The next morning I wake up before the alarm. I manage to wake up before everyone else to jump into the shower. I shiver standing naked on the cold, hard tiles waiting for the water in the shower to heat up. Once it's nice and warm I jump in and wet my newly browned hair from root to tip, it feels heavy on my shoulders. I begin lathering up the shampoo and wash the straightness away.
Once I'm finished in the shower, I tip my wet curls upside down and cover them in a towel, twist it around my hair and begin to dry it off. I dry off my body and put on the clothes I've chosen for the day which I left sitting on the bathroom floor, a fitted red T-shirt and a short grey and black plaid skirt with black slip on shoes. I take Stacey's advice for my hair, while it's still damp I put some mousse into my hands and rub it all the way through my hair. I then add some gel and spray my hairspray all over. My hair sits in nice, thick curls rather than a big frizzy mess.
I put on a small amount of lip gloss and smile at the reflection in the mirror. My new morning routine takes a lot longer than it used to, but the end result is well worth the time. When I walk back into our bedroom to collect my school books, Vanessa is still dressing herself, muttering angrily to herself as she goes. It looks like it's her turn to have slept in. I smile at her as I grab my books and bag and walk back out of the room.
Jordan and Adam are down stairs having cereal for breakfast. Claire is standing expectedly by the toaster.
"Where's Byron?" I ask Adam.
"Still in the bathroom, spiking his hair." He tells me without looking up from his bowl. I roll my eyes and grab a banana out of the fruit bowl. My brothers can take longer than my mom or sisters in the bathroom some mornings. I pour myself a small glass of milk and sit down at the table with my banana. I don't feel like eating much else.
Before I know it, mom has dropped the triplets and I off to school.
I'm sitting down at my desk for Monday morning, English class, right next to Liz. She smiles at me then looks back down at her open book. "I called Jamie after I got off the phone to you." She announces without looking up from her novel.
"Are you guys friends again?" I enquire eagerly . "I suppose so, It's going to take a lot of time to trust her again, fully, you know?" Liz smiles at me and I guess it's her way of thanking me again for whatever involvement I had.
At lunch time, Jamie and Liz are speaking, but things are still awkward. Jamie is trying her hardest to suck up to Liz, it's sickly sweet. Mara and Maria ignore them and carry on their own conversation about their science project or something equally exciting.
After lunch, I'm walking alone to class. I pass Stacey in the hall, she's with Mary Anne another old baby sitting friend. Stacey stops and gives me the thumbs up. "Loving the hair, told you didn't I?" She grins and keeps walking. Mary Anne stops and turns back around. "Oh Mallory, it's you!" She gasps and the two walk off.
Another person that didn't even recognise me?
The way I looked before, being unrecognisable was still a huge compliment. The confidence boost it was giving me must have been working. Out the corner of my eye I see Craig Avazian walking faster to catch up to me.
"Hey Mallory" He greets me with a smile. I can feel myself starting to blush.
"Oh hey.." I reply, trying not to make eye contact. Why does he make me so nervous? Is it his smile? Or his eyes. I still can't decide. Maybe it's both all at once.
I'm too nervous to think of anything else to say. Luckily, I don't have to. Craig quickly excuses himself and walks off in the other direction.
I'm grinning as I walk into my science class. I don't even like science.
Jamie is in my science class. We sit together in the middle of the class room. Our teacher, Mrs Hayes is very strict, so we don't get a chance to chat. About half an hour into class, while we're taking notes off the board, Jamie slips me a small folded piece of paper. I discreetly unfold it, and take a peek. It says:
"Thanks for talking to Liz, there's a gathering on Friday night at Lauren Aronsen's. You should come."
Another party? So soon after the last one. Was I up for it? I wasn't too sure, but on the other hand I didn't want to miss out. I guess I could just go for a little while, even though I don't know if my parents would like me going.
I turn to face Jamie on my left. I shoot her a quick grin and turn back to my work. Now, I couldn't concentrate quite as well as I had before. I began thinking about what I'd wear this time. I stop myself mid thought. I don't think I'd ever worried about what I was going to where before it was time to dress myself in the actual outfit in question before. I'd just put on whatever felt appropriate at the time.
But that was the old Mallory, and she's no longer who I am.