Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: A Rip in the past

The annoying screech of my alarm clock made me shoot up in bed. It was 6:45 A.M. on the morning of my second day of school. Off came my pajamas as I slipped on my new masterpiece that I made in less than three hours last night. Posing in front of my full-length mirror I twirled in my navy flutter hem dress, complete with a sewn-on thin lace belt and gold accessories. On my feet, I sported faux leather cork wedges with 4 miniature gold buckles, which I borrowed from my Mom’s closet. My hair was extra poofy and was held out of my eyes with a sequined headband.
I hopped down the stairs two steps at a time, and cut my toast into perfect triangles. Slinging my tote over my shoulder, and waving goodbye to my Mom, I set out through the moist grass toward the bus.
The gravel crunched under my wedges, as I tried my best to strut towards the door. Standing in a big clump of sixth graders, I paused to examine my dress. The lace belt ties were laying limply at my sides, and I blushed, remembering how I forgot to tie them this morning. I dropped my tote to my feet and struggled to tie the belt in the back. I heard familiar giggles coming from behind me. An even more familiar voice, namely Kami Boyd spoke.
“Let me help you with that.” She said in a friendly tone.
Deciding that she couldn’t possibly do any harm by tying together two strings, I held them out. She took them with two manicured fingers and began to tie. I heard two giggles and then a rip, a split, a tear, and more giggling. Spinning around red-faced I shrieked.
“How could you!?”
Hot tears were forming in my eyes, as I clutched the back of my dress. Seizing my tote from the ground, I tore through the crowd of seventh graders, and pushed through the door. I pulled off my shoes and ran to the bathroom, desperately holding my tears in like a sponge. I ran into a bathroom stall and sat on the closed toilet seat sobbing about my ruined masterpiece, my stupid life, my single mom, my friendless social life, and everything. It all poured out of my broken heart so freely. Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.
“Excuse me.” A raspy voice said.
“One minute.” I said with a heavy head.
I strapped on my shoes and clutching my back with one hand I unlocked the door. There stood Mehgan Anderson in a faded gap t-shirt with long khaki pants.
“I- I just heard you crying, and w-wanted to make sure that you w-were okay.” She said looking at her shoes.
“Thanks.” I sniffled.
Mehgan eyed the back of my dress.
“W-What happened there?” she asked, trying to tug something out of her rain boot.
“Oh… it’s nothing. I just didn’t backstitch enough, and it ripped the whole back of my dress.”
Mehgan finally tugged a little sack out of her boot. Pulling out a gleaming sewing needle and thread, she smiled.
“I always carry this with me.” She said beginning to fix the back of my dress. “Last year, in 5th grade…” Mehgan blushed. “Kami Boyd humiliated me by cutting the back of my favorite dress, accidently.” She used air-qoutes for the word “accidently”.
I looked at my shoes and blushed. “Oh….” I said.
“I got so mad, that I went and joined the sewing club and learned how to sew my dress good as new, just to show her that it was no big deal…” she continued. “Then, I got hooked on sewing, and have been doing it every day ever since.”
“Oh my gosh!” I said, obviously startling her, because she stopped sewing and asked if she had hurt me. “Oh, no it’s not that… It’s just that I do the same thing! I sew all of my outfits.”
Mehgan cracked a smile. “I am kind of afraid of wearing my outfits to school, you know- after what Kami did to me before.”
“I know what you mean…” I said. “Kami was the one who really did this to me. I was foolish to think that she could be friendly.” I gulped.
Neither of us spoke.
Mehgan tied the ending knot and put the sack back into her boot. I felt the place where the rip used to be and was relieved to know that it disappeared.
“Thanks so much Mehgan!” I said giving her a hug.
“It’s no problem.” She shrugged. “Now we’d better get to class, the bell will ring soon!”
Waiting for me to check my running mascara, she followed me out the door.

I, Nallah Kathryn Richardson have found my first new friend. Her name is Mehgan.

As the day progressed, Mehgan and I talked and talked. We passed notes, and didn’t even blush once when Kami, Klaire, and Kara laughed at us to our faces. We traded sewing techniques and before I headed out to my bus, she slipped me a note. It read:

Nallah,
I would love it if you could come over after school tomorrow. Bring your sewing kit!
Your friend,
Mehgan

I was overjoyed, and skipped all the way home. That day ended up being the best day ever, even though it was different than what I had expected.