Alice

This was the part I was dreading.

Lunch.

I walked aimlessly around the cafeteria biting my lip. I walked past a table of girls in really short skirts. They stared at me with no emotion on their clear faces. I smiled at them nervously and only one smiled back. The rest didn't smile at all. They all just kept staring. So I continued walking. Ok awkward.

I walked past a few more tables and felt like crying when I heard some laughs and whispering.

No one looks friendly enough here.

I look up and see Brodie at a table with all his friends from yesterday.

I know Brodie! Finally, someone, I know!

I walk quickly up to their table as the tension slowly leaves my body. I tap Brodie's shoulder and he spins around.

"Hey, Brodie. Is it ok if I sit with you? I don't know anyone else-" I start but he cuts me off.

"Do I know you?" He snaps.

I freeze. "What? Brodie, I'm your cousin what do you mean do I-"

"Look I don't know who you are so just go and find another table to bother." He says with a smirk. I hear some laughs around us from his loud announcement.

"Brodie-" I say quietly but he turns back around. I look up and see Nick. His jaw is clenched so tightly it looks painful.

Redhead is laughing his ass off and blonde with glasses is just looking down at his phone. I should learn their names. I feel tears well up in my eyes and my cheeks feel hot with embarrassment. I grip my lunch tray and take a step backward.

"Alright then," I mumble and curse my self internally when it sounds like a whimper to my ears.

I turn around and see all eyes on me.

Without a second thought, I throw away my tray and walk out of the cafeteria.

The talking of the room slowly fades as I rush down the hall.

Luckily I find a bathroom that's empty and run into the closest stall.

I lock the door and lean my forehead against it.

Go die.

You're a loser.

Good for nothing.

Suck up.

I squeeze my eyes shut as the words from my father rush back and before I know it the tears leave my eyes for the first time in weeks. I was doing so good holding them in.

I don't want a repeat of last year. I bite my lip as a sob escapes.

I feel my body tense up when I hear the bathroom door open and close. I hear the clicking of high heels. I hold my breath hoping whoever just walked in doesn't hear me.

When the clicking stops I assume whoever was in here left or went into a stall. But then I hear a knock on the door to my stall.

"Occupied," I say wiping my eyes.

I hear a small laugh before a voice speaks. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," I say truly.

"Wanna come out and talk about it." The girl asks.

I really don't want to talk about it but I have a feeling this girl won't leave. After I'm silent for a few seconds she speaks up again. "I want to hear you out." She says genuinely.

I slowly unlock the door and crack it open before opening it all the way.

I'm met with one of those girls I saw at the table with all the short skirts and no smiles.

She looks popular. She's wearing a pink dress with matching heels. She looks like a model. She had a dainty golden purse over her shoulder yet she looks at me with kind eyes.

"I'm Tracy." She says flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder with a smile.

"Alice," I say and walk past her towards the sink. I didn't mean to sound so rude but my heart hurts too much.

"Look Brodie's a dick head. Don't listen to anything he has to say." She says walking up next to me.

I laugh. "I know. He's my cousin." I tell her and hear a gasp.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean that... he's actually really nice and-" she tries to correct herself quickly.

"Don't lie." I laugh surprisingly. "I live with him he's truly awful," I tell her with a smile and continue. "Sorry I came off pretty rude in the stall just now." I awkwardly tell her.

"Oh, no worries. You were upset. I could tell. Anyways are you okay? Like I said don't listen to anything that group of jackasses has to say. They are just the school's delinquents." She tells me pulling out a lip gloss from her purse and applying while facing the mirror.

"Oh here." She says and hands me a small cloth from her bag. "Your mascaras running." She says politely. Then she turns back to the mirror and continues to apply lip gloss.

"Thank you." I wipe my eyes in a comfortable silence next to her in the mirror.

"Want some gloss? It's my favorite I got it downtown and for sale last week. It's the best I swear! It's cherry blossom, here." She says excitedly and shoved the thing in my face.

"No thanks I'm good." I laugh and she does too.

"Your loss."

"Hey so-" Tracy starts to say.

We both jump at the same time when the door slams open and hits the bathroom wall.

"Alice!" I hear that familiar lisp.

"Gen?" I turn around and within seconds I'm tackled in a hug from her.

"Oh, I heard the news you poor thing!" She says rocking me back and forth.

"What news?" I wheeze out when she holds me tighter.

"Don't kill her Genevieve," Tracy says.

I watch Gen roll her eyes but she releases me anyways.

"I perceived what happened to you at lunch through a fellow comrade in the hall. News spreads like rapid oxidation at this school." She says with her lisp. She pushes up her glasses again.

I feel embarrassment tickle my bones knowing that rumors are already being spread about me.

Tracy seems to read my mind at what she says next. "People are already talking about it?"

"Yeah." Gen sighs.

Gen and I watch as Tracy pulls a shiny new looking phone out of her purse. She starts to type really fast.

I look over at Gen and she shrugs just as confused as I am.

"And send." Tracy sings before putting her phone away.

It's quiet for a few seconds as we stare at her.

"What?" Tracy says looking at us weirdly.

"What did you just do?" Gen asks.

"Oh, I sent out a mass text telling people the rumor was fake. Everyone listens to me in this school." She giggles.

I feel a smile tug at my lips. "Tracy you didn't have to do that," I say honestly.

"Look Alice you seem nice. So let me be nice back."

"Thanks, Tracy. And thank you for caring too Gen." I tell them to feel calm for the first time all day.

Maybe I can make friends after all.