DGA: Chapter Two

“I was able to see that you didn’t have a book in your hand all day today,” Dexter laughed as he stood in the lunch line next to his sister.

“This is rare,” Mandy crossed her arms over her chest starring up at Dexter. “I see, so where are your friends?” Mandy looked around to see that Dexter was not with his usually gang.

Dexter shrugged off his sister’s try at an insult. “They already got their lunch, where are yours? Oh right, they all ended up in a different lunch period than you did, no wait. You don’t have any,” Dexter stated as he grabbed his plate and got the pizza.

Pizza every Monday and every Friday, Mandy had squinted her eyes as her brother grabbed the pizza. “Just fries,” Mandy told, as she handed her tray to the lunch lady and placed some frist on the tray before handing it back to Mandy. She then grabbed a milk carton and a salad. Mandy gave three dollars to the lady working the cash register to only get a quarter back. She grabbed a straw and took her seat at the round table that could fit five comfortably. Slowly she began eating. 

“Hey girl, I didn’t know you have been eating alone,” Hannah slammed down her tray and sat next to Mandy. Causing Mandy's head to jerk.

“I didn’t know you had this lunch…” Mandy whispered. Mandy’s eyes scanned the lunchroom an odd sense of eyes seemed to shiver down her back.

Hannah was a loud mouth girl, who liked to yell and scream and never knew how to keep quiet. She was round, fat, but that wasn’t the reason people didn’t like her. She was bipolar and talked about everyone. Mandy though was one of the few people Hannah couldn’t talk bad about, she had no dirt on her. Mandy was consider a goody-toe shoes despite the harsh rumors people tried to start when she was younger… although they never stuck because they were obviously fake.

“Oh, I usually don’t, but for some reason my fifth period teacher had to switch lunch periods for the day, that means we get to sit with each other, isn’t that great,” Hannah smiled.

Mandy rolled her eyes, as she dumped the Italian dressing packet on her salad. “Well, you know my brother is in this lunch,” she told, lifting the fork and rolling it around in the lettuce. 

“Really?” Hannah’s eyes seem to light up. “Where?” She looked around like a hawk hunting pray.

Mandy lifted the fork to her lips and took a bite. She chewed quietly then swallowed taking a quick drink of the milk to wash out her mouth. She pointed to her brother, who’s back was toward her. “Right there,” she smiled, but quickly went back to eating.

Hannah let out a light giggle as she lifted her tray, grabbed her large purse, and took off.

“Dexter!” Hannah sat down next to him. Mandy could see her brother’s face as his nose scrunched up.

“That was messed up.”

Mandy looked around and frowned; she couldn’t stand the unknown voice that seemed to come from her own head.

“Hannah… what are you doing here…” Dexter asked his head turned to his sister. Mandy seen her brother’s hated glare and waved to him, a large smile on her face as she did so. He didn’t seem very happy.

“I will be right back,” Dexter stated as Hannah was chattering away at a speed no one could make out. Dexter stood and walked over to his sister leaning over the table to eye her. “You done that on purpose,” he stated.

“No I didn’t… Ok yes I did, but come on you get that she is annoying,” Mandy finished her milk and leaned back in her seat.

Mandy and Dexter were twins, but nothing alike. Dexter was five inches taller than Mandy was, he had brown hair, and dark eyes. He didn’t need glasses. No one would know they were twins by looking at them they looked at least two years apart. 

“You are messed up Mandy keep your weird friends away from me,” Dexter whispered, he then went back to his table, grabbed up his empty tray and headed out of the lunchroom.

Hannah had watched him leave and slowly made her way back to Mandy, “He doesn’t like me” she frowned.

“Well, it isn’t that, it is just that he likes someone else,” Mandy was obviously lying.

“Who?” Hannah said sadness and anger turning in her eyes.

“Well I don’t know who he doesn’t really tell me anything,” Mandy shrugged.

The bell rang to end lunch. Mandy put her tray up and walking to her next class.

“This was the school life, the school day. There are many books, and shows about kids and schools. Some of the books I had read where sweet valley kids, childish but well written books about a child’s imagination and life, but when you looked deep within there is no such thing as an imagination anymore. All we know is movies, books, and nothing and we cannot understand anything or find anything for ourselves. This building, this school I should say is slowly taking my sanity and I am tired of being around ignorant people. After all, everything is memorization now, no real creativity like what you read. Then again I am just a young girl, what do I know,” Mandy sat in her sixth period waiting. By this time of day, she lost interest and the reason of why she was even there.

“No you are just as ignorant.”

Mandy looked around, and her eyes narrowed. “I am getting tired of hearing that damn voice!”

Everything seemed to be the same, day in day out. It was like groundhogs day, very little changed and everyday was the same until the weekends, which every weekend was the same. It was a frustrating time; no child would want to deal with. After all, nothing like being told you are close to an adult but yet being unable to be one. No clue where you are going but being told you cannot stay here. 

Mandy sat there coloring; a soft hum left her lips as she sat there. Mandy was that child no one knew. The few people who did know her didn’t speak to her much because she never had much to say. Mandy was a listener, a joker when someone was sad. She didn’t do much so nothing ever changed in her life. If there were a reality show about Mandy Jefferson, they would only find out one interesting fact. They were nowhere near related to any historical person with the last name Jefferson, she was definitely not a Thomas Jefferson, even though that was her father’s name.

“Mandy,” someone whispered.

Mandy turned around to see a guy handing her a note. “Thanks…” she said a little unsure as she took the paper. Slowly opening the paper, she read it.

“Mandy, is it cool if we hang out after school, Jana,” Mandy read, and then shook her head. 

“This isn’t Jana’s hand writing. Not even close,” 

“Meet me under the oak tree in the middle of the school court yard.” Mandy eyed the note, unsure what to make of it. “Who could this be…?” Mandy whispered.

“Don’t go…”

“That voice again damn it!” Mandy thought as she placed her arms on the desk and laid her head down onto all she could see is darkness.