Freefall ✓

19 | thousand

For you, a thousand times over

—The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

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AUDREY

Okay, so maybe the decision of going to school with a fancy hairstyle should've had more thinking over prior to its taking. I was completely unaccustomed to the feeling of being the center of attention. I wasn't a particular fan of it either. Walking through the school hallways, it seemed to me like I was under a freaking spotlight, every head perking up as I passed by.

Should I have been ignoring them, letting go of my self-doubt, and just rocking my look? Probably. After all, all that should've mattered was that I liked it. But things like these are easier said than done. And I was trying. 

But I still felt safer with my head down, eyes fixated on the phone screen. I had a fair excuse to so too— Cameron and mine's silly little q&a game was still ongoing.

cam: ok i've got another one for you

cam: a bit deeper

cam: which country do you wanna travel to the most at the moment and why

me: prolly mexico

me: because of the food

me: it has the best cuisine in the world imo

cam: ohh right you're the culinary buff

cam: well, with all due respect to mexico, i would like to boldly assert that venezuelan food is just as good

cam: if not better

cam: there's so much talk about mexican food but have they ever tried some good arepas venezolanas? don't think so

I smirked to myself at how personal he was taking this. 

me: i'm not arguing

me: i'd be more than happy to hold out a degustation

cam: you should totally try my abuelita's cooking when she comes for a visit

me: abuelita?

cam: grandma

me: oh

me: fine by me

me: did you actually live in venezuela or were you just born there?

cam: does moving out at the age of 2 count as having lived there?

Absorbed in our conversation, I had no real idea of where I was going, and—suddenly— I felt a figure crash aggressively into my shoulder. I lost my footing but managed to maintain some balance and not tumble down like a total klutz. 

"Watch where you're going, pompom-head!" the figure spat, in a voice that made me think of Brittany, the Chipette. "You nearly made me spill my Frappuccino," I turned to face none other than Scarlett Taylor, her dark blue eyes blazing with indignation. She was accompanied by Ashley, one of the other "popular" girls from her group of "friends", who sneered and quickly covered her mouth.

Scarlett was known for her mean attitude but she and I have never even interacted before. I'd always tried to stay away from drama, and— given that Scarlett was the literal epitome of drama — from her. What on this earth could this barbie have against me?