Heather's Forgiveness
I wasn't always such a mean person. Actually, in middle school I was friends with almost everybody. It was when I decided to become "popular" that my attitude changed. I noticed myself becoming bossier and crueler. I developed a bad habit of making people do my work for me. I found that I could only keep me title of "Queen Bee" when I put others in their place, which meant using my power over them.
It has not been long since the Total Drama Series ended. I am finally a senior in high school. After my horrible personality being broadcasted to every person on television, I am scared to return to high school.
I begged and pleaded for my parents to let me do online school or home school, but they, knowing that finally they were in control instead of me being in control, told me that I had to go to public school. I did not have a choice or say in the matter.
I take a deep breath as I step out of my small silver car. I parked in the far corner of the parking lot, far away from any other car. I slowly walk to the front entrance of the school, anxiety piercing my stomach. What will happen? Will people notice me? Will my old friends accept me back…or completely reject me?
As I finally reached the metal doors of the school entrance, I took a deep breath and pushed them open, unaware of what I would encounter within the cold stone building.
Luckily nobody notices me as I enter the school. The first people I spot are my old friends! Smiling hopefully, I rush over to them and smile.
"Hey girls," I say, grinning at them.
My best friend Becki looks at me. "Oh. Hi, Heather." She says my name like it is not just a disease, but the most disgusting and vile disease to exist on the face of the Earth. Her green eyes flit over my slightly fuller figure, and she scoffs. Am I too fat to be popular again?
Becki must have decided to ignore me, as she leaves and walks over to a girl who is coming out of the girls bathroom. The girl is a beautiful redhead with radiant skin. I squint at her and a vague memory returns to me. She was the girl who had been new during the year before I left to compete on Total Drama Island. During my reign of terror, I had mocked and teased the girl about her frizzy hair and her braces. Now, she was stunning.
The Queen Bee that still resides deep within me scrutinizes her appearance, searching for that one flaw that could knock her down to the rung of the social ladder that she had once belonged to. As much as I try, I cannot find a single imperfection in her appearance. She is simply flawless. Infuriated, I give up and begin searching for my homeroom.
As I am walking to my homeroom, everyone in the hallway dodges me and stays away from me. Do they hate me? My mind reels at my sudden realization. They had seen the show and now hate me!
Shocked, I lean against the wall and try to calm myself down. I should be used to having people hate me now, but these are people who really knew me and seemed to genuinely like me.
Coming down the hallway, I see another old close friend of mine. Suzan. She sees me and her eyes narrow. Afraid of a possible confrontation happening, I turn in the opposite direction and try to hurry away. But she catches up with me.
"Heather!" She cries out, her voice nasal and mocking. "I miss seeing you bald!" She laughs as she says this. Her face blurs as hot tears sting my eyes.
Turning away from her, I run to the nearest bathroom, trying to avoid the laughter. I open the door and rush into the first empty stall I can find. As I am crying, I hear the door open and shut and I quickly silence myself.
Two girls have entered the bathroom. From the sound of their voices, I recognize them. It's Laura and Taylor, two of the girls from my clique.
"I heard that Heather is back," Says Laura, her voice loud even in a whisper.
Taylor gasps. "Oh my god, eww! Is she really back?"
I can see Laura nod through the small crack between the stall door and the wall. "Yeah. I heard that her hair has grown back, too."
Taylor smiles at this. "That's good!" She says, nodding her head as if she were agreeing with herself. "At least people won't be making bald jokes about her."
Laura laughs. "But imagine how fun those would have been to make! The bitch deserves it after all the torment she put us and everybody here at school through. I heard she doesn't have any friends anymore, and I'm glad. She deserves to be punished." Laura sounds indignant, which surprises me. During our friendship, she was never one to say horrible things about other people. Popularity really can change a person's personality, I realize.
The tardy bell rings, and Laura and Taylor pick up their bags and leave. I unlock the stall door and walk over to the sink. Looking in the mirror, I am disgusted with myself. My hair might have returned to its previous beauty and length, but due to today's events my make-up was running and my eyes were swollen as well as my skin red and blotchy from crying.
Sighing to myself, I pick up my bag and head to homeroom. I just know that today is going to be a terrible day.
At lunch, I sit alone. Nobody comes to my table, not even to take a chair from it. I am a person stranded in a sea of hatred. My vision begins to blur as I feel my eyes fill with tears, but I shake my head trying to make them go away. I will not make myself look even worse than I already do.
As I am picking at my lunch – my appetite is officially gone – I hear a chair scrape the ground as its being moved. My first thought is that someone is taking it so they can join their friends, but as I look up, I see someone who is sitting down at my table. I recognize the person right away. It's Harold.
"Hi Heather," He says to me, his eyes full of sympathy and kindness. Somehow, I know that he is here to make me feel better.
I smile back. "Hey Harold. I'm glad to see you."
He smiles at me as he sits down.
"I forgive you, Heather." He tells me, his eyes earnest.
Maybe school won't be so bad with Harold around.