A Thousand Cranes

Chapter 2 - The Boy With The Quiff

Things changed. Soon after, they started getting better. At least I thought they were getting better. It all began when I started wearing the new skirt I had bought on the weekend. It was floral, and landed halfway between my thighs and my knees. I felt confident I was looking reasonably dressed for the first time. Coincidently, that was the day the populars started talking to me. It was a miracle. It felt like a gift from heaven.

“Okay Avery, to become one of us, you must dress like us; and hmm, you look reasonable today.” She pointed towards my skirt. “We were actually waiting for this day to come; the day we’d accept you into our clique. You’ll get to experience everything with us! Oh the fun! You’ll get to be popular, never be excluded ever again, and best of all… you’ll have four new best friends! Well, four best friends, not new friends because you never had friends before anyway.” She thought about this for a moment before continuing. “Oh darling, don’t you look so shocked. I know I’m cool but can you just turn your excitement down a little bit so the whole world doesn’t have to know? Okay, thanks. I’m Katelyn by the way, if you didn’t know; but I mean, who doesn’t know me?” She laughed hysterically.

I hesitated and decided to speak before she cut me off. “Oh but we’re just getting started. There are so many rules you must follow. First, you’ll have to lose that thigh fat because that’s just disgusting and we don’t need that. Secondly, I think you’ll need to lose some of that stomach fat too, because we don’t need that blubbering around everywhere we go either. Oh and cover your face with some make-up because it really isn’t much of a pleasant sight to look at.”

I squeezed my stomach, feeling a bit put down and looked back up again. “So, if I do all that, I’ll get to be like you guys?”

“Sure, why not?” She abruptly answered and shrugged before catching up with her friends in the distance. “Think about it!”

I glanced towards her perfectly shaped body; tanned and toned and wondered how I was ever going to achieve the impossible. It was like the chance of a snail beating a deer in a race; the chances were slim; very slim.

I was about to walk away before a voice echoed through my ear. “WAIT UP!” I looked behind me. I remembered him from the first day of school. It was the boy with the quiff.

“What do you want? Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Don’t do it.”

“You see, the thing I don’t get about you is why you’re so concerned about me.” I turned and stared into his bright blue eyes. “I’m not a baby anymore; I don’t need anyone treating me like I am one! I don’t even know who you are so can you please just go away?” I pointed towards the door before sliding down to the floor; my eyes starting to overflow with tears.

“I’m concerned because I care about you! I know how it feels to be bullied!”

“Well why can’t you just ‘un-concern’ yourself?” I snapped. “I’m not getting bullied, okay? There’s a difference; I’m getting included! I get to be part of something; a part of something I’ve never been in before. It’s not like you could do any better.” I laughed towards the floor. “Why am I even bothering to argue with you,” my voice drifted off.

“You don’t know what it’s like in this school! They use you and throw you out when they think you’re unworthy for them again! They’re not good people!” He sighed. “Listen, I was once a victim myself. It was for such a silly thing and I took it so seriously.” He shook his head and laughed in a melancholy tone. You know, believe it or not, I had a stutter when I was younger; but I’ve gotten over it now.” He slid down beside me. “People used to treat me differently because I was different, and you know what? It was great being different, because I was not the same as everyone else. Just stay the same and be who you are. Why be someone you’re not? If you really need someone to hang out with, I’ll be here for you.”

I wiped away my tears and spoke in a soft voice.  “Don’t you have other friends? Why would you want to hang out with me?” He stared at me and hesitated, unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I'm just really confused right now and-" Before I got to continue, he leaned in to hug me. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling a stray tear escape from my eyes and fly down my cheek. "Shh, don't worry about it okay? Everything will be fine."

After a while, I decided to speak. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that bullying. I mean, you’re not even bad looking, unlike me. Why would anyone do that to you?” He smiled and replied, “I could ask the exact same about you,” he slid something in my pocket without me realising.

“I’m still going to do it you know; I’m still going to lose weight. I’m still going to try and make myself at least a little bit worthy. Fitting in has made more meaning and sense to me than anything else at the moment. You just don’t understand. It’s a girl thing.” I pulled out of his embrace and thanked him; walking off before he could say a word. I resided in the girls' bathroom, spending the rest of the time crying.