I arrive home and the overwhelming noise of the house, however normal is giving me a headache. I have the sudden urge to pull out my journal and just write and listen to music, but mom wants to chat. I avoided her all day on Sunday by hiding in my room.
"Who are these girls, Mallory? I know nothing about your new friends"
She seems genuinely interested.
"Liz Cohen, Mara Semple, Maria Fazio and Jamie Sperling." "Just some other girls in 10th grade mom."
I can't be bothered going into greater detail.
"Well, they certainly have made quite an impression on you Mallory, just look at you!"
Mom doesn't seem angry, infact she seems quite impressed, but I hint a bit of suspicion in her voice. I the next question is simply inevitable and one I can't even answer myself.
"What happened between you and Jessi? I don't understand why you two aren't hanging around together any more?"
I look away from mom's concerned face, I know if I look her in the eye. I'm embarrassed, mostly because I don't know the answer.
"I don't know mom, she just doesn't want anything to do with me since she got back from her trip."
Mom gives me a small sympathetic smile, she doesn't really know what to say herself.
To break the awkward silence I use my homework as an excuse and quietly slip upstairs. Vanessa isn't in our room, I don't even think she's here. I get my wish. Out comes my journal and my music complete with headphones. For just a little while I'll be completely alone in a house full of chaos.
"Dear journal, So much has happened recently. I've lost a friend and gained four more. When I look in the mirror, I hardly recognise the reflection anymore. I'm a lot happier with how I look, but god I still wish something could be done about my nose!"
Unfortunately, that is as far as I get with my writing. Vanessa rushes into the room, slamming the door behind her, making me jump.
"Don't slam the door! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" I snap at her.
"Sorry!" She retorts angrily. I can tell she isn't. I roll my eyes and take out the book I'm reading for English. "The Catcher in the Rye."
Vanessa keeps sighing angrily and pacing the floor. I can tell she wants to tell me what her problem is and I'm not going to get any peace until she does, may as well just ask.
"What's wrong Vanessa?"
I ask sincerely, lying my book down on the bed open on the pages I'm up to.
"Margo, she keeps borrowing all my clothes without asking me!"
"Well, you know that there isn't always exactly money for new clothes most of the time.."
Vanessa cuts me off, not prepared to listen to what I have to say.
"She got a hole in one of my favourite shirts!" She shrieks.
I feel sorry for her but I can't be bothered sorting out every sibling argument in this household all the time anymore.
"Go tell mom" I urge exasperated.
"Yeah, I knew you wouldn't understand Mallory!" She snaps and slams the door behind her before I get a chance to ask her what she meant. Sharing clothes hasn't been anything unusual for the girls in this family. Being the oldest had it's advantage in that I never had to wear the hand me downs, I just passed them along maybe that's what Vanessa meant. But now Vanessa is 13, she doesn't like to share and Margo never asks before she borrows or returns anything in its original condition.
Once Vanessa is out of the room I stand up and look in the mirror. I touch the roots of my hair, they're becoming oily and I know I need to wash my hair. I'm frustrated as this will mean bye-bye sleek and smooth and hello curls and frizz again. It didn't occur to me at first that parts of this makeover would only be temporary.
I'm still staring at my reflection when Nicky bangs on the door screaming that I have a phone call. "Who is it?" I shout from behind the closed door, but he's already gone. I tear down the stairs and pick up the phone.
"Hello?" I answer, I have no idea who could be calling.
"Mallory?" "Liz?" I assume from the voice it's her.
"Yes.. It's me. I wanted to talk more about this afternoon, I've thought about what you said a lot more."
"What do you think?" I feel like such an intruder in the whole situation. I don't even know if I should've asked that sort of question.
"I want to believe them, I just don't understand.. Why would she tell me it's bad luck that he wanted her instead of me at the party if they're so sure it will all a mistake?"
It was a good question, and one I didn't know myself. But Jamie had asked me to help, so adding my own version of the truth to complete the story couldn't hurt, could it?
"Well, Jamie said she was just angry at you that night and she was still drunk, she never meant a thing, I swear!"
"Hmm, thanks Mallory, I'll need to think about it some more. Thanks so much for your advice though."
"Anytime.. Hey, Liz? Can I ask you for some advice in return now?" I felt like such an idiot but I wasn't going to school with a bad hair day ever again.
"Anything at all Mal?" She replies
" Well, I need to wash my hair.. How do I stop it being all frizzy this time? I don't have a straightener!"
Liz giggles. "Go get yourself some hair mousse! Just put heaps in when your hair is still wet, then some more once it's dry, trust me." Hair mousse! Of course, Stacey uses it sometimes and her hair always looks perfect.
"Thanks heaps Liz!" I quickly get off the phone and run out of the house, over to the McGills.
I knock on the door, "I'll be right out!" Stacey's voice shouts from the distance.
"Oh god! Mallory?" She shrieks. "You look Amazing!"
She looks me up and down. Stacey is the one that looks amazing. She's wearing brown leather mid calf boots, a knee length jean skirt and a baby pink short sleeved top that falls from her shoulders. Her hair is sits in long, perfect ringlets and her make up is soft and natural.
"What can I do for you Mallory?" She offers, gesturing me inside with her hand.
"Well, I need to know all about hair mousses" I reply quietly, I feel a little embarrassed asking for advice on girly stuff like this. I feel as though I should already know it.
"Oh?" Stacey looks at my hair carefully. "Well it would make your curls look fabulous, but I'm loving your hair strait Mal! Who did all this for you?"
I briefly explain my new friends and their make over. Stacey shows excitement for me, but shows genuine sadness when I explain what happened with Jessi.
"That's an awful shame Mal, but look at you now, you're doing just fine without her."
Seeing the sadness in my eyes, Stacey quickly changes the subject. "Come on Mal, let's go to the Mall.. I'll help you pick out a hair mousse!"
I manage a smile. I've missed spending time with Stacey. We jump into her car and she turns up the radio, humming loudly to the song that's playing. We arrive at the mall and walk into a hair care shop.
"I swear by this one!" She tells me, picking up a shiny green bottle of mousse. "You could do with this too!" She hands me a small tub of clear hair gel, "ohh, this too!"
She now hands me a can of hairspray. "Are you sure I need all of this Stacey?" I ask unsurely. It seems like a lot of stuff to put onto my hair. "Of course, it will make your hair really hot, I promise!" I smile back at her and take the items back to the register.
We look around at some clothes, there's this excellent white sun dress that I'd love, but could never afford. A girl can dream though, right? We sit and have a coffee, Stacey orders a cup or tea and then we return home. We both have way too much homework to do and not enough time to do it.
"Thank you so much Stacey!" I tell her when she stops outside my house.
"It's perfectly fine Mal. I'll see you around at school and stuff, if you ever need a ride and I haven't left yet, you know where to find me."
And with that, she was gone.