Reading was a blessing. It had become my favorite hobby. It had a way of taking me out of my regular life and launching me into faraway places. Sometimes, I would forget I was still on earth because I would block out sounds from the real world until I sat the book down. And now with the help of Jason and Sarah, I was able to read better on my own. And it was addicting. Even when my eyes burned at night, I couldn't stop reading. An hour had already passed by at the pond. Another thirty minutes, and Ella called my name from the entrance of the woods.
I shut my book and ran to meet her.
"Tina Brooks and Mary are coming over. Do you remember them from church?"
"Yes." How could I forget? I could still see Tina's cold eyes staring me over.
"Mary is my good friend. I was hoping you and Tina could become good friends too?"
"I'm not sure." Is was a truthful answer.
After tidying up the living room, a silver car pulled up and I watched out the window as Mary and Tina walked up the porch. I expected Tina to resemble her mother, but she didn't. Mary was tall and fair. Tina was short and dark.
They came through the door and Tina walked to where I was standing and greeted me.
"Can we go outside? The breeze is nice."
I agreed and she followed me out to the porch.
"Have you ever thought of cutting your hair?" She asked as I closed the door behind us.
I turned. "What do you mean?"
"It looks tangled." She started examining it.
I grabbed a stand and looked at it. "Well, I brushed it this morning. I don't think it's tangled."
She chuckled. "It's okay. Some people find it hard to see things in their self."
The irritation was rising quickly. But at the same time, I wondered if what she said was true.
"If you cut it, it will help you maintain it better and it won't look so bad then."
"But my hair doesn't look bad," I stammered.
"Look I'm only trying to help. I'm a good friend and good friends are honest to one another."
Good friend? I wasn't so sure she was a good friend. Sarah was a good friend and I knew that for sure. And she had never said anything about my hair looking bad. She had told me at church that it was long and pretty.
"Anyway," I said, hoping to change the offensive topic. "Do want to go for a walk?"
She smiled – but there was always something strange about her smiles. I could almost read a different intention behind them. Something unfriendly and conjuring. "Of course."
"The trees are pretty in the summer, but I think they're just as pretty in the fall. Plus, you get to make leaf piles."
"You still jump in leaf piles?" She asked.
"Yeah, am I not supposed to?"
"Well aren't you too old for that?" She leaned against a tree and crossed her arms. She looked cringy. Like she was sucking on a sour piece of candy.
"Felix is older than me, and he does it too. So does Tom and Sarah."
"Tom?" Her voice changed. It sounded surprised and she unfolded her arms.
"Yes."
"You all jumped in lead piles together?" She looked around.
"Yes."
"Well anyway. Jumping into leaves isn't that childish. I mean, I wouldn't mind it myself. It's not like that kid game called hide and go seek."
"We all play that too."
She glared at me. Then cleared her throat and moved ahead.
Why was she acting so strange? And why had she repeated Tom's name in surprise after I had said it?
Wednesday evening, which was two days later, I was sitting in front of the mirror while Ella braided my hair for bed. By morning, my waves would be wavier and sometimes curly. But not the looping curls, it would be crimped-like.
While she braided, I examined my hair. The blonde of it, which had different shades where some strands were a paler white blonde. But I looked closer, as if I were a different person seeing me for the first time. But what I saw was the same. It was simply long and wavy, and blonde. Nothing more to it. And to me, that was pretty.
"Ella," I said in a quiet voice.
"Yes, darling?"
"What is your opinion?"
"About?" She was almost finished braiding now.
"Hair. What's your opinion on hair?"
She laughed. "I don't understand what you mean?"
I sighed. I guessed I needed to be more direct with my approach. I needed to tell her exactly what I was thinking.
"What do you think of my hair?"
She smiled. "I wish it were my own."
"How come?"
"Well it's long and naturally blonde and I just love its curly waves."
A smiled edged on my cheeks. "You're not just saying that to make me happy, are you?"
"Well no, dear." And I knew she wasn't lying. Ella wouldn't.
I rode in the passenger seat and the sun was shining in my face from my side window. Ella was driving and Jason was chatting with himself behind me.
Going to church gave me anxiety. But it wasn't church itself. It was Tom. I wasn't ready to see him again. Not after what happened. And I certainly didn't want him to try to corner me up like that again.
When we arrived, I walked inside I spotted Sarah right off.
"I've been waiting days to see you. We had so much fun at my house last Sunday I was hoping you'd like to stay tonight. All night." She was excited, the kind of excitement that made her eyes look cheery. And I didn't want to let her down. On the other hand, it would be having to tolerate Tom. That was enough for me to let Sarah.
"Well…" That was as far as I got. I didn't know what to say and I didn't want to hurt her or make her think I was trying to avoid her.
"What?"
"Well maybe. I think Ella needs
