Different

Pwease read my new story, The Echoing Silence! Thank you my talented readers! 

 



"So you like bananas, right?" Jasmine said coyly, smiling at Jayden from across the table.

"Yup." he said, taking a small sip from his smoothie.

I stared at mine in disgust. What was Jasmine doing here? Why was she even here?

"So, Jaz, are you waiting for someone?" I piped up, ready to get rid of her.

She flashed me a look of annoyance, "Uh. I actually am. Tiara's coming."

My fake smile dropped and my insides churned. Tiara? Really?

Speak of the devil, I heard Tiara's unmistakable voice call out to us, "Yoohoo! I'm heeeeere!"

Jayden and Jasmine turned to face Tiara, while I shut my eyes and tried to catch my breath.

When I opened my eyes, I found Tiara sitting across me, smiling fakely like an overdosed Barbie.

"He-ey Natasha," said Tiara.

"H-Hi." I abruptly stood up, my lunch threatening to come back up, "Jayden-l-let's go," I grabbed his arm and hoisted him up with all my strength, not caring if he protested. We were LEAVING.

"Sure, sure." I think he sensed my discomfort because he stood up, "Let me throw my smoothie first."

NO! JAYDEN-DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME-Oh, ****.

I watched Jayden's retreating figure and reluctantly turned to face Tiara and Jasmine, who were both smiling sinisterly at me.

"Listen, Natasha?" Jasmine said.

I didn't answer.

"I'm going to WIN Delton, so I think it's time you start lookin for other schools," she said sweetly.

Tiara giggled, "I've seen her work. Like, nursery much?"

I felt a pang, and was taken back to the day she approached me in the garage to invite me to mani-pedi's. She had said that my work was nice. The whole thing was a scam, remember? a voice inside me chided.

"I'm back."

But I couldn't even acknowledge Jayden. I slowly gave a half-hearted wave to the girls and walked with Jayden, who was too busy exchanging numbers with the girls to notice.



"Difference is beauty." the shirt read, and I wanted to spit at it.

"Stupid..retreat..no one wants to go to..waste of time.." I muttered as I pulled the shirt over my head.

Checking myself in the mirror, I saw that the shirt fit me well. I smiled, just for a bit, then I remembered that I had no one to impress; everyone had already made up their mind on what a freak I am.

Scowling at the mirror, I made my way out of the house, the sunlight hitting my face in all it's glory. I ventured to school, which wasn't that far, or maybe it was because my mind just wasn't paying attention.

Audio visual room number three, the guide said, and I scanned the rooms for it. Finding it, I heard chatter emitting from the room as I pushed the door open.

As usual, the noise immediately stopped when I entered. The room was lined up with rows and rows of monoblock chairs but only a few were occupied. A small television set was positioned in the front, with a chair and a table in beside it. The wall was the color of a peeling yellow, and a few paintings were hung up.

I noticed everyone was still staring at me, and I turned red. I shuffled into a seat in the back. I then surveyed the people in the room. The retreat was only for the people in my Homeroom. Thankfully, Tiara and Jasmine weren't there. On the down side, her minions, Frankie and Miranda were. They shot daggers at me from the middle of the room, but I avoided their glance. My heart skipped as they stood up, looking like they were going to make their way to me.

"GOOOOD MOOOORNING EVERYONE!"

A cheery voice interrupted them, so they sat back down and I sighed in relief. My attention directed to my savior, who was a short, stout woman. She was wearing a long flowy dress that looked like a blanket she had wrapped around herself. Her forehead sparkled from the pendant she had laid on her messy brown hair. Her eyes were marked with dark blue eyeshadow and mascara, and her lips flashed a dark shade of red. Long, dangly earrings jingled and sparkled from her ears, matching the gold bracelets that worked across her wrists and elbows.

"It's a BEAUTIFUL day, isn't it?" she singsonged.

The class grunted in response, but their discouragement didn't effect her. She only smiled and said in a louder voice, "My name is Twarny, but you can call me Twi."

"What kind of name is Twi?" a boy snorted from the front, and everyone snickered.

Twi didn't seem affected by the comment. She grinned at the boy and gave him a pat on the head, "I don't know, but I'd like to think Twi means mystical, alluring, and energetic all in one," she clasped her hands, "Speaking of which, first activity! Get a paper, decorate your name. Then, think of a meaning for it. Doesn't have to be the literal, but rather, what you think it means basing on your personality."

Everyone got papers and pens, and I stared at my blank sheet in confusion. What do I think of myself? Shrugging, I decorated my name first, filling the paper with loops and swirls.

After I was finished, I leaned back and examined my work. Not bad. I heard giggling and my attention was directed to Frankie and Miranda. They were shooting stares at me. I rolled my eyes. Frankie caught that movement and said in a loud voice, "Hey Natasha? Your description should be FREAK," she laughed after, and I clenched my fists.

Grabbing my markers, I quickly got down to business. What describes me? Then, suddenly, I started writing. Just writing word after word. Misunderstood. Socially incapable. Artist. Quiet. Mistreated. Misplaced. Miss no-way-it's-all-good. Mistaken. Always second guessing. Underestimated.

I kept writing, until I heard Twi's unmistakable voice chime.

"Lunch break everyone! Be back by one!" she said, ringing a small bell.

Everyone immediately stood up and shuffled out of the room. I slowly packed my things and walked out the room behind everybody else.

Having nowhere to go, I wandered around the grounds, doing nothing in particular.

I spied Miranda from across the field, alone. I examined her, puzzled. Where was Frankie? Miranda had always been nice to me; she was only mean because she was frightened of Tiara, like everyone else. Taking a chance, I made my way to her, and she looked up when I was directly hovering over her.

"Oh. Hey, Natasha," her voice wasn't mean or taunting; it was actually nice.

"Hey Miranda. Mind if I sit here?" Since when did I become such a risk taker?

"Sure."

I sat, and silence echoed between us for a few moments before I cleared my throat, "What do you think of Twi?"

She shot me a look, "Do you mean Ms. Fortune Teller?"

I giggled, "I think they kicked her out of the circus."

She laughed, and I smiled, relieved. The tension broke, and I found myself asking another question, "You done with the activity?"

Miranda nodded and unfolded a paper, quickly refolding it after.

"Uh-" I said, spying some words, "What do you mean by out of place?"

Miranda cast her eyes downward, "Erm.."

"Is it Tiara?" whenever drama strikes, it's always about Tiara.

Miranda slowly nodded, "You see...after Tiara and Jasmine became BFFL, she's...out. She doesn't hang with us anymore."

"Us?"

"Frankie and I. I know Frankie feels it too, she'll just never admit it." she laughed a shaky laugh and I joined in.

"Speaking of which, where IS Frankie?" they're like Jack and Jill. You can't sing the song with Jack, and the same with Jill.

Miranda's blue orbs suddenly widened and she shook her head wildly, "She's-busy. Uh-excuse me-I-I have to go," she quickly stood and ran back to the school.

So I was left there again, alone.

But I wasn't completely alone.

My thoughts were with me.

What was with Frankie?



That. Was. So. Long.