Madeline and Andrea
swaggered into the cafeteria along with the new and improved Skye. Her blonde
hair was cut and curled; her lashes were bold and bold. Her eyelids were
magenta and her lips were full and glossy. She traded in her hoodie and jeans
for a floral dress and heels. Everyone's eyes were on the girls, especially
Skye.
"I made you and
I'm God," reminded Madeline. "That's all you need to know. No, I only
eat frozen yogurt unless there's fruit on it. Now that's all you need to
know."
Madeline looked up and
Debra was right in front of her, about three inches away.
"Look what the
kitty dragged in."
"I thought you
should know Lizzie's parents came home this morning," Debra informed.
"So?"
"So I think we
should tell someone what happened."
"Listen, Debs,
one word and you're over. I mean that. Toodles!"
Madeline gave Debra a
smile before walking over to her usual table and sitting down. Andrea and Skye
sat down at the table as well. Skye put a brown paper bag on the table and
started to unroll it.
"Skye, no!"
shouted Madeline and Andrea.
Skye stopped and
looked up.
"God, tuna
much?" Madeline inquired. "We never eat at lunch. Do you understand
me? Don't think we're anorexic; we're not. We're not stupid. We eat and we eat
well. We just don't eat in public. We don't want people judging us by what we
eat. It gives them ammo and the only ones with ammo are us. Food's cool and
all; we need it to live. But the mere act of eating invokes thoughts of
digestion, flatulation, defecation, even, shall we say, complexion defection.
It's another vexing stress we don't need."
"Long story
short: Madeline's on a diet so we can't eat around her," added Andrea.
"I think she got
it, Andrea. You understand, right, Skylette?"
"'Skylette'?"
repeated Skye.
Madeline and Andrea
nodded.
Skye smiled. "I
like it."
"It's called, 'thinking
on your toes'," said Madeline. "A must if you're going to rule the
school. Anyway, you're extra fancy. You're Skylette. My Skylette."
Madeline put her elbow on the table and held out her hand.
Skye smiled and
caressed her fingers on Madeline's hand.
For almost a month,
Skye began to used to her newfound fame. People already knew her new name,
assuming she was someone else. Everybody tried to be her friend or at least her
groupie. Eventually, she owned her fame like a Hollywood actress who had just
won her first Oscar. She got a bathroom stall reserved for only her and even
got a free new motor scooter. She wasn't Skye anymore; she was Skylette.
One brand new day,
Madeline and Andrea met up with each other after class and stopped by their
lockers which were right next to each other. They opened them up and stuffed
their books inside.
"So where's the
cherry bomb?" asked Madeline.
"One Mic
Night," answered Andrea.
"Oh, good. Debra
can kiss that Edgar Allan Poe boyfriend of hers goodbye."
"Maddie, I think
Skylette is totally out of control. I mean--"
"Oh, honey. It's
like when people get money for the first time. They call them, 'nouveau riche'.
They drape themselves in chinchilla coats and V.V.S. stones. They're pathetic,
but they don't know any better."
"Yeah but
Skylette--"
"Skylette is the
same. For once in her pathetic life, people are giving her the time of day. The
little cow is milking it for all she's worth. Udders and all."
The girls laughed.
Then they stopped when they heard music playing from a distance. They turned
around and started marching down the hall, following the music. It led them
outside and outside were oodles of students, surrounding Skylette who was
sitting and jamming on her scooter, listening to the rock music blasting out of
the boombox on the ground next to her vehicle. Madeline and Andrea rushed
towards her and grabbed her arms.
"What the--
" exclaimed Skye, A.K.A. Skylette. "Get off me!"
The girls dragged the
starlet past the confused crowd into the school building. They forced her
through the halls into the nearest girls' bathroom. Madeline let go of Skye and
allowed Andrew to drag her in front of the mirrors and push her against them.
Madeline faced Skye so Andrea walked out of the way.
"A boombox?"
Madeline asked. "What are you doing?"
"Exactly what you
taught me," Skye hissed. "You taught me to rule."
"Yeah, rule, but
don't rule with a boombox."
"I'm sorry. I
can't help it, Madeline. They love to hate me."
"Don't fool
yourself. Deep down, they know who you are, Skye."
"My name's
Skylette."
"You're whatever
the fudge I want you to be."
"Maddie, let's
stop pretending, shall we? I've got the power. Her name's Lizzie, remember?
Your bloated boo-boo?"
"I'll shred you,
you piece of paper."
"And I'll tell a
secret like a piece of paper. I know what really happened, Maddie."
"I made you and I
can break you easily."
"Good. Kill me
like you did Lizzie."
Skye walked out of the
bathroom with a smirk on her face. Madeline just stood there, looking at the
floor with a scowl. Andrea ran up to her friend, looking worried.
"Madeline, what
are we going to do?" she asked.
Madeline said nothing.
She just angrily pressed her hand over Andrea's mouth then walked out. Andrea
looked in the mirror and noticed that her brown lipstick was smudged all over
her cheeks and chin.
"Oh, heck
no!" she said. "There's about to be another murder up in here 'cause
you just done messed up my makeup."
Andrea stormed out of
the bathroom, searching for her friend.
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