Plucked - Elizabeth Haley (red seas under red skies .TXT) 📗

I had this dream last night, well nightmare. I was a weed and not one of the half pretty ones with blossoms that I tend to feel sorry for, but the vomit green kind and I was threatening to take over my schools precious garden. The gardener a  women named Cassie tried ripping me up by my roots but I would just stubbornly sprout up somewhere else. Being torn from the earth sucked but apparently me twisting around Jessa Jae Parks and her friends the most popular girls at schools ankles and bringing them down hard was unacceptable. I woke up just before I was drowned in weed killer.

It's strange but I'm jealous of the weed because in reality I couldn't take over any thing I'm no threat and I would never ever try to take down Jessa Jae Parks! I'm no weed not even the vomit green kind. I'm certainly not a Cheery Blossom I think as Avery my families driver speeds down the road past them. Though at the moment they are nothing but white and pale pink blurs I recognize them as beautiful. I focus on my faded reflection in the window same mess of brown curly hair that I can't handle, same dark brown eye's and barely noticeable eye lashes hidden under glasses. And of course there is the beauty mark just the size of my pinky nail above the right side of my mouth. Beauty mark, who decided to call it that any way? I sigh and my mother gives me one of her annoyed looks.
 

"You know Bren if you go in with that attitude it's most likely going to follow you around all year and I thought you actually wanted to make some friends other then that strange room mate of yours!"

"I like Lulu and I am going to make more friends!" I say flashing her a forced Barbie smile the same one she uses when my father comes in late. She squints her eye's at me prepared to say something else "supportive"!

"I really wish you would have let Nadia flat iron your hair but at least the braces are gone!"

She flips her own blonde mane behind her shoulders and gets her compact mirror out of her Gucci purse. She looks at the mirror smiling wide as if saying the word braces can give her a snaggle tooth.
We've arrived at the school now giving me an excuse to turn from her. I take in the same beautiful structure from last year the castle with towers that reach way up an pictures of roses staining every window. I also take in the students with royal blue blazers and khaki pants or skirts the guys horse around and smack their hands together in greeting the girls hug and observe each others new hair styles our only chance at individualism. The car stops and my mom has moved on from criticizing my hair and teeth and is now critiquing my over sized shoulder bag.

"I don't understand why you insist on carrying that thing its on its last thread and is about as cheap as....."

"Grandma gave it to me!" I say grabbing it just as Avery opens my door. I swing my legs out and that's when I see him the guy with golden hair and dimples that dip in because he's smiling at me.

"What, no goodbye kiss?" My mother says sarcastically and I glance back at her.

"No but I can suddenly say I'm excited for the school year!"

I start away from the car and then my heart drops to my feet. I've spotted the guy again and he's not alone Jessa's arms are around his neck and they're kissing pressed real close like a magnet to metal. His hands are pushing through her shiny black hair and I remember my place under the radar where cute guys can't get to break my heart and I'm not considered competition by girls like Jessa. What was I thinking? Ofcourse he hadn't been looking at me. And even if he had been and approached me what would I have done? Nothing! I would have frozen he would of realized I'm an anti-social freak and went running the opposite direction and for the rest of the year forget I even existed.

No no no, I tell myself  the old me would have froze this year when a cute guy comes up to me I'll smile and flirt, this year I'll be remebered. I scan the court yard for Lulu but don't see her so I try to stand taller and enter the school through heavy double doors alone.

The school really is breath taking with its hidden doors sparkling marble floors, high ceilings and gleaming chandeliers. But the most stunning thing about it is the stained glass hall aka the Hall Of Inspiration. To my right is a picture of a unicorn running through pouring down rain to my left a scene of a forest with a prince standing before a maiden perhaps announcing his love or maybe a bunch of lies! And up ahead of me double doors with a stone gray dragon above them as if on guard, his mouth is open wide with burst of oranges, reds and yellows spewing in every direction. A crackling sound from the intercom alerts the students scattered throughout the hall to stop and listen. Mitress Boewey orders the freshmen to join her in the Grand Room and all other students to their dorm rooms. Right away the hall becomes chaotic and I head for the spiral staircase leading to my own room.

I'm halfway up with other students pushing past me when I hear this awful ripping sound and my bag slips from my shoulder. All my books and notebooks fall out a kid behind me slips on one and I scramble to help him and grab my things. No one stops to help they just laugh and step over me, my belongings and the poor boy who's standing again his face is red like my dads Mustang Convertible. I'm shaking with nervousness apologizing and collecting my stuff. He bends to help and a familiar voice behind me is asking if I'm okay. He hands me my things and I mumble a thanks before he bolts up the now almost empty stair case and I turn to see Lulu my room mate and best friend.

"He was kind of cute!" she says with a laugh her blond curls bounce at her shoulders and a diamond stud that wasn't there last year shines in her freckled nose. She takes half my stack and we start up again.

"Did you see what happened? It was awful Lu the kind of thing that will give me a permanent nickname like uh The Klutz!"

"Or The Avalanche!" She says giggling and it makes me laugh too.

"Honestly Bren don't worry about it. everyone is way to busy discussing Jessa and her new man slave Ryan, you wont be scarred for life just forget it even happened!"

We discuss the severity of the situation all the way to are room and I hope she's right and its already forgotten. It worries me how easily my confidence has been shaken. Our room is just how we left it deep purple curtains draped over the windows, matching bed spreads Lulu's wall is covered in edgy fashion photo's and mine is bare which means boring. I set my books down on my desk next to the empty fish tank.

"How's Tsunami?" Lu asks coming up beside me.

"Fine she's moved on to better things!"

"And by that you meannnnn?"

"A big tank in my dads study!"
"Lulu smiles and pulls a black rubber band off of her wrist and pulls her hair up into a ponytail exposing a layer of light blue hair.
"Does your mom know?" I ask and step closer looking at her bold hair choice.
"Of course not or about this she say's tapping her nose.  I relate to her mother being absent enough to miss something smack in the middle of he face.
I don't have a chance to respond before there is a knock on the door and someones pushing in.
It's a girl with waves of blond hair and green eyes her blazer is tighter then the norm. She's like a blond Jessa minus the snarl,instead she's grinning and introducing herself.
"Don't look so mortified I'm your new roommate Kayla!" Me and Lulu are obviously feeling mutual confusion but Lu pulls it together.
"Sorry we just weren't expecting you I'm Lulu and this is Bren!"
Four groundsman appear carrying Kayla's bed and luggage.
I'm half listening to Kayla explain that she's new but my focus is behind her at my desk I glance at Lulu's bed where the rest of my books are and try not to faint at the realization that my diary is not among them.

"What's wrong Bren?" Lulu asks her BFF senses kicking in. I'm already running out the door Lu doesn't follow she's used to my spontaneous weirdness. I'm hoping my diary is on the steps waiting for me and only me to find. I don't see it and now I'm leaning over the railing hoping it went over the edge. Still no sign of it. If it did fall down there a freshmen or a teacher would have grabbed it.

"Are you looking for this?" I turn to see the guy who slipped on my note book and he's waving my silver diary towards me. Without thought I walk up the steps and snatch it from his hand.

"Why would you take it?" I accuse and his blue eyes get big and he pushes sandy blond hair off of his forehead before answering me.

"I didn't my roommate did, he had his friends in my room and was bragging about it I took it from him, was on my way to the front office!" My face feels hot and I hug the diary to my chest.

"Did they read it?"

"Just the first few pages if that helps!"

"It doesn't but thank you I don't know what I'd do had they...."

"Got to the juicy details!" He finishes for me and I nod though I wouldn't consider my diary juicy personal yes but juicy not so much.

"You are supposed to be in your rooms" We both look down the steps at a heavy set teacher with hot pink rimmed glasses.

"Sorry, I'm new here she was just showing me to the front office!" I keep quiet and take note of his talent for lying.

"Well get to it the announcement for the back to school assembly will be any minute!" she huffs and walks away. I really look at him then and realize Lu was wrong he wasn't kind of cute he was really cute.

"So a gentlemen and a good liar strange mix!"

"I am new here and we are going to the front office!"

"Why would I be going to the front office?"

"To report the guy who stole your diary!!!"

"Oh I don't think so, I've caused enough attention to myself, I'm going back to my room.!"

"Alright if that's what you want, and I'm Jax by the way!"

"Yea thanks again Jax, see ya!"

"Don't I get yours?"

"What?" I ask in a rude tone, completly forgetting about flirting.  I roll my eyes at myself im failing already.

"Your name, I mean I only rescued your diary from the pits of hell!"

"Pits of hell?" I say perplexed.

"Yea some guys from the football team...." This new sends my stomach summersaulting.

"I have to go I blurt and get back to my room just as the men are leaving. My nose has taken on that awful burning sensation and a sob escapes. Right away both of my roommates are at my side.

"Are you okay?" Kayla asks

"Where was your diary?" Lulu say's confused.
I explain everything through tears and Lulu pats my back while Kayla pulls tissue out of her Ed