The girls went to their usual classes. Vincent the art teacher was as snotty as usual. He rushed everyone in the class and kept the same look on his face. The students painted gracefully.
"Hurry up, kids. We have five minutes left!" He shouted.
Massie rolled her eyes and scoffed. She glared at her painting, which was a terrible self-portrait of her.
"I give up, Vincent. I am done. My painting is terrible and-" Massie started. Then the bell rang. She collected her things and strutted out of the class with a slight grin on her face. Vincent scowled at her as her friends paraded behind her.
"I am on a new diet," says Dylan proudly, putting both hands on her hips.
"You are SO obsessed with diets," Kristen said, shaking her head.
"Whatever," Dylan said.
"So are we all up for the mall after school?" Alicia asked.
"Totally," the girls said in unison.
Massie, Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan walked to the café for lunch.
They saw Claire, Layne, and a few other girls sitting together at one table. They were taking pictures of each other.
"They are paparazzi want to bees," Massie said, with her head held high. She high fived the other girls and smiled. Claire glanced and Massie and thought, "Why can't I be more like her?" Then she looked at Layne, who was wearing baggy sweatpants and a Green Day concert T-shirt.
"Claire is everything all right?" she asked in concern. Claire parted her bangs and shook her head. Layne nodded.
"No, no. I am fine. I think we should go to the mall after school. I need to update my closet," she said.
She got up and walked to the lunch line. She picked up mineral water and an apple. She was hungrier than that, but she just wanted to be more like the other girls in the café. They barely had anything on their trays. Claire sat down again and started munching on her apple.
"Hey, Claire, are you feeling well?" A girl asked.
"Yeah… Why?" Claire said.
"Well, you're only eating an apple and water," she said.
Claire felt her stomach growl. She ignored the girl and took huge bites of her apple. Claire looked over at the four girls once more and sighed.
The bell rang and everyone was off to class. Claire practiced walked like Massie and talking like Massie. It did not seem right. After school, the girls stood outside with their hands on their hips. Claire walked outside and her orange Keds stood out with all of the black and brown suede boots. The girls walked to the mall at the same pace. Claire stood there observing their every move. A few minutes later, Layne walked out.
"Ok, Let's head to the mall," she said.