Survival Of The Fittest

((Continued from: How Many Ways Can You Define The Word "Cow"?))

Dear Diary:

Class was so overrated.  Tanesha had wandered from the corridors of the school building and had found a shady spot underneath a tree in the quad in which to write.  Smiling to herself, the African-American girl enjoyed the warmth of one of the final days of summer as she continued to scroll sloppy handwriting across the face of the journal page.  Everyone needs someone to turn to during their bad days, someone to talk to when no one else would listen, and that little journal, that was Tanesha's best friend.

He came into our class again today, I think he's still swooning over that Elizabeth girl.  When he comes in he just sits there and stares at her until class ends.  It's sort of funny to watch Bexley squirm, but it really frustrates me.  Why did he have to fall for her?  What's so special about her anyway?  She's not even all that pretty.  She's loud-mouthed, obnoxious, and she always has something to say.

Ugh.  Just the thought of it frustrated Tanesha.  Absent-mindedly, she fiddled with the now-empty Hershey bar wrapper with her free hand, trying to come up with more words to vent her frustrations on the current day.  It had all been a colossal joke, and Tanesha was feeling rather depressed after being completely blown off by him again.  It was like he didn't even know she existed.  Then again, he probably didn't.

I really hate Elizabeth Waters sometimes.  Always doing something to draw attention to herself, always wanting to be the center of everything.  Why does she have to ruin my life while she's at it?  She's not even interested in him, I know it.  I know she isn't!  So why can't she just screw off and leave him alone?!  Stupid bitch.  And then there's that Mariavel girl.  I hate her even more every time I look at her.  She's such an attention whore, and he seems to be paying attention to her too.  I mean, he was going to fight for her.  I've never even seen them talk!

Getting frustrated just thinking about it, Tanesha's hand movements became more rapid and her writing more sloppy and unlegible as she continued to scrawl out her innermost and most private thoughts and secrets in the little journal.

He just looks right through me.  Like I don't even exist.  I love him, I just know I do.  I know I've said that before about other guys, but this time it's for real.  This time.  He's special, he makes me feel good about myself... even if he hasn't ever talked to me.  That's not even the point.  It just makes me so mad that all these girls are the object of everyone's attention.  All guys say they want a girl with personality over looks, but they never take the time to get to know the girl with the nice personality!  That girl is ME, she's ME!  Men are such ass-

SNAP!

With that, the lead of the sharpened away pencil that Tanesha had been writing with snapped, leaving her unable to complete her journal entry.  In frustration she threw the broken pencil to the ground, stood up, slammed the cover of the journal, and held it up to her chest once again.  Indeed, this had been a ridiculously, horribly, terribly bad day.  She couldn't even vent her frustrations in her journal anymore.  Tears began forming in Tanesha's eyes as she flopped back down on the bench, it creaking slightly under the pressure.  Overdramatic, much?

My life sucks.  Some people just have all the luck.

Unbeknownst to Tanesha, as she sat writing whilst in her silent, fuming episode of tears and rage, a figure had rather discreetly and carefully assumed a position just behind where she had set on the bench.  Carmen Somerset, ordinarily an eye-catcher of many, though she had not yet caught the eye of Tanesha as she had been strolling past, watched with a mildly interested look in her vivid evergreen eyes as Tanesha translated her inner rages into a rather sloppy handwriting on the page of what seemed to be her diary.  

Flicking a vibrant, red lock away from her large and prominent forehead, Carmen smiled slightly.  It was that innocent, demure smile that she put on most of the time, catching the eye of many a boy at a time, though this time, the expression on her well-endowed face held a glint of contempt, or condescension.  Silently, she watched the noticeably large form of Tanesha as she continued to right, having to suppress a smirk of amusement as the pencil snapped in her hand in unison with her thoughts.  

Of course, what was being written in the diary wasn’t what Carmen had taken an interest to.  Rather, she was taking in a rather twisted form of amusement as she compared Tanesha’s body form to her own.  ‘Curvy’ would be a complete euphemism all on its own when describing the massive Tanesha, looking at the way the bulk of her form took up a good part of the bench she was sitting on, not to mention that the pressure of her large weight was causing it quite a bit of strain.  If Carmen had to compare her looks with Tanesha’s, she could easily say that the larger girl no doubt got cheated in the body-type department.  But, such was the way of the world, and there were some people who had all the luck.

And Carmen Somerset sure as hell considered her lucky that she wasn’t such a pig like Tanesha.  Not that she would ever say this out loud in front of her.  But still, it was nice to know that she had it better than others.  A lot better, than many others in fact.  She herself was quite a beauty of model-quality and she knew it, and though she maintained her good looks with endless care, she was quite fortunate to have been blessed with good genetics.  As blessed as Tanesha was cursed.  Be that the case, Carmen wasn’t surprised to see Tanesha immersed in her own inner angst.  The girl likely had no luck with boys…save for that other time with that Martin Angell person, Carmen had heard of it before.  After all, she had been the one personally responsible for circulating the rumour to some of the student body, not that Angell needed the least bit help informing the entire school.  

Pressing a dainty, manicured finger to her painted lips, she tilted her well-endowed face to one side in mild, yet somehow sly curiosity as she watched Tanesha conclude her period of inner drama in tears, holding the shut journal to her chest.  Carmen Somerset’s lips pouted slightly in silent contemplation as she readjusted her grip on the tripod bundled underneath her arm.  Perhaps it was time to add fuel to the frustration by announcing her presence.  

“Why hello, Tanesha,” she said sweetly, her voice giving little to no hint that she had been standing there the whole time, watching her.  Her hand slid playfully along the wooden contours at the back of the bench.  “Fancy seeing you out here, it’s not every day that we bump into each other like this.”  Her sly expression immediately melted, so that when Tanesha turned to face her, all that she would see was that outward expression of  innocent friendliness that showed no hint of any ulterior motive or hidden contempt..

The rustling of footsteps behind her was what first informed Tanesha of the fact that another prescence had occupied the lonely and deserted quad along with her.  She had been far too emersed in her own personal drama only moments prior to have noticed the goddess-like figure of Carmen Somerset approaching her from behind.  As Carmen's voice resounded through the quad, however, Tanesha was startled from her reverie and came back down to earth.

Immediately wheeling around, she saw the curly fire-red locks of hair, the bright green eyes, and the overall stunningly beautiful figure of one of the school's most popular girls, and a model whose pictures had been on the cover of many a magazine, holding her tripod under her arm and staring at Tanesha with a look of what Tanesha almost misconstrued as concern.

As the girl spoke to her, Tanesha couldn't help but look on warily.  Carmen was a member of the "Sisterhood", or so they called themselves.  She was one of them... one of the popular girls, one of the people who thought they were the end-all, be-all of Bathurst High School.  To the heavy-set black girl, Carmen Somerset represented only one thing: trouble.

"Hi, Carmen."

The words came at a hushed tone as Tanesha continued to eye the girl suspiciously.  No sign of Ali Grayston or any of the other so-called popular girls anywhere around.  Tanesha let out an internal sigh of relief at that fact, but was still baffled by the fact that Carmen Somerset had approached her and began talking to her ... out of the goodness of her own heart?  Something just didn't add up.

Clinging even more tightly to her prized inner sanctuary in the form of her journal, Tanesha just couldn't help but feel some sort of suspiciousness as she watched Carmen.  Maybe it was because she was jealous of the clearly more beautiful girl, but Carmen genuinely frightened Tanesha, and she knew firsthand that the girl was not the innocent angel she portrayed herself to be.

"Yeah, funny seeing you here.  Shouldn't you... be in class?" the black girl responded quietly.

Tempted as though she was to back away from one of Bathurst's group of she-devils that stood before her, Tanesha found herself simply standing in place, clinging to her journal desperately as though Carmen would snatch it away from her and exploit all of her secrets to the world at any given moment.  Somehow, though, Tanesha genuinely thought that perhaps Carmen had no ulterior motives for talking to her.  Maybe, for once in her life, the girl was actually making an attempt to be nice to someone who didn't fit in with all the stereotypical popular kids of Bathurst High School.

Somehow, Tanesha doubted it.

Judging from the expression on her rather lovely, precise face alone, it was hard to tell whether Carmen Somerset was amused by Tanesha’s surprise at noticing her presence, the look of fear and apprehension that had appeared on her face, or the way she responded in caution towards someone who lived in a completely different world than she did.  Either way, the amused and somewhat sly and secretive smile was there, though it quickly seemed to melt back into friendliness once again.

“Funny, indeed,” she responded, laughing slightly.  “Why, I might be asking you the same thing.” She flashed the heavyset girl that innocuously charming grin she always wore.  Brushing a few fiery locks away from her face, Carmen leaned back from the bench to give the other girl a bit of space, though her lidded, green eyes seemed to glance sidelong towards the diary Tanesha held tightly, as though afraid Carmen herself might suddenly make a grab for it.

Though all it seemed to do was confirm the fact that whatever Tanesha had written in the diary was no doubt some precious secret of hers, something she no doubt wanted kept hidden from the rest of the world.  But of course, there could not be any way that Carmen Somerset, a gossip-mistress by her own right, would have that.  After all, she prided on exposing the very information that would get people talking, and social reputations collapsing.  

Keeping her hidden intentions under careful wraps, Carmen directed her line of sight towards her surroundings, adjusting her hold on the tripod.  “Myself, I’m just doing photography work for the school annual, though nothing seems to be going on much in the classrooms.  Much less outdoors on campus it seems.”

She looked back towards Tanesha.  “But you seem to have the right idea, stepping out to enjoy such fine weather.  This here…perfect place to have a little ‘alone time’, now that I think about it.  Perhaps we’re both romantics here?” Carmen winked casually at the larger girl, a smooth hand placed against her hip.  Her eyes arched at the revelation of a sudden idea.  Her full lips curving into a sly smile, she suddenly made her move.  Smoothly, she moved towards the front of the bench.

“May I?” she asked, immediately sitting alongside Tanesha before the other girl could even answer, let alone protest.  Giggling a bit, crossing her hands over her knees, she asked with a knowing, somehow furtive look on her prim, well-defined face.  “So, tell me.  Is there anyone you like? Or do I have to guess?”

Continuing to watch the redheaded girl with caution, Tanesha felt that sense of apprehension overwhelm her once again as Carmen flashed her "the" smile... that trademark smile that all the Sisterhood girls seemed to possess... that sugary-sweet, yet at the same time completely evil, sadistic, and untrustworthy smile.  Tanesha'd seen that smile many a time on the face of Ali Grayston moments before she'd done something positively horrible to someone.  Now, Tanesha couldn't help but note the uncanny resemblance that Carmen's smile held to that one.

A bit taken aback when Carmen actually responded to Tanesha's inquiry with a seemingly honest answer, the heavyset African-American girl did another once over of the presence she was currently in.  School photography, huh?  Carmen was infamous for her candids, it was a well-known fact.  She always seemed to find people in their most grueling and humiliating moments and capture them forever on film.

Casting the fact aside, Tanesha continued watching the fire-haired girl as she spoke, eventually assuming the seat next to Tanesha.  Subconsciously, the girl pulled her journal further away from Carmen's grasp.  A bit paranoid, sure, but Tanesha's innermost secrets and desires had been enscribed in the sloppy handwriting the small journal contained, and they weren't for anyone to read, especially someone like Carmen Somerset, one of the school's biggest known Queens of Gossip.

Eyebrows raising slightly as Carmen voiced her next inquiry, a sense of foreboding once again overtook Tanesha.  Was this girl serious?  Carmen Somerset, one of the school's biggest gossips, wanted to know who Tanesha liked?  This had to be a joke, right?  As if.  As if EVER!  Somewhat startled at the audacity of the redhead, sitting here talking as they were the best of friends, Tanesha stared on a bit dumbfoundedly at her new companion, unsure of how to answer the question.

"Of course there's someone," she mused lightly, speaking slowly as if contemplating her words with caution, "We all like someone, right Carmen?  I'm sure you've got a crush too, right?"

Looking on at the redhead, though, Tanesha couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe she was being a bit too judgemental of the girl sitting beside her.  Carmen had done nothing to warrant the kind of reaction Tanesha had been giving her, she'd never done anything to Tanesha herself... at least, not that Tanesha knew about.  Needless to say, she was oblivious to the fact that Carmen had helped to spread the rumors about Marvin Angell around campus.

Maybe Carmen wasn't as bad as Tanesha thought.  Sure, some of his friends continually tortured the hefty girl, calling her names and degrading her in public, but this girl didn't seem to be like the rest.  Tanesha just couldn't shake that bad vibe she was getting, though.  After all, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  If she was "cool" enough to be included in the Sisterhood, there had to be a reason why.

All of those girls were elitists who believed themselves holier than everyone else enrolled at Bathurst High.  If Carmen was so much different, why would she hang out with them.  The internal struggle continued to wage inside of Tanesha Lexx, the bad vibes she'd received from Carmen clashing with that lack of action the girl had ever taken against her.  So, which side was right?

After a moment, the girl relaxed visibly, though still clung to the journal for dear life.  Regardless of her feelings about Carmen, she wouldn't trust anyone with that journal, lest it fall into the wrong hands.  It contained her entire life.  Thoughts on her friends, her enemies, her failed relationship with Marvin, her crushes, her hopes and dreams, all those thoughts lay within that journal.  To Tanesha, it was a sacred document, unable to be viewed by anyone other than herself.

"W-who do you like?" Tanesha inquired after a moment.

No doubt, Carmen would say one of the football players or one of the popular guys.  That's how it always worked with those types, Tanesha imagined.  Then again, this girl was Carmen Somerset.  She was a model, she'd probably dated famous people before.  Would she really have a crush on somebody who went to Bathurst High School, of all the people out there that she could date if she so desired?

Tanesha looked on expectantly, now somewhat curious as to the potential answer Carmen would respond with.  Tilting her head to the side a bit, the curiosity obviously overtaking her, Tanesha smiled an awkward smile at the redheaded girl.  Maybe she was wrong about Carmen.  Tanesha really hoped so.  She'd never had a "popular" friend before.  They all shunned her.  Maybe this girl was different.

Carmen Somerset could only giggle, almost good-naturedly in further amusement as Tanesha gave her initial response to Carmen’s sudden and brazen question, a flustered look of confusion and utter surprise.  It rang high and clear with good humour and friendliness, and coming from Carmen one passerby might almost get the impression that the two, despite their abounding differences, were close and casual friends.  In all honesty, Carmen Somerset never meant to sound spiteful or insinuating with such laughter, more it had suddenly come out over feelings of amusement.

Amusement, of course, coming from the fact that this Tanesha-girl, aloof and wary as she had been the first few minutes of their meeting, was actually starting to trust her.  Amusement coming from the ever obvious conflict that showed on Tanesha’s rounded face, conflict between Tanesha and her common sense, arguing and debating on whether or not to trust the foreign alien known as Carmen Somerset.  

Carmen knew perfectly well that Tanesha never trusted her, and she also acknowledged the fact that she had no reason to…much less than any reason NOT to trust her.  Not that Carmen had reason to fret about it so much.  After all, distrust was simply a minor inconvenience…a mere obstacle that she could most certainly ease out of her way given that she incorporated a little finesse to gain more of Tanesha’s trust.  

Trust, in itself, was a delicate matter to handle. In the absence of trust, an invisible yet impregnable barrier was the only obstacle between one and another’s most precious and sensitive secrets.  Initial distrust and instinctive cautiousness was natural, and easily dealt with.  But after betrayal, there would likely be no second chances, no more trust.  Therefore, it was up to Carmen to make sure that she gained as much of Tanesha’s trust as was possible without giving any hint of any ulterior motive.

Recovering from her amusement, Carmen regarded Tanesha’s muse with full and alert attention.  Someone, hmm? Now we’re getting somehere.

Of course, such a secret was not one Tanesha would give up easily.  In order to create an atmosphere of trust, Carmen knew she would have to give a little.  Anything to ease Tanesha out of that tight shell of hers.  Looking slightly surprised as Tanesha countered Carmen’s question back at her, the delicate red-head began contemplating over an answer of her own.  Pressing a playful fingertip against her blushed cheek, she mused a bit to herself.

“Someone I like, hmmm?” she thought aloud.  “Well, I’m not quite sure…Bathurst has so many interesting characters, you know?  Among the boys…it’s hard to favour one over all the others.  John Matthews, a good-looking character, if I say so myself.  Great smile, I guess that’s what gets me.  Panom, the one from Thailand…a mysterious one, but rather nice as far as looks go.  There’s also Ian too…though he’s something of a shy one I think.  Jack Bexley is another one I’d look out for in the crowd, great body.  At least that’s what I think.”

She giggled, a look of embarrassment on her face as she grinned, almost apologetically towards Tanesha.  “I can’t believe I just said that! You must think I’m all weird like that, don’t you?”  She laughed yet again, letting out a sigh as she recovered.  Shaking her fiery, orange mane, she leaned her face against her hand and looked sidelong towards Tanesha.

“See? I can’t decide…” she said, suddenly looking thoughtful and pensive.  “I guess it’s not something I’ve been thinking about for a while, ever since I broke up with a guy in the past.  But who knows, I might decide to bounce back soon, give it another try.  But for now, I’ll just wait until I find the right person for me.  I think it’s the best thing if you’re someone in my situation.”  

She smiled with incredulity, almost surprised by herself.  If she didn’t know any better, she might have fooled herself into thinking she was that honest.  Who said a little acting ability couldn’t get you anywhere?  Turning her head towards Tanesha, Carmen focused her attention on her, eager to see the results of her meticulous ad-libbing.  Indeed, it looked as though Tanesha were about to finally open up to her a bit.  Of course, she seemed far from willing to loosen the grip on what was no-doubt a diary of sorts that belonged to her.

Carmen smiled to herself yet again, careful not to let her more furtive, slyer side be shown.  It was alright, the diary could wait.  Who knows? Depending on how much Tanesha was willing to let her in on, Carmen end up not needing to touch a single page after all.  Commoners and plebiscites were so naïve like that.  Treat them nicely, make them feel like you’re their friend, and they’ll spill their secrets faster than a diary’s open pages.  It was simple, and even if she said so herself, Carmen had to say that it took quite a bit of skill and craftiness to play into that.

Giggling a bit, though more at her own inner thoughts than anything, she cast a knowing smile towards Tanesha’s direction.  “Are you like me? Can’t decide who you like the most? Or is there someone you’ve completely set your heart on?”  It was then that Carmen decided to play a little harder, and a little dirtier.

Her evergreen eyes gazed off into the distance, her cheerful look suddenly melting into a more sober and solemn expression of nostalgia and wistfulness.  She let out a sigh, uncharacteristic of her initial cheeriness.  “That must be wonderful.  I’m so jealous, you know? It’s just another new guy every month for me, you know? I know that nobody goes on without changing, but…I just hope someday there comes a guy who will stay the same long enough for me to love him more than anyone else.”

Carmen couldn’t help but look away to hide the smirk that hard formed on her face.  Now, that…was definitely Oscar worthy

Tanesha could only look on in surprise as the redheaded girl sitting next to her began to divulge the great mystery of who she liked.  She had expected Carmen to be sly and try to slither her way around the question, a technique that seemed typical of the "popular" bunch from Bathurst High School.  What she hadn't expected was for Carmen to be so straightforward and seemingly honest concerning her crushes.  It was an almost foreign concept in itself that Carmen Somerset would even have crushes, as she could easily get with any guy on campus, or so Tanesha imagined.

The African-American girl's eyes widened drastically at the mention of Panom Ning~Tom, and a nauseous feeling overcame her.  Not only did she have that loud-mouthed Elizabeth Waters girl to contend with but now... now she had to deal with Carmen.  Sighing under her breath, Tanesha continued to listen as Carmen rounded off her list with several more familiar names.  Apparently this one didn't take to liking just one guy, but seemed to have a thing for the majority of the students in Miss Gussie's class.  Didn't she know it wasn't nice to get around?  Tanesha couldn't help but smirk at the immature thought.  Then again, Tanesha never stopped to think that her diary was filled to the brim with all the random guys she'd been crushing on over the year.

Besides, that was her, not Carmen.  It wasn't as if Tanesha could ever act on those desires.  Carmen, on the other hand, could probably have any guy she wanted.  The girl continued to talk, her casual tone and easy-going manner getting the better of Tanesha.  Perhaps all the speculation surrounding Carmen had just been vicious rumors after all.  From what the dark-skinned girl had seen of her, the red-haired model sitting next to her wasn't really all that bad.  Tanesha was once again taken aback as Carmen addressed her, asking her if she thought she was weird.  Laughing awkwardly, Tanesha shook her head somewhat.

"Nah, not weird..." Tanesha murmured quietly, a strange and somewhat forced grin appearing on her face as she looked at the other girl, "I just... I didn't think people like you had crushes, that's all."

She couldn't decide, huh?  Must be nice, not being able to decide which guy you want to go after, knowing you could hook up with any of them at any given time.  Through all of her efforts to remain friendly, Tanesha couldn't help but feel a bit spiteful toward her newfound acquaintance.  Carmen was everything that Tanesha idolized, everything she herself ever desired to be, and she was genuinely jealous that the girl sitting right next to her had the life she so desperately desired.

"But with you, you could have any guy you wanted, you know?  Nobody in their right mind would turn you down.  It's just a matter of who you want it to be, right?  See... I wish I was like that.  I wish I was pretty," the larger girl mused, still looking over Carmen oddly.

The redhead seemed to be musing to herself, her eyes affixed on some distant object beyond the horizon.  Looking over toward her, Tanesha couldn't help but allow the feelings of jealousy and spitefulness to grow.  This girl had everything, everyone adored her, and needless to say, it was surprising that she was somewhat of a hopeless romantic.  Tanesha subconsiously wondered whether or not girls like Carmen even had relationship troubles as she internally compared herself to the girl.  When Carmen once again addressed her, Tanesha was snapped back to reality.  Kicking the dirt absent-mindedly with her foot, her eyes fell toward the ground and she sighed a bit before she answered.

"There's a guy... I really like him but... I don't even know if he knows I exist, ya know?  It's sort of stupid really.  Having a crush on someone you know isn't interested in you... but you probably don't know what that's like."

Smiling a bit at the beauty queen sitting next to her, Tanesha couldn't help but once again laugh at the match made in hell.  It was so strange sitting there talking to this girl, of all people.  She was on a completely different level than Tanesha.  Carmen was at the top of Bathurst's proverbial totem pole, while Tanesha was one of the very bottom niches.  Of all the people that she could've run into in the quad, Carmen was certainly not who she'd expected, and the conversation that was going on was definitely not what Tanesha had been prepared for.  In an attempt to break a potential awkward silence before it happened, Tanesha spoke up.

"You'll find someone someday," she mumbled, actually making an attempt to comfort the girl, "Me, on the other hand... I think I'm destined to be the next little old lady living with her house full of cats."

Tanesha laughed at her own joke, corny though it may have been.  In a way, though, that's what Tanesha really thought the future held for her.  Especially the way things had been going lately.  Carmen never had to worry about being alone... being lonely... feeling unloved.  She was gorgeous, glamorous, and the object of affection for many.  Tanesha was obesely overweight, constantly angsting over something new, and the girl guys went out of their way to avoid.  She couldn't help but feel awkward sitting here talking to Carmen, as though she had fallen into the "fat friend" role once again.

((Double post.  Sorry.  Because Miss Maka's been busy and this thread's basically gone ignored, I'm gonna go ahead and move Tanesha so she's not in stasis anymore.  Sorry Makadoodle! <3))

An awkward and unusual silence had spread over both the girls sitting on the bench in the quad for the longest of times, and Tanesha was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable.  Carmen seemed to be lost in her own thoughts of scandal and romance, and the jealous and bitter feeling that Tanesha harbored toward the redhead continued to creep into her mind.  It wouldn't have mattered how nice Carmen Somerset had been to the obesely fat girl who shared the seat with her, the fact remained that Tanesha would never like Carmen.  Not fully.

Why?

Pure, unadulterated jealousy.  Carmen was everything that Tanesha wasn't and could never be, and Tanesha resented her for it.  She resented people like Carmen, like Ali Grayston.  The "beautiful" people.  Boys said that it wasn't all about looks, it was about a girl's personality.  The problem with that analogy was that the boys never took the time to get to know the "personality" of a girl like her -- an ugly girl.

It wouldn't have mattered if she was the sweetest thing on two legs.  It wouldn't have mattered if she gave them anything and everything they could ever want.  It wouldn't matter if she was kind, compassionate, and understanding.  Because the fact of the matter was, no one in their right mind would want to be seen with the blubbering whale that was Tanesha Lexx cuddled up on their arm.  They'd be embarrassed.  They always were.

Even her friends...

People she was supposed to be close to, people who were supposed to care about her.  Even they shunned her most of the time.  When they went out, they'd always walk a few steps in front of her or disregard her to answer their cell phone.  And when guys approached them in the mall, they always, ALWAYS headed right for Tanesha's friends, completely ignoring her as if she didn't even exist.  Sometimes, Tanesha wished that she didn't exist.

The loud, shrill noise of the bell ringing throughout the quad, signalling that this day of classes at Bathurst High School had reached its end finally sounded, much to Tanesha's relief.  Sitting out here with Carmen had become uncomfortable.  Assuming that Carmen would quickly bolt lest her reputation be decimated by the fact that she was seen with such a vile creature as Tanesha, the African-American girl stood up and cast Carmen a curt wave, still clutching the diary to her chest with all her might.

"It was good talking to you..." Whatever.  "We'll have to do this again sometime."  Yeah, right.

Just as quickly, Tanesha found herself gathering up all of her belongings and bolting from the area.  She figured she'd be doing both herself and Carmen a favor by not allowing the duo to be seen together.  It would only cause problems for the both of them, Tanesha more so than Carmen, she assumed.  Then again, most people would probably assume that Carmen had been picking on Tanesha and leave it at that.

Shrugging lightly at the thought, Tanesha waddled across the quad toward the line of buses that had begun forming in front of Bathurst High School.  Any other sixteen-year-old at Bathurst High probably had a car to drive, but Tanesha was one of the unlucky few that didn't.  It wasn't because they couldn't afford a vehicle.  Far from it, in fact.  Her "dad" made quite good money at his job.

Simply put, it was the fact that her parents didn't deem Tanesha as responsible enough to own a vehicle.  In fact, her parents wouldn't even let her get her license until she was 18.  Until she was responsible and grown up enough to take care of a car.  Grimacing at the thought, Tanesha filed in line with the remainder of the students who were forced to ride the bus.  Looking across the crowd, she couldn't help but notice that most of them were freshmen, and she couldn't help but scowl at the fact.

((Continued in: After-School Band Practice))