"You guys...stink!"

:)

"We've practiced this for over 2 months now! C'mon! Just look UP!!" The band director threw his baton at the ground in frustration.

:)

My eyebrows scrunched together. I mean I understand he was frustrated, because we really DID stink...but he didn't have to go and abuse the baton. Poor baton. Tonight we were having our Christmas concert...and needless to say the band director, Mister, was very nervous.

:)

Apparently we have a very hard time playing the correct beat because we don't go his beat...pfft. 

:)

~Ring~ Finally, the bell rang, and everyone RAN to get away from the fuming band director. Smart move. I moseyed my way on to class. All the while I couldn't shake the fluttery butterflies in my tummy.

:)

Faster than I knew possible, 7 'o clock was here and it was TIME!!! In, out. In, out. Gosh, I was FREAKING OUT!! In a couple of seconds I was going to play in front of my fellow mommy dearest and hundreds of strangers. No big deal, right? I can do this. Yeah, I got this.

:)

I WAS LYING, I DON'T GOT THIS!!!!! I looked out at the crowd and saw my mommy sitting in the front row. With every ounce of courage I had, I flashed her a nervous smile.

I twiddled my thumbs as I marveled at the new Christmas decorations woven around the church. I was five minutes early, today.

:)

-plop-

:)

I swiveled around to face Jess. Jess with a very somber face. Immediately a worry line appeared on my forehead.

:)

"What's wrong?" I asked.

:)

She looked away as if trying to find the right words to say. A very very bad thing. She never hesitated. I gave her a concerned look.

:)

She gave out a sigh. Then a gulp. Facing me she said in a sad voice, "My great grandfather...passed away Friday."

:)

My eyebrows shot up as what she said set in. Death. Of a loved one. 

:)

"Could you maybe...pray for my family and I? We're...having a hard time." She said with pleading eyes. 

:)

My heart went out to her. I nodded and even told her I'd tell Bree about it too. POWER TO PRAYER!

:)

A teeny-tiny grateful smile escaped her lips as she muttered a, "thanks." 

:)

"Don't worry, Jess. I'm positive he's in a better place. And if you ever need anything, even to just talk or a hug, you can talk to me, okay?" I said in my most reassuring voice.

:)

She nodded and still seeing a tint of sadness mar her eyes, I gave her my most comforting smile.

"...hey,Bree?"
"Yeah?"
"..."
"...what?"
"Can you raise an eyebrow?"
"What?"
"Can YOU raise an eyebrow." She stared at me as if I was an idiot. I pointed to my eyebrow for emphasis. Slowly she raised her eyebrow...er eyebrows.
"HAH! YOU CAN'T DO IT!" I yelled in victory.
"...neither can you." Bree said ruining my moment of triumph.
:)
My noise twitched and my lips twisted oddly as I tried, unsuccessfully, to raise 1 eyebrow.
:)
Bree's lips also twitched downward with her tongue sticking out as she concentrated on only lifting 1 eyebrow.
"I did it!" I yelled at Bree.
"No, you didn't." Bree said.
"Yuh, huh."
"Nuh, uh."
"Yuh, huh."
Bree gave me a pointed look. "Holding one of your eyebrows down with one hand and using your other hand to lift your other eyebrow does not count. THAT IS CHEATING!!" She yelled.
:)
I pouted. Distorting my face again I tried, again, also unsuccessfully, to get ONE of my STUPID eyebrows to raise.
We both attempted this for another TEN minutes when one of our friends, Lexa, approached us.
"Hey Bree and Rayne." She called out. We looked at her. At seeing Lexa's attempts to stop laughing, I looked at Bree and her at me.
:)
I tried to contain my laughter as I saw her. Her eyes were crossed, her nose all scrunched up and her mouth was open partly.
:)
Bree was also holding in her giggles because my eyes were trying to look at my eyebrows, my nostrils were flared and I was biting my lip.
:)
"Uh, what are you guys doing?" Lexa asked, amusement clear in her voice.
:)
Bree and I erupted into giggles.
After our giggle-fit we turned back to Lexa and muttered a "Nothing.", and you could practically see the halos above our heads as we put on angel innocent smiles.

Friday. Friday. Friday. The simple mantra was the only single thread to my sanity. It had been one heck of a week. I swear it lasted for an eternity. My leg bounced as I tried to tune out my math teacher's voice. Blah. Blah. Blah. I could have cared less. I just wanted the heck outta here! I pulled my hand to my lips to cover the oncoming yawn. -yawn- Too late. Yowzers, that was my fifth yawn.
:)
This morning I woke up with my hair in the oddest shape. My bangs had been sticking directly straight up...which is supposed to be impossible considering that whole gravity thing my science teacher was telling me about. A sigh passed my lips as I stared at the clock. Twenty more minutes till the bell rang indicating my freedom from this prison we all know and hate called school. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
:)
"Aargh!" I screamed in frustration. Feeling everyone's eyes on me, I let out a meek laugh. Gosh, that was embarrassing. They probably thought I was some kind of lunatic. Pouting, I turned my head back to the teacher.
:)
It wasn't long before my head started drooping. Eyes getting heavy. Encroaching warm darkness. Quiet, peaceful, sl-
-thwack-
I jumped at the sudden sound as my eyes snapped wide open at the horrific noise. A ruler. Held by a hand. Of the teacher. Who was scowling. And looked like he wanted to kick my butt. Eh, how embarrassing. Giving another meek laugh I smiled apologetically.

Shoulder-length, wavy, milk-chocolate hair with whirling gray eyes, Emilee stood a perfect 5'6. Straight 'A' student, gorgeous, nice,athletic,outgoing, popular, needless to say I was jealous.
:)
I mean I have the whole straight 'A' thing going for me, but...the rest not so much. Great. One out of 6, what a horrible percentile.
:)
I couldn't stop the hateful things that flew through my head. Gosh what was even worse was that she was nice. Horrifically and disgustingly nice. Gosh why couldn't she have been a witch?
:)
As she attempted to make conversation with me, I looked away. I hated high school. I just felt like I didn't belong. Everyone was so...so, mature. They had all changed so much from the little kids that I knew. Yet, here I am in the same body, same mind, same friends, same everything. I felt like everyone was 2 steps ahead of me and when I tried to catch up I'd just fall more behind.
:)
I looked at Emilee. She was talking to Chris...a football player. Ugh, I forgot to mention Emilee was also so freaking innocent, it made me feel disgusting about myself. She doesn't have a boyfriend, even if she has a whole flock just waiting. Life stinks.
:)
-poke-
I glared at the person that dared to bother me when I was brooding. Bree stared at me with owlishly eyes. A smile unknowingly passed my lips.