We had been living in our new house for two months and it was time to enroll me in school.
"Mom.do I have to?" "I already did this once why do I need to go to school?" I crossed my arms and pouted.
"First Jamie, we already discussed it." "You have to be in school or you will draw attention to us." "And you need friends your own age." She said.
I turned and sat on my dad's lap and threw my arms around his neck.
"Daddy, do I have to?"
"Yes you do." He smiled.
"But I'm on facebook!" "I have plenty of friends my age!" I hugged him and turned on the puppy dog eyes.
He laughed and kissed me on the head. "That won't work this time cupcake" as he stood me on the floor. "And if the school burns down I'll know it was you." He patted me on the bottom as he stood up.
"Damn, another idea gone" I thought.
"It's because of facebook that you have to go." "Too many people know that you exist!" mom said.
"I hate it when they are right." I thought as I ground the tip of my toe in the carpet.
"Why don't you and your mom go buy you that stereo you were looking at."
I look at mom for confirmation. She nodded her head.
"You mean it?" "But you said it was too loud!"
It occurred to me; "was I being bribed?"
"Jamie, if you can handle going to school, I can handle the noise."
"This is a bribe, isn't it?" I asked.
"New stereo going once!" dad was smiling holding up his finger like an auctioneer.
"Ok, ok, let's go mom!"
"I already have the keys Sweet heart." She said as she headed for the door.
I was headed for the door right behind her, skipping! A new stereo! Maybe some new shoes too!
I like shopping!
When our family walked into the school I understood the bribe.
Everybody was wearing uniforms!
They were ugly grey skirts with..god! White leotards! The shoes were ugly black things. The blouse wasn't so bad though. It was white silk with pretty needle work designs with a red tie. The jacket was the same as the skirt, grey and ugly. It looked like a man's single breasted jacket.
What did I do to deserve this?
Was this worth just a stereo and two really cool shoes?
Well I really liked the new shoes..
We went through all the little introductions. My dad was signing the last of the admission forms when a lady walked up to my mom and me.
"You must be Jamie!" she said as she kneeled before me and took my hands in hers. "I have heard so much about you!" "You know we wanted to skip you ahead three years when we saw your test scores!"
"We want her to have a normal life." "Moving her ahead would have caused too much problems." My mom said.
"Thanks mom." I thought as I looked at my new teacher.
"I'm Mrs. Larough" She said as she shook my hand. "You'll be in my homeroom for the next three years!" "Isn't that great?"
I tried not to gag..Smile Jamie.New stereo Jamie..New shoes..
"I'm really excited to be here!" I lied.
How could she sound so excited, when all I wanted to do is find the nearest door. If I was careful dad might not know it was me...No he'd know and I really liked the stereo.and shoes.
"We'll have so much fun!" She said as she stood and walked over to a group of girls my age.
Mrs. Larough gestured for me to come over.
"Out of the frying pan into elementary" I thought as I walked over.
"This is Jamie" she said.
The next few minutes were all about my shoes and old schools and the boys who went to school across the yard and who had kissed who!
I liked these girls, they were just like me!
That's when I met Michelle.
"Are they "TAJocelyn" shoes?" she asked faking interest.
"Yes, my mom thought they were cute." I answered.
"Did you get them at the mall?"
"Yes." the other girls seemed to be waiting for something.
"My Mother won't allow me to wear clothes from the mall." "I only wear stuff from Europe or California!" she said as she looked down her nose at me.
She pushed out her boobs, which were only a little bigger than mine, and walked away swinging her fat hips.
She turned and said, "Well?"
And half the other girls left with her.
Amy put her hand on my shoulder and said, "Well you've just met the neighborhood bitch Jamie!"
Yes, I had and I wanted to scratch her ugly eyes out!
Did I mention I really like shoes now?
"I don't buy ugly shoes!" I said.
Amy said, "My mom says there too grownup for me, but it's really that she can't afford them because dad left for a teenage hooker and doesn't pay his fair share anymore!"
"I got lots of shoes you can borrow if you want" I said.
"Really, can I come over tomorrow?" she was so happy.
I thought Amy was cool. She was from the less wealthy side of town. Her grandmother left an endowment for her to attend the school. And she liked my new shoes! Definitely BFF material! Plus she didn't like that balloon booby bitch that insulted my shoes!
My anger at Michelle was slowly going away. And I enjoyed the rest of the orientation with my new BFF Amy!
Maybe I really did need to be here.
That night as my mom was brushing my hair;
"Mom, why didn't you let them skip me ahead in school?" I asked as she counted 56, 57, 58..
I loved the feeling of her brushing my hair. And it had grown real long. Almost to the middle of my back and it was jet black and sooo soft!
"59, 60, because you need to learn how to interact with kids your age, 65, 66"
"Do I act weird mom?"
"72, 73, No sweetheart, you're an angel and I love you, 80, 81"
"Are you afraid I won't fit in?"
"92, 93, You are going to be the most popular girl that school has ever had, 99, 100!"
With that she tucked me in and kissed me good night.
I was almost asleep when my mom and dad looked in on me. Somewhere in that place that was sleep but not sleep.
They held each other as they looked down on my bed.
"God I love her." "She's beautiful just like you!" My dad was saying.
"I couldn't have asked for a better child." my mom said.
They kissed each other.
I fell asleep and dreamed of ponies, grey skirts and shoes!
I was happy.
Next time: Toga!
What good is facebook if it doesn't count for having friends?
Michelle said that dad over photoshoped the picture he snuck of me and Johnny! She's just jealous! Because even with her big boobs, Johnny likes me best!
K night ;) xoxo