short fiction story
Pushing the door open, Amanda slinked into the girls' bathroom. It had been a hard day; a hard week; an even worse year. She stood there, slouched in front of the dusty mirror, and stared at the face looking back at her. But, it wasn't Amanda's face that returned the gaze. Amanda was beautiful, with long curly blonde hair, and dashing crystal blue eyes that anyone would be jealous of. She was part of the 'in-crowd', part of the people who went to parties, got drunk and had sex before it was legal. Amanda was popular. Amanda was perfect. But the face in the mirror was not. It had dirty, messy hair and hollow eyes, baring a soul that was not entirely awakened. Amanda looked like shit.
She picked up her blood red lipstick out of her black 'Louis Vuitton' cosmetics bag and applied it an attempt to revive her exhausted face. This is where her balck mascara came in handy too, as Amanda put lashings of it on her eyes to hide the bags they carried. It made them stand out more. But, Amanda was happier. She pulled back her hair with a diamante clip and pulled down her top to show a little more cleavage. The old Amanda was back, and laughing.
The eight-thirty bell rang, signalling the beginning of classes for the day. Amanda slung her school bag over her shoulder and strutted out the bathroom door. Kelly and Jewel were entering just as she was leaving. They hugged, telling each other how wonderful they looked, and is that a new lipstick, Amanda? Oh, it is stunning. Really brings out the colour in your eyes, and you have such lovely eyes too, darling. All this high class talk made Amanda feel much better about herself. It's amazing what a little snobbery can do for one's ego! The girls parted, with Amanda heading off to class, late as usual, but then, one does have to have social gatherings with close friends whenever possible, so as not be forgotten.
Just before she reached her class -room 3, home economics- Amanda realised she had left her cosmetics case in the bathroom. She turned, with a grin on her face. If Kelly and Jewel were still there then they could skip class together. After all, why need bother learning how to cook? She ran back to the bathroom, eager to meet her friends again.
Pushing the door open, Amanda heard the voices of Kelly and Jewel. She was going to call out, to let them know she was there, but was too stunned to even speak. Kelly and Jewel were giggling to themselves, or 'bitching' as others would call it.
"God, Amanda does not look good, does she Jewel?"
"No" laughed Jewel. "She looks truly hideous! Why she even bothers at all with that mascara is beyond me. Her bags make her look like she has black eyes anyway."
"Well, rumour is, she was beaten up be her boyfriend when she was caught in bed with Justin."
"You know, I heard she was pregnant," whispered Jewel.
"Yes, I heard that too. Do you think it's true?"
"Course it is" hissed Jewel. "She's such a slut. Slept with everybody in our year, just about."
"Eww... even"...
"Yes, even Kyle," Jewel remarked contently. "But, Daddy will bail her out. Daddy's a lawyer. Daddy's rich. Look at her 'Louis Vuitton' bag there. What a snob!"
"I bet it's not even real. A cheap imitation."
"Oh, but Daddy can afford it."
Amanda ran out of the bathroom with tears welling in her eyes. She kept running. Out of the bathroom, out of the building, out of the school. She never did go to home economics that morning. She never went to home economics ever again, nor any other class. Amanda was found three hours later on a park bench in a pool of blood, the same colour as her gorgeous lipstick, after cutting her stomach with a broken vodka bottle. For it was true, Amanda was pregnant. But not to her boyfriend, or Justin, or Kyle. Amanda was raped two moths before by her own brother. When her Father found out, Amanda was beaten. Whipped across the back with a belt, and punched in the face. Amanda's Father always had been a violent man. Perhaps that was why her Mother left him. But that is not for our speculation. He was a lawyer, not a rich, or even a good lawyer at that, but still gained custody, as it was a respected profession.
All her life Amanda had wanted to be accepted. She was scared of leaving her little 'niche' at school, for fear. Fear of what they could do. Fear of being rejected by everyone. Fear is a driving emotion. Amanda could not face the world alone any longer.
At her funeral, the 'family' and 'friends' of Amanda appeared devastated. The tears were real, but for most, were of shock or guilt. If only I had treated her better... Her headstone reads "Loved by everyone. God Bless." But, only a few people visit her grave continuously, most not at all. Amanda's Mother and sister visited each week, with a blood red rose, but those would outings become less regular as time went on. Then they would only visit twice a year, on Amanda's birthday, and the anniversary of her death. Kyle will prove to be the only person who visits regularly. He and Amanda shared a special bond. They knew what it was like to be on the outside. It was an unspoken language that they shared, but both were too afraid to really communicate.
She picked up her blood red lipstick out of her black 'Louis Vuitton' cosmetics bag and applied it an attempt to revive her exhausted face. This is where her balck mascara came in handy too, as Amanda put lashings of it on her eyes to hide the bags they carried. It made them stand out more. But, Amanda was happier. She pulled back her hair with a diamante clip and pulled down her top to show a little more cleavage. The old Amanda was back, and laughing.
The eight-thirty bell rang, signalling the beginning of classes for the day. Amanda slung her school bag over her shoulder and strutted out the bathroom door. Kelly and Jewel were entering just as she was leaving. They hugged, telling each other how wonderful they looked, and is that a new lipstick, Amanda? Oh, it is stunning. Really brings out the colour in your eyes, and you have such lovely eyes too, darling. All this high class talk made Amanda feel much better about herself. It's amazing what a little snobbery can do for one's ego! The girls parted, with Amanda heading off to class, late as usual, but then, one does have to have social gatherings with close friends whenever possible, so as not be forgotten.
Just before she reached her class -room 3, home economics- Amanda realised she had left her cosmetics case in the bathroom. She turned, with a grin on her face. If Kelly and Jewel were still there then they could skip class together. After all, why need bother learning how to cook? She ran back to the bathroom, eager to meet her friends again.
Pushing the door open, Amanda heard the voices of Kelly and Jewel. She was going to call out, to let them know she was there, but was too stunned to even speak. Kelly and Jewel were giggling to themselves, or 'bitching' as others would call it.
"God, Amanda does not look good, does she Jewel?"
"No" laughed Jewel. "She looks truly hideous! Why she even bothers at all with that mascara is beyond me. Her bags make her look like she has black eyes anyway."
"Well, rumour is, she was beaten up be her boyfriend when she was caught in bed with Justin."
"You know, I heard she was pregnant," whispered Jewel.
"Yes, I heard that too. Do you think it's true?"
"Course it is" hissed Jewel. "She's such a slut. Slept with everybody in our year, just about."
"Eww... even"...
"Yes, even Kyle," Jewel remarked contently. "But, Daddy will bail her out. Daddy's a lawyer. Daddy's rich. Look at her 'Louis Vuitton' bag there. What a snob!"
"I bet it's not even real. A cheap imitation."
"Oh, but Daddy can afford it."
Amanda ran out of the bathroom with tears welling in her eyes. She kept running. Out of the bathroom, out of the building, out of the school. She never did go to home economics that morning. She never went to home economics ever again, nor any other class. Amanda was found three hours later on a park bench in a pool of blood, the same colour as her gorgeous lipstick, after cutting her stomach with a broken vodka bottle. For it was true, Amanda was pregnant. But not to her boyfriend, or Justin, or Kyle. Amanda was raped two moths before by her own brother. When her Father found out, Amanda was beaten. Whipped across the back with a belt, and punched in the face. Amanda's Father always had been a violent man. Perhaps that was why her Mother left him. But that is not for our speculation. He was a lawyer, not a rich, or even a good lawyer at that, but still gained custody, as it was a respected profession.
All her life Amanda had wanted to be accepted. She was scared of leaving her little 'niche' at school, for fear. Fear of what they could do. Fear of being rejected by everyone. Fear is a driving emotion. Amanda could not face the world alone any longer.
At her funeral, the 'family' and 'friends' of Amanda appeared devastated. The tears were real, but for most, were of shock or guilt. If only I had treated her better... Her headstone reads "Loved by everyone. God Bless." But, only a few people visit her grave continuously, most not at all. Amanda's Mother and sister visited each week, with a blood red rose, but those would outings become less regular as time went on. Then they would only visit twice a year, on Amanda's birthday, and the anniversary of her death. Kyle will prove to be the only person who visits regularly. He and Amanda shared a special bond. They knew what it was like to be on the outside. It was an unspoken language that they shared, but both were too afraid to really communicate.