Girls Like Me

"Oh Joy"

"Oh my god did you hear?!"

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. My best friend, Emma Bradley had just screamed in my ear. On a Monday morning. I may be the resident nerd, but I like Mondays as much as anyone else.

"Emma" I hiss at her, failing to stay calm as soon as I opened my eyes. "It is 8:00 on Monday morning, why are you screaming?"

Emma opened her mouth to say something before her eyes widened at something behind me. I spin quickly, expecting a giant spider attack or something. Instead I see the King and Queen of JQAHS Harry Styles and Amber Massey strolling down the hall, arm in arm, like they were in some sort of commercial. Their artificial smiles awing everyone they passed and happened to look at. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Emma, who, like everyone else, had their mouths open in complete awe.

"Emma" I say, snapping my fingers in front of her face. It didn't work. So, rolling my eyes I turn, and come face to face with Amber Massey herself. Oh Joy.

"V" she shouts in excitement like we were the best of friends. I have to close my eyes again. Why was everyone screaming this morning?! And since when did she call me 'V'? Uhm, never.  "I need your help" she says, getting right to the point.  I raise my eyebrows at her, but she just stares at me.

"With?" I prompt when she only stares back at me.

Immediately her peppy attitude is back, "My Homework for Mr.J. I just didn't get what he was talking about last Thursday!"

Probably because you were too busy laughing with your Socialites I thought. Instead I say, "Oh it was easy! But sure, I'll show you. Uhm. My house after school?"

Amber purses her incredibly shiny lips in thought then sucks her teeth, "ooh, sorry I can't. Matheletes meet after school on Monday's and Tuesday's"

Of course she's on the Matheletes team. Could she be even more perfect?

"Wednesday?"

She purses her lips again, thinking. She stays this way for a while, before finally beaming brightly, "Okay. But, I want to give you something back!" 

Give me something back?

At my confused face, she rolled her eyes as if I was being as difficult as possible, "Yes, but I'm not sure what yet, let me think about it and I'll tell you on Wednesday"  at my slight nod, she smile brightly "Alright, bye bye" she waved as she skipped away, pulling a bored looking Harry behind her.

"Oh em gee!" Came a squeal from behind me. I rolled my eyes. Now she decided to come back to the land of the living?  I turned to see her jumping up in down, excitement clear on her face. "Amber Massey asked us to hang out with her!" She cried.  I raised my eyebrows at her, but she didn't see it. "Us" she said again, clapping. Her shouting was making people give us weird looks (not that we didn't already get weird looks on a daily basis)  I pulled her swiftly into the conveniently placed bathroom.

"First" I said, rubbing at my temples, "she did not ask us to hang out with her. She asked me to explain to her what Mr.J was talking about, you would know that if you didn't freak out whenever Harry came within a 5 foot radius of you!"  I turned and stormed out of the bathroom, unreasonable anger boiling my blood. Why was I mad at Em? She didn't do anything. Everyone freaks (except me) when the Royals come within a 5 foot radius of them. So why did I shout at Emma? I'll apologize at lunch, she'll forgive me then.

***
Turns out, freaking out and shouting at your
Best Friend was not okay and a simple 'I'm sorry' isn't going to fix everything. What did she want? An apology as big as a wedding proposal or promposal?

At lunch, I had approached Emma at the table we usually sat at, and apologized. Emma only glanced at me, gave me the stink eye, and turned away, continuing her conversation as if nothing had happened. So, biting my lip to keep from saying anything, I turned and left out of the cafeteria, heading straight to my favorite place. The library.

In the library, I was free to be as cool or as dorky as I wanted to because nobody was ever in there so nobody could see me.

Today, however, Harry was in there. I briefly wondered why he was in here (alone) before I pushed it away and sat with my back to him. I pulled out my favorite book (Harry Potter) and began reading. Just as it was getting good (Ron, Harry and Hermione had just made it past the Chess Board) when a tap on my shoulder startled me out of the world my imagination had drawn up for me.  I turned, ready to yell at the person when I saw it was only Harry.

"I came tell you lunch is over and we should probably get to class" He said. Oh. My cheeks heated as I stood, keeping my head down not making eye contact. I expected Harry to leave when he told me the message, but he stayed by my side, waiting until I gathered my things and began walking with me, his long legs easily keeping up with the pace. 

"So" He began, his hands shoved deep in his stone washed blue jeans, "Harry Potter?" He said appreciatively, "good book"

I smiled a bit, clutching my books tighter. Who knew, Harry Styles was a Potterhead. Emma would love to know that. Emma. How was I going to apologize to her? I have no idea why I thought a simple 'I'm Sorry' would suffice, in the past she always made me string together this elaborate apology. So I learned not to mess up around her, until I did. Lucky for me, Emma has an extreme sweet tooth so it's always been easy to apologize to her.

"Um, Violet?"

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, and turning to Harry. "It's Veronica"

"Right, sorry, Veronica, I don't know if you realize but the warning bell just rang" He said.

My eyes widened and I took off running, not stopping until I skidded to a stop in Mr.J's class.

"Ah, Ms. James, I was wondering when you would get here" Mr. J joked. Mr. J was your typical science teacher. A bald head, and a large pot belly. Mr.J always wore vintage like clothing and the students always teased him that he was stuck in the 80's, but Mr.J would always laugh, his round belly would shake and his eyes would squint closed where they could hardly be seen.

Smiling, I took my seat, waiting for Mr.J. As the tardy bell rang, Amber, Summer and Heather walked into the room laughing. Mr.J's joyful expression changed instantly. "Ladies" he chided sternly, "You're tardy, that's a detention for all of you"  Amber frowned, Summer rolled her eyes and Heather just looked bored. After getting their detention slips, the three Royals made their way to the back before Mr.J's stern voice stopped them again, "Actually ladies, we are beginning a project, and no you can not work together, I will be choosing partners."  Picking up his clipboard, Mr.J slid his finger down the list finding each of the girls names, "Heather you will be partnering with Fanny, Summer with Gwen, and Amber you are with..... Ah! Veronica!" After he finished telling Amber, Summer, and Heather their partners, he called out everyone else's partners, " Now" he clapped, his joyful smile back, "partner up"

"Hey Partner" Amber says cheerfully as she sits in the stool beside me.

"Hi" I said glumly.

"This is awesome!" She squealed, "now while we're working on this project you can tutor me"

Oh Joy.  (Note the Sarcasm)