POPULAR by Summer Day (chapter six: makeover)

Chapter Six 

Makeover

Before school finished that day, I checked in on my art teacher, Ms Dash. I’ve been trying to get her and the physics teacher, Mr Henry, together for ages.

     Ms Dash is at least thirty and spends all her days hanging out with her great-aunt (highly admirable) but let’s face it, my teacher is not getting any younger and her life is going nowhere fast. Teaching reprehensible eighth graders might not be the best game plan for meeting a man or making a match.

     When I rounded the corner of the hall, Ms Dash was speaking to Miss Drusilla. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure Miss Drusilla isn’t same-sex attracted. I mean, I have seen her hunched over and speaking intimately with the female coach of the girls’ softball team, but I would never openly speculate about a teacher’s private life. That would be impolite. 

    Anyway, Miss Drusilla has always been mildly hostile to my suggestions of help but last semester, I offered Ms Dash  sustained advice in terms of clothing, deportment and what to say on first dates. She didn’t seem very thankful. In fact, I’d have to say the whole experience (for me) was quite an ordeal.

     I was happy to see her and Mr Henry sitting together at a café recently, but I can’t say he’s been down on one knee over summer. There is no sparkler in evidence – fact. 

     By early afternoon, I’d barely seen Ethan, until I nearly collided with his most recent acquisition.

     Gigi was carrying her pompoms, which reminds me that Veronica and I intend to become cheerleaders this semester. We’ve been waiting for the right moment since elementary school and now it has finally arrived. I don’t mean to sound shallow, but cheering is a great social experience and our school’s team is almost exactly like the one in that classic film, Bring It On.    

    I’d arranged to meet Veronica and Hilary at the gate after tryouts when who should rock up but Ethan with his arm around his new flame, Gigi. She hovered near the gate, talking to a friend.

    “Is it safe for us to admit we know each other yet, Honey?” He asked.

    I nodded cautiously, “I don’t know. I don’t know if you have sufficient rep for me to make out your form.”

    “Mmm.” He looked slightly curious as I paused then he dangled his keys and clicked open the door for me.

    “Are you serious, Ethan? I’m not travelling in the back seat while you drive your new floosy around like she’s the queen of the world or something.”

    At that moment Gigi blew Ethan a little kiss as she waved goodbye.

    “Or something? Gigi isn’t coming. She has her study group.”

   “You mean she can read?”

   “Honey, she’s an honors student. She’s applying to every major pre-law program at college. I’m just lucky she agreed to even go on a date with me. Saturday night.”

   “Are you serious? What about Ariel?”

   “Ariel and I are just friends. Don’t look so sad, Honey. You are always telling me I have to be more social. I think I’m going to like it at this school. Okay, c’mon let’s go.”

    Veronica walked towards me in the distance.

    “Uh, it’s okay, I’ve got a lift.”

    “Your new friend?”

    “Sure. Hilary and I had study hall together.”

    “Hilary? The new girl? The one I noticed you monopolizing in the lunch room?”

    “Excuse me! I saved her from further public humiliation.”

    “And I’m sure she’s very grateful but…”

    At this moment Hilary, Veronica and Tyler arrived. Hilary blushed and smiled at Ethan who smiled back and both Tyler and Veronica said, “hi.”

    “I see you are very busy now, Ethan. We have to go,” I said quickly.

     As we drove off, I turned the music up loud. Hilary asked, “Who’s the hot guy?” and Veronica laughed.

    Tyler explained, “It’s Honey’s brother and cousin-in-law Ethan.”

    “In other words, we are related by marriage – not blood relations. Ethan’s older  brother is married to my sister. Really, we’re just neighbors.”

  “Oh,” she said, with a confused look on her face.

   “I can’t believe he’s decided to complete senior year at our school,” Veronica said excitedly. He’s – “

    “He’s what?”

    “He’s so good looking…”  Hilary said, sounding more than just a little awestruck.

    “Ethan is already way popular with the ladies,” Veronica added.

    As if I didn’t already know that, I thought. I mean, I taught him everything he knows. There had been lessons in man-etiquette, man-deportment, clothes combinations, how to ask a girl out. Honestly, I’d spent at least half a week coaching him, while he just lazed around by my Dad’s pool laughing at me, drinking soda and reading his stupid comics.

     I tried to drum into him the importance of first date etiquette, pre-date tooth brushing, flossing, ironed clothing etc. while he bored himself stupid gaming in front of our new flat screen and pretty much pretended to ignore every word I said.  Of course, he’d been soaking it all in. He’d never have been such a hit with the ladies if he hadn’t listened to my advice.

     “We’re here,” Veronica announced as we drove into my lush drive way.

      “I can’t wait to fix this,” Tyler added, framing his hands around Hilary’s ponytail.      “… Then we can work on our geography project.”

     Hilary looked skeptical.

     “C’mon,” I assured her, “This is going to be fun.”

 

 

PPOPULAR (chapter seven: eco-systems)

Chapter Seven

Eco-systems

     We were extremely happy with Hilary’s makeover. Even Hilary was happy with it and she was skeptical at first.

     I wrote, “a huge transformation…” in my journal and described the wispy highlights Ty added and the new clothes (my cast offs but they were totally designer) we found our new friend.

     That evening, I realized we’d forgotten to prepare our first group project of the year. It was supposed to be a group presentation titled: Why We Need to Save the Environment Now. Our geography teacher, Ms Marks, was all on about global warming, so that’s what we wrote about. We messaged each other ideas on sub-topics from our different locations. By ten pm we had it underway. It had been a long and fruitful day.

     While Tyler, Veronica and Hilary were putting together a mosaic of images of the way planet earth has changed this millennia (like, whole parts of Antarctica have eroded!), I imagined what Ms Marks could do to fix her dull image. Her hair was a mess and her cardigan actually had lunch stains near the buttons. She never smiled. I could have told her sometimes you need to fix the outside to fix the inside.

    Earlier that day, during our class discussion, peeps started to challenge her theories on global warming and Ms Marks suggested they do their research more thoroughly. I thought about school being part of the eco-system and part of the world. Every time we used plastic in the lunch room and threw it away helped to create the potential for more damage. Tiny things created a ripple down effect.

    I put my hand up, “Ms Marks, do you really think we should discuss politics in school?”

    “Well, Honey, as long as we have a balanced discussion…it’s important to try to understand the world we live in.”

    “I agree, it might help if we stopped using plastic – as much as possible – at Sunrise.”

    “That’s true…”

     When I kept asking questions and making suggestions, in the nicest possible way, she was all exasperated. Honestly, I don’t know what she expected. For the first time I was actually interested in her lesson. My teacher seemed to find my enthusiasm irritating.

    “Honey Woodhouse, how would you like to take the class?”

    I was dumbstruck – of course I didn’t want to do that. I mean, I told Ms Marks that  teaching was not my job.

   “Exactly”, Ms Marks agreed. I’m not sure my geography teacher and I got off to the best start. I think she was making fun of my ignorance about the topic and that’s not her job, either.

    And then she was all, “okay everyone, so sit down in your seat, put your thinking cap on, do some research and tomorrow tell us about global warming and why it’s an important topic. Oh, and I’d like your informed opinion, Honey.”

   “Sure, whatever,” I replied reluctantly under my breath.  

   I was so glad Hilary smiled at me, then. She must have known how I felt being made to look small and not very smart in the eyes of my peers.

   That night, I googled ‘global warming’ and read all about it. It’s way wrong and slowly destroying planet earth. I hate the fact that when we throw plastic bags and other things away they end up in the eco-system and sometimes marine life (like, hundred year old turtles) eat them and the plastic blows up in their poor stomachs leaving them in excruciating agony and our human carelessness actually kills these amazing creatures. This was my epiphany.

    I continued working on our project until it was midnight, researching and writing up every aspect of our argument. Always have an opinion, that’s what my daddy taught me. I wasn’t all just make-up and hair style advice.

 

      In geography class, the next day, our group walked out front, stood tall and proud and with a loud voice I began:

     “Global warming is here, it’s happening and it’s one of the most important topics our generation and future generations are going to face. How we treat our planet and precious species today is going to shape our world tomorrow…” some peeps (particularly Flynn Elton), clapped.

    “First of all, a little bit of history… You need to know how much plane earth is deteriorating…” I showed them before and after photos of Antarctica.

     I wasn’t all doom and gloom of course. Hilary, Ty and Jessica finished our talk with a host of things people could do to become environmentally conscious, if they weren’t doing them already. Like, always take your own containers to school and use cloth bags instead of plastic. 

     A few boys groaned when I finished speaking, but most of the class sat still and listened and by the end, our group got clapped by the entire class. I was way proud to have turned my ignorance into knowledge.

    We sat down after our group talk. It’s always good to do your research but then leave your audience wanting more. I could see my geography teacher’s expression change. It’s also good to surpass people’s biased opinions of you. I was proud my group aced the research for this topic. I would totally call myself environmentally friendly now.

     After school, I told Ethan about my class and he just groaned, “I explained all of this stuff to you years ago, but you never listened.”

    “Well, this time, I did my own research.”

    Little did he know, I had a list of many more excellent facts about our school environment  to report on. I finished off Ms Marks’ profile that night but put it on hold. Some people need to want to be helped and I had a feeling Ms Marks knew her own mind and made her own choices. She could wait and maybe by the time she was ready to change she wouldn’t need my help. Then, there was a whole list of other people; so many forms to fill out, questions to be answered.

    I fell asleep with pages of my paper spread across my pillows.