Now, It's Your Turn

The Fresh Start

"Wow, that girl's story is intense," Mandy remarked, as she closed the notebook.

"Well, it's still far from finished," Precious replied, her hand forcefully closing the locker door, her long black disheveled being squished in the process.

"Ow!" she groaned in pain. "I knew I should have tied my hair." annoyed, she said opening the door and pulling out her hair.

Mandy laughed, "You're quite a mess today."

"Quit talking. You just tripped yourself while we were walking to school" Precious retaliated

"Hey! Don't say it out loud. That is so embarrassing. If I had just a perfect vision like you, I'd definitely go on pageants" Mandy said as she adjusted her big round glasses.

"I can't believe you came up with that story all on your own!" Mandy exclaimed. "I feel so bad for her. She didn't have an easy life."

"People react to things in their own way, kind of like what I went through," Precious reflected.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, at my previous school, I was bullied a lot. This one cheerleader, with her perfect blonde hair, thought it would be funny to bury my hair under a mound of bubblegum. I had no choice but to shave it all off. And when I showed up at school the next day, everyone just laughed. Not a single person felt sorry for me," Precious confessed, her voice breaking as she fought back tears.

"Well, it's a good thing you left that horrible place. How did you end up here?" Mandy inquired her tone a mix of curiosity and compassion.

"I eventually left that place," Precious began, her tone indicating a mix of relief and resignation.

"Just like that?!"

"Of course, there is drama involved. One day at lunch, Jennica and her clique started hurling food at me, and everyone else joined in. That's when I realized individuals like her never regret their actions. In a moment of defiance, I confronted her. I delivered punches that were enough to make her scream and cry."

"She had it coming," Mandy remarked, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

"But, being the principal's daughter worked in her favor. She escaped any punishment. My parents felt powerless; the principal had his ways of keeping the school directors on his side with financial incentives. That left them with no option but to transfer me here."

"Lucky for her," Mandy scoffed.

"I just hope I can start anew here without the shadow of bullying hanging over me," Precious shared, her voice laced with hope.

"I'm with you on that," Mandy supported. "Now, we better head to class; the bell's about to ring."

"Right, let's go."

With that, Precious and Mandy made their way to their class, stepping into the classroom filled with the echoes of other students. They quickly went and sat down at their desk which were beside each other.

"Ever thought about going blonde? It would really look good on you," Mandy teased.

"And end up resembling my tormentor? Only in your wildest dreams," Precious retorted with a playful eye-roll.

" Really?! Show me a picture of her." Mandy waited eagerly.

Precious pulled out her phone and swiped a picture of Jennica. "See?!"

"Wow! She looks pretty and innocent." Mandy said as she stared into the picture of a blonde girl wearing a school uniform.

"Just wait until you see her other pictures and then tell me if she still appears to be innocent," Precious replied as she looked for more pictures on Jennica's profile "Check this out" Precious showed to Mandy Jennica wearing a crop top shirt and very short shorts.

"Damn!!!"

They both laughed as they continued to talk about the subject.

"Perhaps you're the one who should consider it," Precious flipped the suggestion back at Mandy.

"Are you kidding? That would be the end of my curls unless a cute guy made it worth the risk," Mandy laughed, entertaining the thought.

"You're insane, Mandy," Precious said, nudging her friend lightly.

"Shh, the teacher's coming in," Mandy whispered.

Despite the teacher's entrance, their playful banter continued, albeit through whispered exchanges and passed notes.

Mandy slid a note across to Precious: "Carl keeps sneaking glances your way."

After a discreet peek at Carl to her left, Precious quickly scribbled a response: "Really? Because all I see is him digging for gold. Gross!"

Mandy struggled to muffle her laughter, her hand pressed firmly over her mouth.

As the bell signaled the end of class, Precious and Mandy, still chuckling, made their way to the cafeteria, their spirits high and their friendship evident in their easy banter.

"Not this again. Why can't they serve something decent for once?" Precious lamented, eyeing the cafeteria offerings with disdain. Each dish bore the same unappetizing, slushy texture, only differentiated by color.

"It's impossible to tell if we're dealing with veggies or meat here," Mandy chimed in, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "That's it; I'm opting for cookies now and hitting up Food Kingdom later."

"I'm with you on that," Precious agreed.

"Imagine if I ran the kitchen here. This cafeteria wouldn't be such a disaster zone," Mandy mused aloud.

"Please, your cookies aren't exactly a culinary revelation either," Precious ribbed her friend, sparking a playful glare from Mandy as they made their way to the snack station.

After securing their less-than-ideal lunch choices, the duo settled down, initially discussing their upcoming class project. However, the conversation soon veered towards the subject of Precious's book.

"I'm curious about this Jennica character. You seem so ready to throttle," Mandy commented, half-joking. "From your story, it sounds like you're harboring a grudge that the revenge plot actually killed her."

"Don't even joke about meeting her," Precious retorted with a snarky grin. "If I ever saw her again, I'd be tempted to tear her apart."

"Easy there. You're in different schools now. The chances of crossing paths are practically nonexistent. What if she's changed and wants to apologize?" Mandy probed, trying to introduce a different perspective.

Precious scoffed. "After everything she did? If she showed zero remorse when I had to shave my head because of her, I doubt she's capable of change. Not even a tragedy would shift her attitude."

"Let's just entertain the idea that she's genuinely transformed," Mandy suggested, nudging the conversation towards a more optimistic scenario.

"In that unlikely event, but if that ever happens," Precious raised her eyebrows. "I'll have to shave her golden locks of hair to be even" Precious concluded, somewhat resigned.

Their debate was cut short by the bell, indicating the end of lunch. As they stood up and headed to their next class, the school's entrance doors burst open. Both girls turned to look, and Precious gasped in disbelief. "This can't be happening."

"What?" Mandy looked from Precious to the newcomer, her blurry eyes still adjusting.

"That's Jennica?!"