Some people just don't get it.

By 'some people' I mean people in different situations. Let me explain.

It was Friday morning, and I was re-curling my blonde hair. I walk out of the dorm vanity (all the rooms have the little room so the bathrooms won't get crowded) and there I see Mark, Shawn, and Killjoy. Even I can't help calling him Killjoy. It's catchier than Keith. Anyway, my hair is full of curlers, and I'm in my pajama's still, a purple tank top and mini shorts. They all turn around and look at me, and I see Mark and Shawn blush like mad, and Killjoy seems to be in between blushing and smiling.

I start to back away, and I go into the closet through the door in the vanity. I slump down, feeling utterly embarrassed. This is just going to make things awkward between us. But it turns out everything was fine, and nobody was that inflicted. Anyway, let's move on later that day...

I was walking towards history by myself when I heard someone calling my name. I figured it was Strawn trying to convince me to join her 'posse' of pops. Then I heard running, and stopped and turned around, because I know from a fact of being in her gym class, Strawn doesn't run. Killjoy was running up to me, probably to make fun of my oh-so-beautiful curlers.

"Hey, Lan... sorry we came in this morning, we just... uh... had to... um... get some notes for the music history.... project thing from Jayla..." Killjoy said. For some reason he is always like this around me.

I could see he was stumbling over his words, and I decided to just give him some support.
"Look, I get it. Jayla explained it to me. And there was no damage."

"Oh, wait, what? Jayla explained what to you?" asked Killjoy, looking panicked for some reason.

"That you needed the music history notes. Nothing big. Except you did have an odd look on your face..." I said teasingly, but the fact of my teasing didn't seem to get through his head. "Look, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You saw me in my pajamas."

"Yeah, I guess. You hair looks cool, though," he said as we walked in the history room. Everyone was already there except Shawn and Alice. They must be having their parent phone-conference on how they're going home. They're cousins, so why not do it together?

"Oh, Holland. Come 'ere," said Coach Smith as we walked in. When I got to her desk, she said: "You go to the office when Cook and Kingsley get back, got it?" I nod and head to my desk.

"Hey, Lan. Do you really curl your hair every morning?" Mark teased, smiling his brilliant white smile.

"Do you really want to find out? Because I can give you some tips," I retort, knowing it was a very lame comeback. I try to fix it by saying, "And you looked pretty happy to see me, by the look of beet red blush on your face. You must tell me where I can get the color," but it doesn't help.

"Wow... try harder or you'll become Strawn," Avery giggled, probably thinking absurd something in her rainbows and lollipops mind.

"Oh, come on, give me some slack! I have to, my mom makes me, and, it gives me an excuse to leave my hair down in gym," I say back, and everyone cracks up as I finish.

"Hey Lanie," I hear a voice behind me and see a flicker of pink in the corner of my eye. By the suddenly greater humored look on my friend's faces, it must be Strawn behind me.

"Strawn, I'm not going to sit with you at lunch, I'm not going to discuss what shade of lip stick looks best. I may be in to everything you are but I--" I cut myself off as I see the shade of Strawn's hair. It's a disgusting deep, deep pink. "Okay, I must tell you one thing. You are not perfectly pink."

I see the hurt that only she could feel about this in her eyes and she spins off with a sharp intake of breath. It's amazing that she's from South Carolina instead of Beverly Hills.

I turn around and see everyone smiling without teeth, obviously trying to conceal huge amounts of laughter. "WHAT?!? It's true," I say in my defense, then everyone bursts out in laughter, and Killjoy is just smiling, looking at me in an odd way.

Shawn and Alice walk in, and I go to the office, just going to have a chat with my parents since I really don't need to know when we're leaving since both of them are the head people in the office. I mean, my mom's the headmistress, and my dad is the headmaster. I think that's what it's called. Anyway, he's the head for the guys.

I walk in, and my mom immediately says, "Honey, don't pack, we're staying here! We didn't think we needed to stay since the whole staff has to stay here for work against their will for the holidays, but you are staying in your dorm and your friend Jayla will be here, along with Jackson and Marcia!" At that I turn heel and go out.


What? How can the board be keeping us here? Then I think about the last sentence. Jayla and Marcia, and Jackson; okay, Marcia's nice, but Jackson? Really? Jackson Henry has had a crush on me forever. His mom and my mom are best friends, so I see him a lot, but really, I am not spending my holidays with him. He's an annoying creep and he won't leave me alone. I wish one of the guys are staying. And my wish comes true.

When Killjoy comes back from his parent meeting (his parents are in the transfer office) it turns out he's staying too.

"Oh, thank you! I might have had to spend the holiday break with Jackson!" I cry in relief as Killjoy and I walk to lunch.

"That creep's coming? Oh, give me a break, he doesn't have a chance with you! He even asked you to the dance!" Killjoy said in mock disappointment.

"Yes, but now I have you and Jay to hang out with, and we get to spend Christmas together! Yay!"

So, it turns out that there's a plus side on most of these. My hair turned out fine after some embarrassment, and I have to stay at MagTine over the break, but I do get to stay with my friends!
So... yeah...
Bye!
-Lanie

It was AWESOME.

It was insanely awesome!

The dance, to say in particular... it was post-exams by the way.

We had 2 hours after the test to get the gym prepped for the dance. I had to go in the stuffy outfit Avery made me wear, including a purple tutu, a polka dotted tank-top, with a bow on it, and a sweater.  The only thing that was normal old Jayla was the black converse.

And apparently Avery had gotten to the others, too. Lanie no purple on, except her brett. Mote had on just  jeans and a purple t-shirt, and for some reason Shawn and Killjoy had the same outfit.... jeans and a white t-shirt, with a purple vest. Where she got all this, I don't know.

But the dance was so fun! Here's some snippets:

As I strung the multi-colored lights through the basket ball hoops, I hear the Cupid Shuffle blast out of the speakers. "To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right, to the left, to leeeft, to the left, to the left!"

As I turn around, I see Shawn and Mote standing over the music system, then hop back, overcome by the sound. I stifle a laugh, and it comes out as a giggle. I run over and jump onto the stage, and click the sound button to turn it down.

"Uhh! Thanks, Jay," says Shawn, coming back over.

"No problem. Why are you so shaken? It's just the Cupid Shuffle..." I say teasingly.

Later, when the dance was in full swing, Avery shows up with Lanie, and goes and dances with Shawn in the Cupid Shuffle. She's actually quite talented at it, and I go over to the snacks to get a soda, and turn to find myself bumping into Mote, talking to Strawn. Oh, what is she doing now? He doesn't like pops, and she knows it!


I listen to their conversation, seeing what was going on. Mote was turning Strawn down, which she took very dramatically. "Look, Strawn, you know I don't like you, right?" says Mote, looking at Strawn with such fake sympathy, anyone can see it, but Strawn doesn't.

"What do you mean? I'm too likable to not like!" she says, tears welling up in her eyes.

I take this as a chance to just put Mote out of his confusion. "Hey, Strawn, what's wrong?" I say with just as much fake sympathy.

"Mote says he doesn't like me! I mean, everyone likes me, right?!" answers Strawn.

"Oh, he's just joking around," I say. "Mote, let's go dance with Avery and Shawn."

"Okay, later Strawn..." Mote replies, still looking confused for Strawn.

"What is up with that girl? How could she think everyone likes her?" questions Mote as we get on the dance floor, walking up to Avery and Shawn.

"Who, Strawn? Oh, she is way to self-centered to believe there is any hate headed her way," says Avery.

Amazingly, Lanie danced with almost every guy who was there. She could be a pop (Popular person), but she doesn't like the thought of hanging out with Strawn. Anyway, she danced with every guy. Even Hoss (who's real name is Hayden), Strawn's "boyfriend". This infuriated Strawn, who almost pulled out the blue streak in her hair. I thought this was quite funny. ; )

Everyone was having an awesome time. They played the Cupid Shuffle many times, on request. They also played the electric slide and the Hustle many times. They had a photo booth, and many beautiful decorations.

We actually sung songs, the music class. Due to half of us being way too nervous to play our own songs, we just sung our favorite songs. Shawn sang Viva la Vida by Coldplay, I sang Ours by Taylor Swift, Mote sang It's the End of the World as we know it by R. E. M., and Killjoy sang Raindrops by Basement Jaxx. We all had an awesome time, and we even heard that Alice is still coming back around Christmas.

Peace, Jayla