Elbow Grease

The Beginning

"Earth to Tammy!" My friend Erin was waving her hand in front of my face. I jolted back into my surroundings. I was in my English class. Today was the last day of school. I was daydreaming about what I was going to do this summer. I turned to Erin.

"I'm here, I'm here, you can get your hand out of my face."

"Anyway, I said that my mom is taking me to California over the summer. She was going to let me bring a friend, but that was before I got grounded." Erin said with a sad smile on her face. She loved going to California with me, and she and I had gone together since we were in elementary school. I opened my mouth to speak. Before anything came out, the loudspeaker crackled to life.

"I am so sorry for the interruption, but we need Tamara Croft to the front office, Tamara Croft to the front office."

My English teacher, who's feet were on his desk, nodded at me.

"Whaddya do this time Tammy?" Jocelyn Franklin sneered. The class snickered. One time I got called to the front office for "vandalizing" school property. That was because Jocelyn  told the principal that I tagged the school sign. I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. I walked out slowly.

As I made my way up to the office, I saw Rylen Velming in the hall. She was my other best friend.

"Hey Tammy!" Rylen said in a rather cheerful voice. I could tell that something happened to her. She was never this happy.

"Should I be scared or-" I barely got to speak before Rylen interrupted.

"Lenny asked me out! There, I said it, Lenny. Asked. Me. Out." She was talking about Leonard McDanleys. She had a crush on him since fifth grade. I gave her the thumbs up and kept walking.

After about two more minutes, I ended up at the front office. My mom was there. She had been crying. Her makeup was smudged and she was staring off into the distance with the saddest look on her face. 

"Mom?" I asked. She stood up, blew her nose, and then looked me in the eyes.

"Tammy sweetheart, y-your grandfather... died in a car crash this afternoon." As soon as the words left her mouth, a wave of emotion hit me. The tears already began streaming down my face and my whole face was already dampened by my anger, frustration, and sadness. I felt the pit of my stomach drop and a sense of loneliness washed over me. My grandfather was the first person after my mom who held me. The person who taught me how to ride a bike, catch a ball, he would listen to all my school drama. He was my best friend, the father that I never had. And now, all he is, is a memory.

The secretary handed me a tissue, as though it would help, and told me to get back to class. I sobbed all the way through the hall. I passed Rylen holding hands with Lenny. That was fast. Rylen dropped his hand and sprinted over to me. She enveloped me in a hug. I sobbed into her shoulder.

"Tammy, what happened?" She asked, her blue eyes staring straight into my soul. I opened my mouth and tried to speak.

"Uh, my um," my voice cracked and more tears came out.

"My grandfather..." I couldn't finish the sentence.  Rylen nodded. She didn't have to say it, but she understood completely. She let me go back to my class. 

I pulled my grey hoodie over my head and slumped into my seat next to Erin. My makeup was probably gone by now, and I buried my face in my hands.  A text popped up on my phone.

Mom: Sweetie, you and I are going to the will reading tomorrow morning. 😔😭

I didn't text back.  I couldn't. Erin, much like Rylen, knew something was wrong with me. She placed her arm around my shoulder. Jocelyn approached our table. Shit. I thought.

"What's wrong with iddle-baby Tammy-pie?" She asked with her most condesending voice.

"Leave her alone, Jocelyn," Erin said, piping up for me.

"What if I don't? Is she gonna go crying to her daddy? Oh wait, she doesn't have one." Jocelyn threw her head back and laughed.

I snapped. Maybe it was the remark about my dad, or maybe that I was vulnerable, but for the first time since meeting Jocelyn, I lost my cool. I stood up and slapped her, leaving a bright red mark across her face.

"In case you were wondering," I said, glowering, "my grandfather just died, and I'm not in the mood to deal with a slut like you."

At that very moment, the final bell rung, I grabbed my backpack and left the room in total and complete shock. No one, would ever, dare to slap Jocelyn Franklin.

And I just did.