Family Blood Ties

Chapter 5

In a way, Melanie was the one who threw me on the path I am now. Although, I can't completely blame her. She doesn't know what I'm capable of.

In elementary school, I was very unlike my siblings. I was the shy one who would have her head stuck in a book. One specific book that no one could figure out.

At recess, I would sit on the curb, next to the blacktop. I would watch the kids run around. The boys would chase girls and the girls would chase the boys. That one girl with pigtails would hang upside down on the jungle gym. You could hear the boys (and the occasional girl) holler when someone hit a home run.

For the most part, no one really knew what my deal was and just left me alone. The kids were contempt with that.

But Melanie was new. She had just come from the mysterious state of North Dakota and Illinois was a wonderland to her. She was an eccentric girl with a sparkle in her eye.

She walked up to me and sat down on the curb, right next to me. It was almost a little uncomfortable. Almost.

She sat silently for a while. She would look at her toes, then the sky, then the school, then the kids playing kickball and so on. I kept wondering her reason for doing all of this. It was easy to see that she felt the awkwardness too.

"You know," She said out of the blue, "You are really pretty. I know that most don't realize it but I do."

I was stunned, on multiple occasions. "What?" I asked

"My mother always told me that if you want to make friends, a good way to start is by giving them a compliment.", She replied.

"Oh, well then... I like your skirt." It was blue with daisies on it, and I hated it. But I couldn't find anything else on the spot.

She grinned and sat by me for the rest of recess. But the thing that stuck in my head was her comment. Was I really pretty?

I ran home after school and as soon as my mother opened the door, I blasted her with my thoughts, "Am I pretty?"

She let out a sigh and pulled me towards the couch. We sat and she petted my hair to where I thought it might fall out.

"Jamie, if needed, I would lie to you in an instant. But, I will tell you right now that truthfully, you are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen." My mother replied.

"Oh, no one has ever told me before."

My mother laughed. "Its because you have never applied it before. You need to use it to make friends and move up the social ladder. It is very important that you do all of this before high school."

"Do you think I can do it?" I wondered.

"Honey, with my genes, it will be a snap to manipulate anyone."

So, a journey started. I looked at my book for clarification then went on my way. I decided the next day, I would start.

At recess, I walked up to Claire, the most popular girl in school, and asked her if she wanted my lip gloss. She accepted and gave me an invitation to play. Two weeks later, to her party. One month later, to a slumber party. Few more months, a dinner with her family. And so on and on.

I became her best friend. Or so she thought. In reality, I was trying to snap another best friend, who would be more beneficial in the end. Melanie.