16th May 1983
I leant down and copied my equations into my maths book trying not to look in her direction. Olivia Harris was the meanest girl in the fifth grade. She transferred to my school in November and since then she had tortured me every day. At first it was little things,scribbling on my homework and poking me with pencils but now she was hitting and scratching me. Last week she went above and beyond.
We were making paper mache mountains and Olivia used her scissors to cut off about six inches off of my ponytail. My hair was all uneven and choppy. The worse thing was that I had to tell my mom,dad and sisters that I cut it off myself. The alternative was to embarrassing.
"What's the answer to question 2B" Mrs Cairns asked. I looked at the question and answered quickly.
"14989" I said and she smiled at said I was correct. I felt Olivia best friend Jessica lean across and whisper in my ear.
"Olivia is getting sick of you. She wants to see you after school,eight pm,under the bridge" she leaned back and I closed my eyes.
"The bridge" was a term for the walkway at the only train station in our town. Lots of fights were settled there,and usually they were settled in tears.
After that the day went by in a blur. When I got home everyone was in the kitchen. My mom was speaking happily to my youngest sibling Paige who was four. Tina my other younger sister who was eight was sitting at the table doing homework and singing along to Crimson And Clover. My third and final sister Karen wasn't home yet.
"Hey sweetheart how was your day?" my mom asked.
"It was great mom how was yours?" I lied.
"Not so bad. How did it take you so long to come home from school?" mom asked.
"I took a detour round Mansfield Avenue" I told mom.
"Were you walking Kerry home?" Kerry was my ex best friend. She and I fell out mid April because of Olivia. She thought if she and I weren't friends Olivia might be nicer to her. I hadn't told my mom we weren't friends.
"Yeah we stopped in Johnny's and got some ice-cream" I said in reference to the parlour where everyone hung out.
"Oh okay but don't tell your father. Remember you're grounded for two weeks after you tried to turn yourself into Cherie Currie" my mom cracked a smile. My mom was amazing. She was relaxed and easy-going. I adored her. Unlike Dad,she was home a lot. My mom's worked as a part time hairdresser where as my Dad owned a garage and worked all day long as a mechanic.
"Sure thing mom" I kissed Paige on the cheek and after telling Tina the answer to 7x9 I headed upstairs and collapsed on my bed.
I had to go tonight. If I didn't Olivia would tell everyone I was to scared to face her. Even if I got my ass kicked I had to go. I looked out the clothes I could wear and ended up deciding on black jeans and a black and white stripped top with black biker boots that could come in handy in a fight. I was painting my toe-nails a hot pink colour when Karen burst into our room and threw herself onto the bed jolting my arm.
"Karen!" I elbowed her.
"Oh I'm sorry" she pressed a kiss to my cheek.
"Here and I'll do them" she said and I handed over the polish and reclined on the double bed we shared. Karen was my everything. She was like a mother,sister,best friend and idol all rolled into one. My sister was outgoing,fun,creative and bubbly. Couple that with the fact she could always tell what I was thinking she was my favourite person on the planet.
"So what's up? You haven't been your happy self lately. Is it Kerry? I know you guys have had a fight" she said and reinforced my love for her. Within twenty minutes I had explained everything to her.
"You have to go tonight" she said strongly.
"I know. I mean,I am. But how am I supposed to sneak out of the house?" I asked.
"You let me handle that. Now when you see Olivia remember to be confident. Remember it's the most important thing. The reason Olivia walks around like god's gift is because she's confident in herself. And you should be confident in yourself".
"Thanks for the advice sis. I have three hours to confidence myself up plus English homework" I rolled my eyes.
"Shut up. And I may have an idea on how to handle that. Do me a favour and go help mom cook dinner will you. I have a ton of homework to do" Karen said and I instantly felt bad. Karen was a high school Sophmore and since it was almost the end of the school year homework was way more frequent.
"Is your History teacher still piling on assignments?" I asked.
"Oh yeah. I have a three thousand word essay on the Civil War due in two days. And it will make up part of our final grade" Karen sighed.
"You'll be fine. Just try not to use any of grandma's opinions" I said in reference to my father's crazy slightly racist mother.
"Thanks for the tip" she winked and I went downstairs to help my mom.
Two hours later and I was putting away the dishes of the delicious meal mom and I had just cooked. Karen had told me to come upstairs straight after since she had something to help me with.
"You know how you said you needed a confidence boost" at my look she rolled her eyes and added "well I read between the lines and saw you needed a confidence boost".
"Yes" I still wasn't sure what she meant.
"You remember last summer I visited our cousins in New Orleans?" she asked and I nodded.
"Okay well Aunt Jackie's daughter Carla took me to an occult type shop. It was right after I broke up with Jason Delarsio. I knew I'd have to face him at school so I bought confidence essence. I never got around to using it because his family moved to Vermont. Apparently it's a special blend of herbs which result in the consumer feeling relaxed and confident. Maybe you could try it" she offered me the small bottle about length and breadth of my index finger.
I grabbed the bottle and threw back said essence and shuddered. It tasted like crap. Immediately I felt adrenaline coursing through me. It was like I finally felt powerful and in control.
"There you go. Now you get ready while I go cause a big distraction. When you hear the crash go out the front door. I'll be in the kitchen causing a disaster" Karen said and left the room.
Quickly I slipped out of the white tank and jeans I had worn to school that day and changed into new clothes. I slicked some of Karen's lip gloss on and brushed my hair then waited just outside the bedroom door. I could hear my Dad talking to my mom and Tina and Karen was in the kitchen with Paige suddenly I heard a shriek coupled with smashing glasses. Everyone ran to the kitchen and I quickly but quietly went downstairs and out the front door being careful to shut it noiselessly behind me.
I raced down to the end of my street and then walked the mile and a half to the train station. The station was open but abandoned most nights and I saw them standing as I approached the steps. Olivia had three of her closest friends there,Jessica and Caitlin and...Kerry. That last one stung a little.
I walked towards them my footsteps the only noise. They were all wearing matching white leather jackets and I resisted the urge to laugh. Olivia didn't seem so scary now,and I was wondering why I was ever scared of her.
"Took you long enough" Olivia started.
"I had better things to do. I wasn't the one who wanted to come here" I answered standing in front of her,arms folded.
"Like what? Hanging out with your friends" she snorted.
"Hanging out with my mom. You know how it goes...oh wait you don't" Olivia's mom had left her and her Dad in Nebraska in November which is why they moved to nowheresville Pennsylvania. I knew I was hitting low,but this bitch had made my life a misery since November. Why should I have sympathy for her?
"Can we get on with this? Only I have a lot to do" I unfolded my arms and let my arms dangle making fists the way my cousin Ryan taught me to.
"What's your rush? I want to enjoy this" Olivia said smiling in a cruel way.
Olivia moved so close I could feel her breath on me. I didn't budge an inch which was very impressive considering the adrenaline was making me want to run a marathon.
She pushed me back and I laughed. Pushing? Was she five.
I laughed again good naturedly and then moving forward I punched her square on the jaw. Ryan told me if you punch the nose hard enough you could break it and no matter how much of a bitch Olivia was being I didn't want to seriously hurt her.
I saw Olivia hit the ground and when I looked up Jessica and Cailtin were racing down the other side of the bridge. The only one who remained was Kerry and everything in me was telling me to punch her to.
"I don't get why you were mean to me. I get them. Olivia's a stone cold bitch. Jess hates anyone who doesn't have red hair and Caitlin never forgot that I was the Christmas angel and she was a shepherd. But you were my best friend. I loved you" I said to her completely forgetting that Olivia was still there.
"I...I'm sorry" she said and turning around ran off shouting to Cailtin to wait on her.
I turned my attention back to Olivia. She was rubbing her chin where an odd blue lump had formed. Apparently I hit her harder than I had thought. She wasn't saying anything but she had tears in her eyes and looked embarrassed.
"Here" I held out my hand.
She looked at it for a minute before accepting it and standing slowly.
"Are you all right?" I asked her.
"I'll survive" she said.
Slowly we began to walk home in the same direction. Once we reached her gate I spoke again.
"I'm sorry about what I said about your mom" I said and I really meant it.
"It's fine. I'm sorry I cut your hair" she said and I couldn't help but laugh.
"That's okay. I was thinking of getting a haircut. My original plan was to go brunette but you can't buy the choppy chic look" she laughed a little at that.
"I'll speak to Kerry if you like" she offered and I shook my head.
"Kerry and I clearly have our issues,but thanks for the offer" I smiled.
"So I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow" she said and I nodded and we walked away. Oddly enough I think punching her may have helped her to finally like me.
Once I got to my street I went in through the back door and snuck upstairs. It was just past nine. Tina and Paige were probably in bed and my parents were probably watching TV in the living room.
Karen hit me with a barrage of questions the moment I got through the door. I told her to tell me what she did as a distraction.
"Do you remember Gran's glasses?" she asked and I knew what was coming. My Grandma Rosie (my mother's mother) had a dozen of antique crystal glasses she inherited from her grandmother.
"Oh I have an idea of how this story ends" I shook my head.
"I only broke four of them" Karen justified.
"Poor mom. What was she like?" I asked.
"Well once she finished crying she started shouting. The everyone was sent to their rooms while she cleaned up the mess. Five minutes later you got home. Now tell me what happened" Karen demanded.
After I finished telling Karen about tonight she gave me a huge hug and told me she was so proud.
"It was all thanks to that confidence thing you gave me" I smiled at her.
"Actually what I gave you was lemonade and apple juice. I took that essence a few months back. Everything you did tonight came from your own strength,your own confidence. You always had it in you to stand up to Olivia. I believed it-I just needed you to" she stroked my face and pulled me in for another hug.
I have the best big sister in the world.