Grayson as he tried to get away from them. The six girls were standing in a line in front of him and he was trying to walk away but they moved along with him.

“Who is he?” one of the girls, Michelle, asked. She was staring at Grayson as if he was an alien.

I laughed and walked over to where they were. “Guys, this is Grayson. He’s working in the library from now on. I would introduce you guys to him but he’s giving me the silent treatment. So you’ll have to introduce yourselves,” I laughed evilly as a flash of panic crossed Grayson’s eyes.

“I’m Michelle!” the seven year old, brown haired girl exclaimed, taking a step forward. This caused Grayson to take a step back. He gave a slight wave.

“I’m Hailey!” Hailey announced as she reached out and wrapped her arms around Grayson. Hailey always hugs people. She’s only seven, so people don’t find it as weird as they would if she was 16. I bet he wouldn't mind if she was sixteen. Grayson was panicking and almost had some sort of attack when the small girl touched him. Talk about rude.

“I’m Taylor,” Taylor introduced herself quietly. She hid behind her straight black hair. Grayson blinked a few times at her before the seven year old stepped back and hid behind me.

Grace stepped forward and smiled at Grayson. He stared at the six year old girl, a fearful look on his face. “I’m Grace!”

He nodded and she continued. “Our names are similar. Grayson and Grace, they don’t rhyme but my name can be formed into your name. All you have to do is add the ‘son!’”

Grayson nodded his head, as if realizing this himself. He then looked at me, suddenly realizing why I call him Gracie and Grace. It takes some people a while to catch on, huh? Bella stepped forward and gave Grayson a blank look. “Bella.”

Bella rarely talks and when she does, the answers are short. She’s very reserved for an eight year old. Grayson nodded again. Asia, the second oldest at age eleven, stepped forward. “I’m Asia.”

Cara, who happens to be twelve years old, decided to speak last. “I’m Cara, call me caramel and you die,” Grayson was shocked by her bluntness.

I smiled at the girls. “Nice job, now let’s get to our stations.”

The girls all walked over to a table and sat down, starting to work. The numbers were uneven because we had three tables set up. There were two people at each table, except for the last one. Taylor sat alone at the bracelet making table, working on making a bracelet. I frowned and turned to look at Grayson.

He stared at me before raising his hands. “What?”

I looked back at Taylor and he shook his head. “No, I’m not going to go over there.”

I glared at him. “You have to get along with at least one of them.”

He groaned before walking past me. I turned. “Gracie.” He looked at me and groaned again. “At least have a good attitude about it.”

---

When the girl scouts left, I was slightly grateful. Although I love them, I just wanted to go shopping for my costume. Party. I groaned and placed my head onto the front desk. “What’s got you in a foul mood?”

“I’m not sure what I’m more surprised about: the fact that you care or the fact that you actually said the phrase ‘foul mood,’” I muttered as I lifted my head. Grayson and I were waiting for Ms. Janie to show up. When she does, we can leave and do whatever we want on this fine Saturday afternoon.

He scoffed. “I never said I care.”

I laughed. “I didn’t expect you to.”

When Ms. Janie entered the library, I grinned. “I’ve got to get going!”

“What’s got you so excited?” Ms. Janie questioned. I turned back as I was walking towards the exit. I noticed Grayson leaning against the counter. It was obvious that he was listening.

“I have plans,” I smirked, wriggling my eyebrows.

“Nice,” Ms. Janie smiled at me and I quickly exited the library, slinging my sweater over my shoulders.

---

I called Sandra and Lola and told them to go to the costume store and that I’d be there shortly. When I arrived, they were already there, holding their costumes. I smiled at them only to have them smirk evilly at me. “What are you guys planning?”

“Well…there are only 5 costumes left, we already chose ours,” the girls explained. Lola was holding up a Mad Hatter costume and Sandra was clutching a pirate costume. I shook my head at both of them. Sandra had an obsession with saying ‘argh’ lately and ever since I made the joke ‘you should be a pirate for Halloween,’ she’s been fixed on buying a costume. I hoped they didn’t have any left but it seems that they did. And then there was Lola who absolutely loved the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland and she said she would pay $200.00 for a costume. I'm hoping she didn't because who will pay for my fast food now if she's broke?

I gave them both confused looks. “Then what’s the problem?”

“Nothing,” the girls giggled and I scowled, walking towards the ‘teenage girl’s costumes’ section. They were right, there were only 5 left. I looked through them- a cow costume, a Hershey bar costume, a Band-Aid costume, a creepy queen costume, and a football player costume.

The Hershey bar costume and the Band-Aid costume were two sizes too small and I’m not trying to squeeze into anything. The creepy queen costume is… let’s just eliminate that from our options. The cow costume had a device in it that you could put milk in and it would squirt out of the utters, and it was $250.00 which is out of my price range. I stared at the only possible option: the football player costume. It was $35.00 and it was my size. I sighed and took it off the rack. That’s what I get for being a late shopper.

“I guess I have to buy this," I muttered under my breath and the girls snickered. I didn’t bother asking them what they were laughing about and instead we made our way over to the part of the store that sold costumes for masquerade parties.

After purchasing the Halloween and masquerade costumes, I was praying that my friends had forgotten about the party. I was smiling and so were they. It was only 4:30 PM and we decided to go get fast food. I drove in my car and they drove in Lola’s.

Once we got out of the car and entered the establishment, Lola turned to me with furrowed eyebrows. “Now, make this quick- we have to get to Sandra’s house and get ready for the party.”

My good mood deflated quickly. I frowned and looked at the floor, racking up a list of excuses in my head. “I can’t…my clothes are at my house and it’d take too long to get there, get back and then to drive all the way to Sandra’s.” Thank God that Sandra’s house is 40 minutes away from mine.

Sandra smiled sweetly. “You can borrow some of my clothes.”

I felt my frown deepen as I nodded. It was my turn to order food, so I did. I ate slowly while Lola shouted at me to hurry up so we can go get ready. Although the party is at 9 o’clock, they’re keen on being ready by 8. They said that it was a long drive there.

When we arrived at Sandra’s house, I decided to call my mom. “Hi, mom.”

“Hi, daughter,” my mother replied with sass.

I laughed. “Sandra and Lola were wondering if I can go to a party with them.”

“As in… a teenager’s party?” my mother asked.

I sighed as I kicked the carpet. “Yeah.”

My mom was quiet for a moment. “Yeah, I guess you can. You know the rules, though. If you come home drunk, high, or pregnant- I’ll disown you, and then take the grandchild. I have a lot of trust in you…don’t mess this up, sweetie.”

I frowned. Why can’t she scream at me, saying that the whole idea was absurd? “Okay.”

“Have fun sweetie, don’t come home too late,” my mother quickly hung up the phone. I should’ve asked my dad.