Chapter 7-Talented

Chapter 7-Talented

MONDAY MORNING!!

"...melt in a Maytag dryer, crayons go up one drawer higher, rewind Barney for the 15th" Jeanette shut off their annoying alarm clock and stretched as she sat up in her bed. Brittney and Eleanor did so as well, and reluctantly rolled out of bed.

"Ugh," Brittney groaned as she began getting dressed in her usual outfit, "I hate Mondays." Her sisters were in no mood to hear her moan and whine.

"Brittney, you hate everyday that you have to go to school," Eleanor pointed out while she put her blond hair up in her usual pigtails.

"You would to if you had to put up with Alvin!" Brittney snapped.

"Well he has to put up with you!" Eleanor snapped back as she turned around while putting up her last pigtail.

"I actually feel kinda bad for Alvin," Jeanette said softly as she slipped on her blue shoes. Brittney crossed her arms and glared at Jeanette.

"Why on earth would you feel bad for that…that…mistake?!"

"Brittney!" Eleanor and Jeanette scolded.

"That's a terrible thing to say about someone!" Eleanor shouted.

"I bet they were all mistakes! Why else would Vinny leave them on a perfect strangers door step?" Brittney continued.

"Britt, she left them because it was too cold for them to survive the winter," Jeanette reminded her firmly.

"Whatever," Brittney grumbled, "all I know is I don't wanna deal with Alvin today." She tied her hair up in a ponytail. Eleanor and Jeanette sighed, then the three of them headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. As they walked down Jeanette once again remembered how Amanda was dragged away from the mall on Saturday, and began worrying like she had all weekend.

"Oh, I REALLY hope she's okay." She thought sadly.

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Simon sat at the kitchen table staring down at his cereal sullenly, while Alvin, Theodore, and Dave talked about how funny chickens look.

"I just can't imagine what it must be like to walk in Amanda's shoes…" he thought to himself as he tried to imagine Dave getting drunk and high all the time, and occasionally beating and starving him. The thought of it made him nauseous. "I just wish I could help her."

"Simon?" he heard his name and looked up at his father.

"Huh?" he said quickly.

"Are you alright?" Dave asked with concern.

"Yeah, you've been acting like this all weekend," Theodore added.

"I'm fine," Simon lied, "just been rather drowsy lately. I'm sure I'll pull out of it soon."

"W-well okay," Dave said unsure of whether he should believe Simon. "But you know if there's something wrong, you can always come talk to me." Hearing this always made Simon cringe when he knew he wasn't telling the truth. He got a lump in his throat. Whenever Dave said that at time like this, it always made him feel guilty and feel like he was going to cry. He nodded. Dave glanced down at his watch. "Oh, looks like it's time to go fellas." They all grabbed their lunches and walked out the door. "Bye fellas! Have a good day!"

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Brittney, Jeanette, and Eleanor walked down the sidewalk together. Brittney and Eleanor were having a conversation, but Jeanette was silent. She suddenly saw a familiar figure wearing an unusual black hoodie.

"Amanda!" she called as she ran for her best friend. Amanda turned around to glance real fast, then turned away. When she caught up to her, Amanda didn't acknowledge her. "Amanda? Why won't you talk to me? And what's with the hood and the sunglasses?"

"Good morning Jeanette, and…it's nothing," she said quietly, not looking up.

"Why won't you look at me?" Jeanette asked becoming more concerned. Amanda just shook her head as she stared down at the sidewalk while walking toward the school. After a few more seconds of silence, Jeanette couldn't take it anymore. She jumped in front of Amanda. "Will you just look at me?" Amanda reluctantly looked up. "…and take off the sunglasses?" Amanda sighed and reluctantly did so. Jeanette gasped. Amanda's eye was swollen shut and she had a huge bruise on the side of her face. "Wha-What happened?"

"The mall trip…my…parents…couldn't remember saying I could leave the house," Amanda admitted as a tear rolled down her face.

"Oh Amanda! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault!" Jeanette cried with extreme guilt.

"No, it's not your fault," Amanda said seriously, "but if anyone asks, tell them I got jumped in Wal-Mart, okay?"

"But Amanda-"

"Please Jeanette?" she pleaded. "I'll be fine, just please don't tell anyone!" Jeanette sighed, feeling a lump form in her throat.

"I'll have you know I don't like doing this," Jeanette said firmly, and then softly, "…but okay…I…I won't tell anyone…I promise." Amanda put her face in her hands and began to cry. Jeanette put her arm around her and led her into the school.

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"Class this is the last day to work on your projects," the teacher said, "so get into your…Amanda, please take off the sunglasses and put your hood down." Amanda reluctantly did so. The teacher gasped. "What happened?!"

"I-I got…jumped in Wal-Mart," she lied. The class busted up laughing. Amanda sunk down in her seat, humiliated. Simon and Jeanette, however, didn't find it funny. Simon shot up from his seat, causing his chair to hit the floor.

"HEY!!" he shouted angrily. "THERE'S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT A SWEET, TIMIND, INNOCENT GIRL GETTING GANGED UP ON AND BEATEN IN PUBLIC!! SO STOP LAUGHING AT HER!!" Everyone was taken aback by Simon's reaction.

"Simon, please calm down," the teacher said softly. Simon sighed, then picked up his chair and obediently sat back down. The teacher cleared her throat. "Well then, get into your groups and finish your group projects." Everyone began moving around the room to get to their groups.

"Thanks Simon," Amanda said softly, kind of blushing.

"No problem," he replied, a little embarrassed by the way he had reacted.

"I take it you know what really happened?" Amanda asked somewhat shamefully.

"Yeah," Simon replied softly, "I pretty much get the…idea." Amanda nodded.

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After school, Amanda and Jeanette tried out for the talent show like Simon had suggested.

"Alright ladies!" Mr. Rochelle said cheerfully. "So you're singing… 'Big Girls Don't Cry'?"

"Uh-huh," Jeanette replied somewhat nervously. Amanda and Jeanette each grabbed a microphone as the song began.

Amanda: "Da Da Da Da
The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You're probably on your flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection baby
To be with myself and center, clarity
Peace, Serenity
"

A/J: "I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
"

Jeanette: "The path that I'm walking
I must go alone
I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown, full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they?
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay
"

A/J: "I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
"

Amanda: "Like the little school mate in the school yard
We'll play jacks and uno cards
I'll be your best friend and you'll be my Valentine
Yes you can hold my hand if you want to
'Cause I want to hold yours too
"

Jeanette: "We'll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds
But it's time for me to go home
It's getting late, dark outside
I need to be with myself and center, clarity
Peace, Serenity
"

A/J: "I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
"

"Bravo ladies!" Mr. Rochelle applauded. "You are definitely in!" Amanda and Jeanette grinned at each other and hugged each other while jumping up and down.

"Yesss!!"

Sorry it took so long, but I was stuck! Please Review!!