My Recycled Soul (A Sample)

I get up from the floor and then drag myself up the stairs to my room, trying to wake up. I have a quick shower, wash, dry and straighten my hair. I decide against wearing make-up. I am definitely not in the mood for socializing.

Standing in front of my cupboard deciding what to wear, I wonder if Jared will be there and if he will grace me with his attention, or if he will just disregard me again. I start to feel angry that he could do this to me. How could he be nice and all over me one day, and then totally shun me the next? I do not care if he has a history with Sarah. He should have just sat next to her on the beach then and left me out of it.

While pulling on a pair of jeans and a figure hugging t-shirt, I am not sure to what extremes people here go when dressing up for a party. I would not like to look like a beach-bum while everybody else looked as if they stepped out of the pages of a magazine - especially Sarah, I consider sarcastically.

Looking at myself in the full-length mirror on the back of my bathroom door, turning this way and then that, I am still contemplating changing when the doorbell chimes.

I hear Jane's voice introducing herself to Sean.

He replies, "Hi, Jane. Come in."

" My mom is waiting in the car," she apologizes.

I hear Sean calling, "Hello." He is probably waving and smiling at Jane's mom, halfway down the driveway.

Have to go as you are.

Quickly I throw a few things in my overnight bag. Then remembering to paste my fake smile on my face, I walk down the stairs, pretending to be excited.

I smile a greeting to Jane, grab my coat at the door and leaning past Sean, I call to my mom in the lounge, "Bye, Mom. See you tomorrow."

As I walk out the door I hear my mom's, "Bye, have fun," drifting toward me.

I say, "Bye," to Sean, and then Jane and I walk toward her mom's car.

Sean calls after me, "Do you have your phone?"

" Always." I look back over my shoulder.

" Keep it on this time."

" I will. Don't worry!"

We get in the car with Jane's mom and after Jane introduces me to her mom, we drive off. Sean waves from the door and I can hear his faint, "Bye," as I wave back to him.

We drive to the village. It is about a forty-minute drive, so it takes a while. I feel the excitement radiating from Jane and this in turn lifts my spirit, so I decide this could be fun, after all, even if Jared is there. I will just ignore him and make him feel what it feels like.