Chapter Three - South of Nowhere in William Rose

I entered William Rose Junior High feeling very self-conscious. What if people saw me dressed all pink-and-red and thought I was weird? What if Marissa didn't recognize me? What if—

"Heeey Sammy!" a boy I recognized as Seth Johnson waved at me. Why was Seth waving at me? He was one of Heather's friends. I thought he hated me.

"Uh, hi." I said awkwardly. I went to my locker and Monet suddenly stopped right by me.

"My God, Sammy, you'll never believe what happened!" she gushed. "So yesterday Heather and I were at the mall and suddenly she sees Casey and his Noelle and so Heather passes by casually but sticks her gum into Noelle's hair and it was just SO FUNNY." she's cracking up.

"Noelle? Who's Noelle?"

Monet looked at me like I'm mentally disabled. "Um, Casey's total slutty bitch of a girlfriend?"

The hypothetical crickets go *chirp chirp*

"WHAT?" I nearly screamed, slamming my locker shut.

A laugh escaped Monet's lips. "This just proves it."

"Proves what?" I demanded. Casey had cheated on me. MY Casey had cheated on me. He's been cheating on me. And I find out on my birthday, too! And WHERE WAS I? If this wasn't a dream WHAT WAS IT? Arrrghhh!

"It's proves you have a thing for Casey." Money grinned. "We've always known you do. You have a crush on him. Admit it."

"Admit what? Casey is— or was— my boyfriend! And why are you talking to me? Don't you hate me!"

Monet started cracking up again. "Sammy, you are too funny sometimes. Is this some kind of practical joke you're playing on us? Look, we didn't forget your birthday." she winked. "Be at Heather's place at four tonight."

"What?"

She laughed. "You'll see!"

I wanted to kick something. More like kick Monet.

I went to homeroom. At least my schedule was the same. Why was everything messed up? Why wasn't I Casey's girlfriend? What was happening?

"Billy!" I ran over to Billy. He was grinning at me. "Oh hey, Sammy!"

"Billy!" I said again, happy to finally be with someone who was acting the same as they always did. I hugged him for no particular reason.

"You okay?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No." my voice cracked. "I'm confused."

"Why?"

I shook my head again. There was no way I could tell him. In this "new" reality I was in, everything was different. Apparently I was Heather's friend? And Casey had a girlfriend named Noelle? And I lived with my mom and she wasn't even in L.A?

She wasn't even in L.A.

She wasn't even in L.A!

Oh my god!

I slid into my desk and held my face in my hands. "Ohhhh my goddddd." I moaned.

"What?" Billy asked.

"It's...nothing." I said to him.

But it wasn't nothing. Because I remember now. Right when Lana had told me my dad was Danny's dad, I had wished she had never moved to L.A. I had said she had ruined my life by moving to L.A. And then I had blacked out and awaken inside an alternate reality in which my mom had stayed in Santa Martina and nerve gone to L.A.

Is this what my life would be like if she had stayed? Would I stay like this forever?

After homeroom I went through my classes trying act like it was a normal school day. Maybe if I kept my mind straight on my REAL life, everything would align and it would all be okay. I should have known better.

"Sammy!" Heather called when I entered History class. Okay, since apparently in this new reality me and Heather are not archenemies, I have to play along.

"Hey!" I forced a smile. This was too weird.

She came over to my desk and placed a cupcake on my desk. "Look, I know it's tons of calories but it's your birthday so..."

"Happy birthday to you, too." I said trying to keep my smile on. "I didn't bring your gift because I want to give it to you tonight when I come over. Monet told me to come over." I was a liar, liar, liar.

She nodded. "Yeah, I have your real present at my house, too!" she clapped her hands together. "Danny is gonna be there too! I am so excited." she said in a lowered voice. "Hopefully Marissa won't be too swoony."

I had totally been lying. I didn't even HAVE a gift for her! I hadn't even known she was my friend when I was coming to school today.

"Marissa?" the sound of her name made my heart start beating faster. Marissa! If there was anyone who'd remember the REAL reality, it would have to be Marissa! And she couldn't have changed much either. She was probably still the same Marissa I know.

Again, I should have known better.

Lunch came around and I found Marissa sitting at a table. I went over to her.

"Happy birthday!" she squealed. "Where are Heather and Tenille and Monet? Not here yet?"

"They sit with us, too!" I blurted.

"What? They always do."

"Oh. Right." I needed to keep my mouth shut!

I sat down at the table. "Look, Marissa, you're my best friend right?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah...? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But what I need to tell you is that this is not our life. Me and you aren't really friends with—"

Heather came over. She sat down next to me. "I still think it's awesome how you and I have the same birthday." she gushed. "Remember in fourth grade when the frosting tube exploded in our faces?" she started laughing.

"Yeah... Haha." I said meekly.

Marissa leaned onto the table just as Tenille and Monet appeared.

"Okay," Marissa was gushing again. "So Daddy says I can get the new iPhone 4 and so don't text me this weekend or call me because I'll be switching."

"Don't you already have an iPhone?" Tenille's nasally voice made me wonder how anyone can stand to be in a conversation with her.

Marissa nodded. "Yeaah," she said snottily, "But I want the new one. I have to be on top of everything." she flipped her long straightened hair. "Besides," she smirked, "I have the money, so why put it to waste in a lonely bank when it could be put to good use in the Apple Company?"

Heather, Tenille, and Monet laugh. I'm not. Since when was Marissa so materialistic and snobbish?

"Speaking of money, Sammy, I got you the most fa-bu-lous gift ev-er!" she lightly claps her hands together. "I don't mean to spoil it, but it's the new Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses I saw you look at in the mall the other day." she smiled and winked. "Maybe Seth will think you look even cuter in them."

"Seth?" Since when did he have anything to do with anything?

She nodded and rolled her eyes playfully. "Ye-ah! He's been openly flirting with you for weeks at lunch and in 8th period drama! God, you're so dense sometimes."

"Seth likes me?" my mouth went dry. This life. Was. So. Weird.

Like I said before, Seth was one of Heather's good friends. But he was...popular, and gorgeous and blonde and tall and way out of my league and SO not my type. He was also shallow and vain like Heather.

As if on cue, Seth comes up to the table and slides in beside me. "Hey, babe."

I was almost going to say, "Don't call me that," but I realized that if I wanted to seem "normal" in this alternate dream reality I was in, I would have to play along. Even thought it hurt. Very. Very. Much.

I gave him a small smiled. "Hi."

"What's up?" he asked and suddenly started playing with a lock of my hair.

I almost wanted to gag. This was so weird. I felt like I was cheating on Casey. Even though in this world, he had a girlfriend named Noelle, apparently.

All my "friends" at the table and Marissa started giggling and nudging each other.

"Nothing much," I said absent-mindedly. I decided to ask him about his favorite subject. Himself. "What's up for you?"

I stared into his green eyes. Oh.

My.

God.

I CAN'T STAND THIS!

This ISN'T MY LIFE!

OH MY GOD!

AAAAAAAARRGHHHH!

I got up and said quickly, "Um. Um. I gotta go."

"Why?" everyone asked in unison.

I thought, Because you're all ACTING SO WRONG and I HATE IT! I HATE YOU ALL LIKE THIS! But I said, "Bad sushi." I had lied. Totally random and unbelievable lie (because my lunch was a sandwich, not sushi) but whatever.

I ran out of the cafeteria and into the bathroom. And that's when I locked myself into a stall and cried my eyes out.