Two

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock blaring ‘Despacito.’ Today was a Saturday, and I had made plans with Jessica and Lena to go shopping.

The one thing I hate the most.

You’d expect every teenager girl to love the same things: Starbucks, Forever Twentyone, and shopping. I’m okay with the first two, but shopping I dread. Liking to shop is part of the Popular Girl Contract. I swore on a blood oath, as ridiculous as it sounds.

Back to the topic. You can imagine why I hate shopping; trying on clothes that always are too tight or too revealing, being forced to judge myself and others in front of mirrors. I just DESPISE it.

Of course, Jessica and Lena don’t know that. They don’t know half of the actual me. They know ‘Molly Mayer, Confident Queen of Everything.’ Hah, not true.

So this morning, I groggily headed downstairs, careful not to step on our cat, Turd Bucket. I have a little brother, everyone; things like that happen sometimes.

“Morning, Molly,” mom said as I stumbled into the kitchen. She handed me a steaming mug of coffee, which I happily accepted. “How’d you sleep?”

I yawned and sipped the frothy drink. “fine.”

Uncomfortable silence follows me everywhere at home, and I don’t know why. Like I’ve explained before, my parents are the nice, decent, kind white parents who will bake you a cake just to ‘welcome you to the neihborhood.’ They just...don’t know the real me, either.

“We’re gonna go to the apple orchard today,” Mom finally said, sitting down on the living room couch.

my left eye twitched as I said guiltily, “I already made plans with Lena and Jessica today.”

“That’s great, invite them to the orchard with us!”

I sighed, trying to soften the blow for mom. “We’re going to the mall. And plus, Jessica hates the outdoors.”

Her face fell, and the guilt in my stomach grew stronger. “O-Oh. That’s okay, honey. Have fun!” She managed a wobbly smile, and I realized how bad of a person I actually was.

“Thanks,” I smiled back and set my empty coffee mug on the kitchen counter. “I’m gonna go get dressed.”

After I was fully clothed in a crop top and shorts, I heard beeping coming from outside. So I drew open my curtains and saw, as expected, Jessica and Lena in Lena’s convertible, parked in my driveway, beeping the car horn.

I groaned, grabbed my purse, ignored my aching heart telling me not to do this, and went out to meet Lena and Jessica.

It hurts to be popular.