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That Jacket

I always loved running. I made the track team every time I tried. It made me calm, just running, and not having to think or worry. Just running.
Of course, at Kirk Middle School, it didn't matter how fast you were, how smart you were, or even what you acted like. The only thing that got you recognition was if you were cool. And the only way you could be cool, was if you were part of, The Group. I never had a chance, until I saw that jacket. I saw it in the mall. It was what everyone had or wanted. Except Lilly.
I wore it the day before Lilly moved to Kirk Middle School. I had gone to her house that night, to wish her a good year. I remember that day so well, because that's when all the trouble started.

I walked in the door, and the first thing I thought was Jeez, does she throw anything out!?!? There were stuffed animals I remembered from when we were five, a present someone gave her at her fourth birthday party, and a basket of clothes too small for her in a corner. And, the piece de resistance, a picture of us when we were 8, framed and hanging on the wall.
She followed behind me and sat on her unkempt bed. "What are you wearing?" she asked, tilting her head. I spun like a fashion model. "Do you like it? I spent $59.99 on it!" "You got gypped. It looks strange, and that butterfly on the arm isn't done right. Besides, it looks too small." I frowned. "Everyone has it. And it's supposed to be a little tight, and the butterfly..." She held up her hand to silence me. "Whatever, anyway let's get some food. You still like cheese fries, right?" I nodded. Cheese fries were Lilly's favorite. I thought they were ok, though I definitely didn't like them as much as Lilly. No one did.

The next day at school, Lilly and I were coming out from History class, when I decided to get a drink. " 'K, I'll meet you, I want to talk to the Biology teacher, to see if I can get an overview of the months I missed. See ya!" Lilly turned and walked toward the door, while I bent down to drink. Then, I heard shrill laughter. I knew that laugh. It was April, one of the leaders of The Group. Out of all the members spread throughout the school, there were the original 4. Sylvia was the main queen, because of her sense of style. If you wanted to get in The Group, she was the one to see, as she would let anyone with good clothes in.
Anyway, I looked up, and the 4 were standing between Lilly and the classroom door. "Well, well, who is this so eager to stay in for lunch?" April said. "I'm Lilly, now move, I have better things to do then stay out here with wannabes." I cringed. The last thing you should do is insult a member of The Group. They'll pounce! Sure enough, Jake's visible eye widened (you can't tell he has another eye because his hair is always covering it). "O0O0hh, I'm so0o0o0o sorry! Lets let the nerd into her class. She wants to spend lunch with her only friends, the textbooks!" The others laughed. Cody mock bowed. "Here you are madam, we mustn't keep Lilly waiting!" More kids started coming out from their rooms, and they froze when they saw the 4 picking on another student. It's always a show for them. Of course, I should talk, me standing with my head still bent, my eyes turned as much as they could to catch the spectacle without showing it. Lilly narrowed her eyes and walked to the door quickly. She turned around in the open doorway, and said "Poor pathetic losers! You'll be sorry you ever said anything to me!" and slammed the door in their faces.
As the kids dispersed, I stepped up to the 4. Sylvia turned and smiled when she saw me. "Nice outfit! I like how the flower on your shirt goes with the butterfly on your jacket." I smiled. That was the best compliment you could get from any of The Group, if you could get any at all. Hope erupted in every part of my body. "Why don't you come out to lunch with us..." "Jen. My names Jen." I blurted out. "Great!" Sylvia said, not waiting for an answer. Why should she? No one ever says no to her.

As we walked past the playground, with the light shining through the trees, I felt the blind happiness I got when running. The 4 talked and joked, loud but not in an obnoxious way. People smiled at us as we walked. They noticed me, and they smiled! "So this is what it's like to be popular..." I accidently said out loud. "Yup, and you could have it everyday if you just stick with us." Sylvia said.
We walked through the diner door and some kids greeted us with cheers. We got a table near the window. I looked at the menu sitting on the table, doubtful of what the cool thing to eat would be. "hmmm... I might get cheese fries..." I mumbled. I guiltily remembered Lilly, how they had treated her, and how betrayed she would feel if she knew I ate with her new enemies. I sank low in my seat, as if there were extremely heavy weights on my shoulders. "Ewww..." April's shrill voice woke me of my sad thoughts. "Cheese Fries are gross!" "If you want to keep your figure, you can only have salads for lunch." Sylvia calmly explained to me, gently ridding me of my own desires.
The boys ordered burgers, while Sylvia ordered salads for us. I chewed on the green leaves with distaste, watching the boys eat those delicious, fried, greasy, burgers. I wanted it so bad, but that would be uncool, so I swallowed down whatever it was and smiled.
"Hey, I bet that nerdy-nerd Lilly is chomping down on some textbooks right now, that bookworm!" Jake said in a hillbilly like way. "Ya, that loser! Just because she has no friends she thinks that gives her the right to call us wannabes!" Sylvia sighed, "What do you think, Jen?" I turned pale, and sank lower in my chair. If they hear me defend her, I won't be popular ever again! But if I say something mean about her, Lilly will never forgive me! I thought. "Oh, I, uh, haven't met her yet." I lied. "Good! hopefully you'll never have to." Sylvia said, too busy ranting to notice I stuttered. April jumped in. "She is messy, ugly, no sense of style, a geek, not to mention rude and a liar!" I felt my jaw clench, but... some of it was right.

That night I got a call from Sylvia. "Hey, a few girls and I are going to the mall. I wanted you to come." "I'd love to!" "Great, meet us at the fountain at four, and bring that jacket!" I hung up and almost immediately it rang again. "Hey S... " "Jen? It's me, Lilly." My tongue nearly fell out of my mouth! "...'sup Lilly?" I recovered. "Those jerks in school are stuck in my mind. You know people, can you help me get back at them?" Lilly's voice crackled in the receiver. "What? But they... and the school... they're popular!" I managed to blurt out. "Come on, will you do it or not? I need you to call one of your friends and tell them to... "
She must have been working on that plan all day. It was so intricate and cunning and most of all deceitful. "Lilly, that sounds mean" I said doubtfully. "Are you in or not?" she said. I caved in and gave her the number she asked for. "Hey, want to come over and help?" she said, forgetting her original anger. "Oh, um I have a family thing. I have to go. I'll see you at school." I replied nervously. "Alright I'll see you at school, Jen, and then we can watch my plan in motion." I hung up, my hand shaking. What have I done?

The next day I had almost forgotten about Lilly's plan but I remembered it all too quickly when I heard the voice over the intercom. "Would Jake, Cody, April, and Sylvia report to the principal's office at once?" It was the voice of Benny, the principal's assistant. He had owed me a favor because I helped him once catch up in math a year ago. It was his number I'd given to Lilly. How I regret that now!
Anyway, back to the prank. So, Benny's voice spoke over the intercom. Cody, who was in our class, got up, and tried to act cool and calm. It didn't work, you could see his eyes darting back and forth, and beads of sweat running down from his forehead. He stepped outside, and waved a goodbye to everyone in the room. Everyone gathered around the door, crowding and shoving just to look out the tiny window. " Children, sit down! Stop that pushing! It's not that interesting!" The teacher cried, but of course no one listened. You could see the other three coming out from other rooms. They stopped and looked at each other, looking awkward and afraid. Then, out of nowhere, the fire alarm was rigging through the halls! The four looked up, and they were doused with water. You could see mascara lines running down Sylvia's face. Jake's hair flopped, his clothes were soaked and baggy. April screamed, Cody yelled, Jake cursed, and Sylvia raged. I could imagine Lilly, standing next to the fire alarm in the teacher's lounge (Benny helped with that as well), looking out from the window in the door, and laughing.
"Oh, my!" Ms. Burton said faintly, her hand over her mouth, her eyes open wide. "No one is to leave this room! Do you hear me! No one!" She ran out the door, as did 3 other teachers on that floor. The Principal, running out of the teacher's bathroom (separate from the lounge) started yelling. The head of the PTA ran out with blankets, and you could see the four being lead away. The teachers started running in different directions, no doubt looking for the one who had pulled the alarm. Of course, as Lilly had predicted, they didn't look in the teacher's lounge.
I felt a sick feeling in my stomach, as if there was something eating away at my insides, trying to get out.

After a week, almost everyone had forgotten about the sprinkler incident. Of course, the 4 hadn't. Sylvia, had found out from Benny (that stool pigeon) that Lilly was the one who had asked him to do what he did. She was determined to get back at her. I was afraid, with her power, she could do something really bad. But, instead of doing something physical, she decided to just shun her. Only, it wasn't just her. It was the whole school. But, that's how it is whenever Sylvia does something. The school follows.
Well that Friday, I was sitting at lunch with them, and I was sitting at the seat closest to the window. And what I had tried to prevent all month finally happened. Who should decide to eat at the diner, but Lilly. Her jaw dropped when her eyes met mine, both equally wide. Sylvia stood up, not understanding why Lilly was staring at me. "You have a lot of nerve walking in here. Get out and leave us to eat." Lilly ignored it, though I'm sure she heard it. "Jen?" she said in disbelief. "You know her?" Sylvia asked. "You like her?" Lilly asked. I felt hot, my mind felt like bursting, all I could do was sink in my chair. "How could you go to lunch with her!" Lilly screamed at me. "How could you lie to us!"Sylvia cried. "CHOOSE WHO YOUR REAL FRIENDS ARE!!! AND IF YOU CHOOSE HER, THEN I'M NEVER SPEAKING TO YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!" Every single person in the diner watched in horror as both girls yelled at me. I could feel eyes on me. I couldn't breathe! I couldn't think! There was just one thing I could do. Just Run.

I jumped up and pushed past Lilly, and everyone standing between me and the door. I didn't care where I went, just as long as I left. Just run, just run, must get away, keep going. I ran through the street, not even caring if I lived or died. As long as I was away from everything. SCREECH! The car just missed me! I ran through the park, seeing as the trees zoomed past. I felt the blind happiness again! It was wonderful! Not having to think about what was behind me. Just running. Suddenly, I saw a tree coming right at me! I moved to the left, but it caught onto my jacket! No! Must get free! Must keep running! I need to feel the happiness! I need to run! There was only one way to get free. To run. I pulled my arms free of that jacket, that $60 jacket that had started it all. I ran, but as I looked back, I saw something that almost made me stop. That jacket, flying away on the breeze.

That jacket.

Read it!
Seems really cool but.. it's kinda confusing. O_o;