Running late, I know, crazy morning. Shall we jump in? Fabulous. Let’s go.
I think this is one where I would need to pull it apart and study the elements. It feels like i condensed too much story into fifteen minutes. I would show the MC’s world pre Miranda and then have Miranda arrive, the world change and then Becky arrive. I like it, but it certainly isn’t the start of a story.
Thursday, June 30th: Her strategy was transparent.
Her strategy was transparent. “You know she is trying to split us up,” I said. I kept my voice low so it wouldn’t carry but was still shushed but those around me.
“She is doing no such thing, my friend Tanya said. Tanya always liked to see the best in people so I wasn’t surprised by her reaction.
“You are just jealous,” Nicole said.
I frowned and opened my mouth to reply but I saw knowing looks pass between my friends and I closed my mouth. Was I jealous? I didn’t think so. Sure Miranda’s family had more money than mine and so she could afford all of the designer clothes I lusted after when flipped through the fashion magazines. But not being able to afford them meant that my sewing skills increased and while my clothes were knock offs, I progressed to using the designer duds as inspiration rather than something to be copied and was increasingly pleased with the pieces I was able to add to my wardrobe. And as several of them had sold well in my on-line store I was able to purchase other things I wanted.
Did I wish things were easier at home? Yeah maybe but while we weren’t rolling in wealth my family was comfortable and not struggling. Despite the wealth Miranda’s family always seemed to be fighting.
Maybe it was her looks? Miranda was pretty. Arguably the prettiest girl in our class, and yeah she had dated my ex when she first arrived, but he had been my ex for a good six months before she even moved into town. And then she was bored with him a month later and moved on to someone else.
I didn’t think I was jealous, but I was wary. Miranda seemed to fixate on a goal and obsess over it until she reached it. Then once she ‘won’ she dismissed it and set another goal, pretending as though her first obsession never existed. Lately I heard her commenting about wanting a close knit group of girlfriends. It was one of the things she didn’t have. And I saw her eyeing my friends. I knew I wasn’t worthy, and that she would enjoy the thought of taking my friends from me.
While I didn’t think I was jealous, there was no love lost between us. It wasn’t anything that either of us actually did, it was just the chemistry between us. You know how some people fall in love at first sight and can’t explain the sudden attraction they feel for the other person? It was like that in reverse. From the moment we saw each other we knew that we would be on opposite sides of any argument.
To keep the peace, I did my best to ignore her, letting my personal activities spin me out of her orbit. The problem was that my activities were taking me out of my friends orbit as well since any time I wasn’t there Miranda was. Had I been gone too much? Was Miranda taking my place? I glanced at my friends. Nicole was chatting to Miranda and Tanya was stepping up to join the conversation. I was left standing on my own, unsure where to go.
“hey,” someone said. I turned to find the new girl standing there. She moved to town just a week prior and still looked as though she was slightly off balance.
“Becky, right?” I said. I was pleased to have someone to talk to without joining Miranda’s orbit.
Ten til Midnight 