Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
I looked up and saw the girls walking in the cafeteria. I took my glasses off and stood up, hoping the would see me.
                          
"Hey, Tay!" Bre said.
                          
"Hey, girlth (Girls).." I said with my lisp. They looked at me like I had three eyes.
                          
"Have you always had that lisp?" Bahja can be dumb at times.
                          
"No Bee. I got braces."
                          
"Ooh.. Well, they're pretty colors. I like them." Bahja replied.
                          
"Thank you." We talked for a while and then first bell rung. Off to drama class.
                          
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"Jacob."
                          
"Here."
                          
"Alix."
                          
"Present."
                          
Taylor." Mr. Lubin looked at me. "Where are your glasses?"
                          
My eyes widened. How'd he know. "What is he talking about, Tay?" Nique asked. As soon as she asked that question, I pulled out my glasses and put them on. "Are you serious? You have to wear those glasses?"
                          
"I can't thee without 'em."
                          
"Ohh.."
                          
The rest of my day was embarrassing. People looked at me and laughed their butts off. I was so humiliated. I just wanted to run away. The girls looked annoyed whenever I came by because they knew people were talking about them since I hang out with them. Usually when we walk down the hallways, people stop and stare. Now people stop and laugh at us.
                          
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"Hey, ma," I said as I walked in the door.
                          
"Hey. How was school?"
                          
"It wath awful.." I replied while walking in the kitchen to talk to her.
                          
"Aww. What happened?"
                          
"People kept making fun of me and my Lithp (Lisp) and Coke Bottle Glatheth (Glasses)..
                          
"Aww. I'm pretty sure tomorrow they'll just forget about it."
                          
"But I thtill have to take my picture for betht thmile (Best Smile)."
                          
"Oh.. well let's not worry about that right now. We'll take care of that when the time comes. Okay?"
                          
"Okay.." I replied emotionlessly and walked up to my room. I feel so depressed. I went straight to sleep and didn't wake up until the next morning..
                          
*Bahja's POV
                          
"So, what are we gonna do with Tay? She can't hang with us anymore. She really made us look bad today at shcool," Breaunna said.
                          
"I know.. I'll talk to her tomorrow and tell her she can't hang out with us," Zonnique said.
                          
We were at Nique's house. I feel really sorry for Taylor and how she's getting picked on because of her braces and glasses. Taylor is my best friend and I would hate to stop talking to her but I have a reputation to maintain.
                          
*The Next Day
                          
Nique, Bre, and I rode to school together. When we walked in the cafeteria, we saw Taylor sitting by herself at the table in front of the cafeteria's double doors.
                          
"There she is, Nique," Bre said.
                          
We walked up to her and Nique started talking.
                          
"Hey, Taylor.." Nique said.
                          
"Hey, Nique. Hey, Bee and Bre," She said. We waved back.
                          
*Taylor's POV
                          
"Tho I wath (Was) hoping you guyth (Guys) could help me with-"
                          
"I'm sorry but you can't hang with us anymore."
                          
"What?" I said after a long pause.
                          
"You made us look like jokes. If we keep talking to you, we'll end up as lame as you look."
                          
"I thought we were friendth (Friends), though. You thaid (Said) friendth (Friends) forever.."
                          
"I'm sorry, but we can be getting picked on because we hang out with you."
                          
I looked at Bahja. She looked down and started playing with her fingers. "Are you theriouth (Serious)? All we've been through and now you guyth wanna ditch me cuth (Cuz) of my bratheth and Glatheth (Braces and Glasses)?" They looked at me. "You know what? Forget it. I thought you three were my friendth. But, y'all are jutht (Just) the faketh (Fakest) people I know," I said. I grabbed my backpack and walked out. I went to the library because it's a quiet place. I like quiet places. Helps me think. About twenty minutes after I got in the library, the first period bell rang. Since it's Wednesday, we go to 8 period first and go backwrds. I don't really get the point of it but hey, I don't even get the whole point of going to school in the first place.
                          
I walked in Mrs. Merrit's classroom. I love math. But today didn't really start off right so I sat in the back so no one would notice me.
                          
"Uhm.. Excuse me but this is my seat.." A deep voice said to me. I looked up and saw someone who actually looked worse than me. He had brown grandpa glasses, dark brown and light brown plaid button up shirt, and brown highwaters. Someone must really like the color brown.
                          
"I'm thorry.. Not uthed (Used) to sitting in the back."
                          
"It's cool," he said while I got up and moved to the seat on the right. "Aren't you Taylor Shaw?"
                          
"Yeah.." I smiled and looked at him. He smiled and I noticed he had braces. "You have bratheth. Why don't you have a lithp?"
                          
"It wears off as your mouth gets used to them."
                          
"Oh.. What ith (Is) your name?"
                          
"I'm Jacob."
                          
"Ohh.." So that's who Jacob is! "Nithe (Nice) to meet you."
                          
"Nice meeting you too." Just then, Mrs. Merrit stood up and started talking.
                          
"Good Morning, class. I've decided to have a chill day today. I'm going to assign study partners since the FCAT is coming up soon and you all NEED to study. I paired you guys up based on your strengths and weaknesses.." As she continued saying crap I could care less about, I layed my head down on the desk. I was thinking about how horrible my day started. Friends ditched me. Only person who wants to talk to me is the only person in the school who looks worse than me.
                          
"Taylor," Jacob said. I looked up. "We're paired together."
                          
What a coincidence?
                          
"Do you want to study or anything?" He asked.
                          
"I jutht (Just) wanna be left alone.." I answered.
                          
"What's wrong?" He turned around to face me.
                          
"I'm having a bad day.." I said with a replied.
                          
"It's just first hour. Your day'll get better.."
                          
"No it won't. Nobody wanth (Wants) to be theen (Seen) with me. My friendth ditched me becauthe (Because) I wath embarathing them. Now I'm thtuck (Stuck) talking to thome lother (Some loser)." I said before realizing what I had said. He pursed his lips and turned back around. "Look, I'm thorry. I didn't mean it."
                          
He shook his head. Rest of hour was silence between us two.