Stereotype

Chapter 1 : A Reason

A REASON

S C A R L E T T   E V E R S

Sophomore Year

SCARLETT finished her morning shift at the family bakery just in time for her mothers car to pull up in front of the store. She untied her apron quickly and raced out the building with a smile to some of the coworkers who ignored her gesture. Her mother beeped the horn three times so Scarlett quickened her pace and soon enough sat next to the woman who looked nothing like her. "Next time be faster, you have school."

"Exactly my reason to be late." Scarlett whispered to herself. For the rest of the drive she contemplated changing the radio from sports talk to something more lively but her mother is already in a bad mood so Scarlett remained quiet and drifted off into a nap.

Her morning was the same everyday and Scarlett each time swallowed her conversation starters instead of asking her mother how she was. Each time she had regretted not saying a word and left the car with a "Goodbye." whilst lugging her backpack to the girls school bathrooms. 

There her day got a thousand times better as she was engulfed by a high pitched scream and skinny arms squeezing the life out of her by her best friend Ashley White. 

Scarlett noticed rings Ashley kept fiddling with and knew important information was about to shared. "What is it Ash?"

"How do you do that?" Laughed Ashley with a big grin forming on her face as she said the next words straight after:

 "Parker Davis is officially single." 

Not even when Scarlett won her first spelling bee in preschool did she ever feel this good about anything in her entire life. She became overjoyed with happiness and left Ashley standing in the bathroom as she raced off to her first class which would begin in five minutes. Her trainers squeaked on the polished floor as she swerved to avoid older years rushing to their lessons.

Scarlett saw the sophomore class and slowed to a fast walk in order to compose herself, she brushed a hand through her hair then entered the class to see her physics partner gazing out the window whilst talking to someone on his phone. 

Taking a seat next to him, Scarlett texted Ashley under the table then waited for Parker to hang up. 

"Yeah I know...she was...yeah... her outfits was terrible..." Scarlett thought over in her mind how Parker's girlfriend wore casual clothing and made the connection that her crush did not like casual clothing "No...yes...no...maybe...too many spots." Subconsciously Scarlett lifted her hand to touch her face and grimaced at the fact there was a spot. She didn't wear make-up often and felt that suddenly she needed to have some on. "Look I gotta go... no we didn't do anything...yes...no she- wasn't ready-." Parker raised his pitch to sound more feminine not knowing that he had raised Scarlett's opinion of herself to impossible standards.

She finished her school work aiming to head to the library straight after school but Ashley wanted to come to give her a pep talk. Ashley was the ultimate best friend of Scarlett and she would do anything for her, even when Ashley asked to remake her wardrobe, Scarlett accepted to simply make sure her best friend stayed happy.

Some argue Parker Davis started this mess.

Others say it was purely Scarlett.

One thing was sure though, he did change her life.