Hi, my name's Mac.

My definition of a friend?

I don't know.

I have many friends.

Everyone has there own definition of a friend.

Well, if that's true,

what's yours?

 

I looked into the full-body mirror when I almost walked out the door for school. I'm a skinnier than the normal sixteen year old girl and I am really pale for one. My dark brown hair flows like a waterfall down to my waist. I looked into the brown eyes that starred back at me. Freckles dotted my cheeks went with my brown magnified glasses. I smiled into the mirror showing my braces on my almost white teeth.

"Hurry, Mac! You're gonna be late for school!" A motherly voice yelled from the kitchen. I grinned harder as I thought of my mom. It was me and her forever. My dad left us when I was born. She says I got all my looks from him. They both decided to buy this house when they got married, then the people of this little town decided to build a school right next to my house.

I grabbed my backpack and walked out the door. The soft blue shirt and black shorts hugged me. I didn't need a jacket, it's the middle of spring. Cars drove by in the not-so-snow-covered roads. The road is never that busy, a few cars drive by now and then. I looked both ways and walked across the road into the school yard. I started whistling. This week is so slow. It's Wednesday. Wednesday! It should be Friday right now.

"Hey!" Hands pounced onto my shoulders. I jumped away before turning to see it was one of my friends, Aubrey. Her milk chocolate hair was up in a bun today, keeping it off of her blue eyes and caramel skin. She had the usual makeup on that brought out her high cheekbones.

"Stop that!" I told her as I shoved her playfully. She was wearing a grey tank top with short jean shorts. Aubrey wore bright red high heels today that matched the red nail polish she had on her nails. She always had two girls that followed her around, but they weren't here right now.

"But it's SO fun." Aubrey whined then started giggling.

"And, you're going to get in trouble for what you're wearing. As soon as the principal sees-" I started to say.

"He won't see me. We're," Aubrey gestured to both of us. "gonna ditch school. Going to a awesome party. It's gonna be off the hook!" She raised her hands in the air and pretended to fall backwards. "Drew is gonna be there. So is Liam, and James, and Alex, and Carter." Aubrey said excitingly.

"No, Aubrey. We can't ditch school. If someone finds out, we'd be busted and-" I shook my head as I talked.

"Cameron is coming too." Aubrey talked as if she was saying nothing that mattered. She knew that was my weak point. I always had a major crush on Cameron, his blonde shaggy hair, perfect blue eyes, his strong arms. I blushed. Should I really do this? "All the popular kids are coming. Don't you wanna be popular." Aubrey brushed my hair lightly. I slowly nodded.

"Fine, I'll go, but how are we getting there?" I asked and she started grinning.

"Cameron is gonna drive us. He's waiting a block away from here." Aubrey told me quickly then grabbed my wrist before I could say anything and dragged me down the block. As soon as I saw Cameron's red convertible filled with my peers, I walked normally, keeping my head down. I hoped in the back of the car.

"We all set? We're the last ones to leave." Cameron asked Aubrey. She nodded vigorously. The car started and we were off. My hair whipped around wildly.

"I got you, girl." Aubrey said as she grabbed my hair and put it in a ponytail. Then she pulled out bright red lipstick lipstick. "We are going to a party, so" Aubrey applied the lipstick before I could stop her. "you need to looked gorgeous." She smiled and pulled out eyeliner.

"Wait. Stop. I'm not allowed to have makeup on, Aubrey. I shouldn't have come." I told her and looked out from the car.

"Mac, you wouldn't wanna let your best friend down, would you?" Aubrey frowned as she spoke, then made a pouty face.

"O-Okay. Okay." I gave in. I ginned then told me to close my eyes. I obeyed as she made me glamorous with makeup. I sighed. Gotta look good to impress guys, right? Right, ya, definitely. Maybe? The car stopped abruptly.

"We're here! Come on." One girl sitting in the front of the car yelled and hopped out of the car. Everyone jumped out. I saw a circus tent up the driveway we parked next to.

"Hey, Pencil, come on!" Someone yelled as I slowly got out of the car. It took me a moment to realize they were talking to me. I blinked in shock a few times.

"What's with that nickname?" I asked Aubrey.

"What? You haven't been called that before? That's been your nickname since you were, like, seven. You know, because you are like a pencil. Really skinny." Aubrey started cracking up for some reason after she finished talking. I just walked into the party sadly after that.

Music played, everyone danced, I slowly became more comfortable. There were weird smelling drinks, though. But overall, I was having a good time. That is until someone touched me in a inappropriate spot and I saw an alcoholic drink being passed around. I started to panic. I quickly dashed outside of the party and pulled out my phone. I realized it was night time. I thought I was only in there for about an hour. Then I thought about the weird smelling drinks. I suddenly barfed at the thought. Now it really smelled bad. I breathed slowly with a taste that was unexplainable.

"Mac! Wait! Don't leave please." Aubrey had come out after me.

"Aubrey. They had alcoholic drinks and-" I started protesting.

"Fine. Just please, I can't get in trouble one more time, I'll be suspended! Please." Aubrey begged me.

"Aubrey, leave." I commanded her. She opened her mouth for a few seconds then she closed it and darted back into the party. I looked back to my phone and called my mom. It rang. And rang. Finally, someone picked up the phone.

"Hello? Mac? Where are you?"

"Mom! Can you please come to Elms Street? It's right off Main Street. Mom, I made some mistakes, please."

"Oh, Mac, I'm already driving. I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't worry."

"Alright Mom. Thanks. Love you." I ended the call. I stood there for a few minutes, glancing at the pool of barf on the ground. I heard a car pull up. I saw the familiar white Chevy minivan with its light on. I ran to it and jumped in the front seat to see my mom in tears. She leaned over and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry." I cried into her shoulder. After a few minutes my mom started driving back to our house.

"You aren't in trouble from me, well except I am confiscating your phone tomorrow, but you are going to get in real trouble because to school might be mad, so what's your explanation?" My mom asked with a straight face.

"Well, um, Aubrey and her friends were sick today, so I thought I could go to the party and be popular." I lied. I lied to my mother.

"How did you get there?"

"I took a bus."

"Okay Mac. Please don't do this again." My mom drove us home, I slept, and woke up then went to school as usual. Only one thing was different, I went to the principal's office after my mom explained what had happened on the phone. I sat there, facing the principal.

"Mac, I know this is a one time thing, but are you sure your friends were sick? There mothers didn't call." The principal asked me one more time.

"I'm sure they were sick. They had a sleep over and all got sick, it was a twenty-four hour thing." I told her solemnly. She wore a gray pantsuit that looked nice with her ebony hair that was in a french twist. She wore makeup that was subtle.

"Alright, Mac. We're giving you ISS for one day. In School Suspension for one day. Please proceed to the room a few doors over. You will be doing schoolwork." The principal explained as I stood and went to ISS, waiting for the day to end.

 

Finally the day has ended. I ran home, opened the door and hugged my mom. I have such a great life. I am so lucky to get through that and have a welcoming mom appear instead of an angry one. I ate left over lasagna for dinner. I slept so good that night. I woke up the 'bing' of my phone next to my bed. I saw my mom had left my phone next to my bed. I yawned and picked it up.

I had gotten forty-nine new texts! My eyes widen as I looked at all of them. I froze once I started reading. It was opened up to almost the whole school, including Cameron.

"Pencil is SO lame! Please, she can't handle a little drink! Let's all ignore her. Did you know she actually told on me. This is my last week at school. I'M BEING EXPELLED!" The first one read. It was from Aubrey.

"Especially Cameron. She has the BIGGEST crush on him. Like I mean biggest crush." Aubrey continued. I read on, the texts got worse and worse. I turned off my phone. A tear drizzled down my freckled cheek. My mom called me down to eat breakfast. I wiped the tear of my cheek, got dressed, and went down the stairs that led to the yellow kitchen. I told her I wasn't hungry then left for school.

"Hey! There's Pencil! No she's skinnier. She's Paper!" A group of people, including Aubrey, called out at me. I put my head down.

"Stop! Stop all of it! Stop the texts! Just stop!" Someone called out. I looked over to see Cameron yelled at the mob. Aubrey looked shocked.

"Aubrey! Guess what. She actually kept your little secret. I told the principal. You wanna know why? It's because she is a beautiful girl. One that doesn't want to go to parties like that and drink. She is amazing just the way she is." Cameron looked at me. He finally turned away from the group and walked with me to my locker.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked me.

"I am now." I told him. He leaned in closer to me, and we kissed.

 

My definition of a friend?

Well, it would probably be,

Someone who is kind,

someone who doesn't care about how you look,

someone who stands up for you,

someone who will make you feel better when you're sad.

That's my define of a friend.

What's yours?