Standing In The Rain

Just A Moody Monday Morning

"The MUTTS?" I thought, "well, that's creative."  I decide it easily. Right away. Yes. Of course! I am excited. My naive mother and my throbbing finger, are all pushed out of my mind. Except Alice. Of course, she has to be the little voice in my head to ruin this moment. A small voice that takes over my brain quickly, getting louder and louder, clouding my mind with suspicion. "What qualities. What abilities could I ever posses to be better, more likeable than fantastic Alice? She's pretty, smart, wonderfully nice. And I'm-I'm..." The little voice all of a sudden got quite quiet. A whisper. "And I'm-I'm... me." I quickly rub the palm of my hand to my eye to shed any tear that was threatening to spill over.
     The next morning, a Monday, I woke up ticked off. Just in a nasty mood. And to help it go along, with a nasty bed head. Nothing I'm not used to. I yank my brush through the mess, and with watery eyes and a throbbing head, I stomp downstairs to grab myself some cereal. I nearly curse when the cabinet to the cereal doesn't shut on the first time because I slammed it shut too hard the first time. "Well, somebody finally woke up on the *right* side of the bed!" Alice  laughed at her own joke. "Oh, shut up, Prissy Princess." "You can't come up with *anything* different than that nickname from 10 years ago?" she laughed back. "Whatever." I glance at her as she turns around to go upstairs back to her own room. Her blonde hair has not a strand out of place. Her make up all ready done: foundation, cover up, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. As if she needs any. Her bag and purse already ready by the door. And she skips breakfast. Ugh. I eat my chocolate puffs with marshmallows, and even though Alice calls me a kid for it, I do love them! I eat all of the chocolate puffs first, and then all of the marshmallows at once. It picks up my mood so much! I go up stairs and finish getting ready. I am feeling oddly optimistic all of a sudden. Oh well. Better soak it up while it lasts!
     I get in the car with Alice, and she silently drives with the music on a little too loud. I pull up my hood and lean against the car trying to drown out the noise! We get there, and she tells me "bye." I tell her "see you." We may not get along, but we are civil... enough. Haha. As I walk along the hall, I swing my bookb ag around and grab a pen and scratch piece of paper. I draw a large rectangle...

I tape it on the inside of my locker, number 371, on the top right corner. Throughout the day it stays there. And by the end of the day I am disappointed to still see it there. I go the Cross Country and feel better instantly. Some people draw. I like to doodle, but you can't tell what I draw, and neither can I. Some people read. I've all ready read most of the library. Some people run. There's my group! I love it, the challenge, the pure work. Try running over 3 miles in the hills, and go back to the schools for sprints if you think it's easy! I smile knowing it's one of the very few things that Alice can't do. When I get done, I forget about the note and meet Alice at the car after she is done with volleyball.
      That night went by eventless. Did homework, ate, ignored Alice, bed.
      Next morning I remembered the note. I get ready 10 minutes faster than usual and Alice is also ready early. She gets us to school with 15 minutes to spare. I get to my locker to see the note missing. And instead there is another note in it's place.