Perfect Chemistry Short Story
Perfect Chemistry
Simone Elkeles
For Moshe, who gave up so much for me
CHAPTER 1 Brittany
Everyone knows I'm perfect. My life is perfect. My clothes are perfect. Even my family is perfect. And although it's a complete lie, I've worked my butt off to keep up the appearance that I have it all. The truth, if it were to come out, would destroy my entire picture-perfect image.
Standing in front of my bathroom mirror while music blares from my speakers, I wipe away the third crooked line I've drawn beneath my eye. My hands are shaking, damn it.
Starting senior year of high school and seeing my boyfriend after a summer apart shouldn't be so nerve-racking, but I've gotten off to a disastrous start. First, my curling iron sent …show more content…
Once I would have done anything for her, but that was before I caught her in another guy's bed over the summer. Or car, as it was.
"Come on, Alex. I promise not to bite . . . unless you want me to."
Carmen is my Latino Blood homegirl. Whether we're a couple or not, we still have each other's backs. It's the code we live by. "Get on," I say.
Carmen hops on my motorcycle and deliberately places her hands on my thighs while pressing against my backside. It doesn't have the effect she was probably hoping for. What does she think, that I'll forget the past? No way. My history defines who I am.
I try to focus on starting my senior year at Fairfield, the here and now. It's damn difficult because, unfortunately, after graduation my future will likely be as screwed up as my past. CHAPTER 3 Brittany
"My hair gets all frizzy in this car, Sierra. Every time I put the top down, my hair looks like
I've walked through a tornado," I say to my best friend as I drive on Vine Street toward
Fairfield High in my new silver convertible.
"Outward appearances mean everything." My parents taught me the motto that rules my life. It's the sole reason I didn't comment about the BMW when my dad gave me …show more content…
If that was any indication of the rest of senior year, this school will be anything but boring.
CHAPTER 4 Alex
I knew I'd be called into the new principal's office at some point during the year, but I didn't expect it to be on the first day of school. I heard Dr. Aguirre was hired because of his hard-ass personality at some high school in Milwaukee. Someone must have pegged me as a ringleader, 'cause it's my ass sitting here instead of another Latino Blood's.
So here I am, pulled out of gym so Aguirre can puff up his chest and ramble on about tougher school rules. I detect him feeling me out, wondering how I'll react, as he threatens me, ". . . and this year I've hired two full-time armed security guards, Alejandro."
His eyes focus on me, trying to intimidate. Yeah, right. I can tell right off that while
Aguirre might be Latino, he knows nothing about how our streets work. The next thing I know he'll be talking about how he grew up poor, just like me. He's probably never even driven through my side of town. Maybe I should offer to give him a tour.
He stands in front of me. "I promised the superintendent as well as the school board
Simone Elkeles
For Moshe, who gave up so much for me
CHAPTER 1 Brittany
Everyone knows I'm perfect. My life is perfect. My clothes are perfect. Even my family is perfect. And although it's a complete lie, I've worked my butt off to keep up the appearance that I have it all. The truth, if it were to come out, would destroy my entire picture-perfect image.
Standing in front of my bathroom mirror while music blares from my speakers, I wipe away the third crooked line I've drawn beneath my eye. My hands are shaking, damn it.
Starting senior year of high school and seeing my boyfriend after a summer apart shouldn't be so nerve-racking, but I've gotten off to a disastrous start. First, my curling iron sent …show more content…
Once I would have done anything for her, but that was before I caught her in another guy's bed over the summer. Or car, as it was.
"Come on, Alex. I promise not to bite . . . unless you want me to."
Carmen is my Latino Blood homegirl. Whether we're a couple or not, we still have each other's backs. It's the code we live by. "Get on," I say.
Carmen hops on my motorcycle and deliberately places her hands on my thighs while pressing against my backside. It doesn't have the effect she was probably hoping for. What does she think, that I'll forget the past? No way. My history defines who I am.
I try to focus on starting my senior year at Fairfield, the here and now. It's damn difficult because, unfortunately, after graduation my future will likely be as screwed up as my past. CHAPTER 3 Brittany
"My hair gets all frizzy in this car, Sierra. Every time I put the top down, my hair looks like
I've walked through a tornado," I say to my best friend as I drive on Vine Street toward
Fairfield High in my new silver convertible.
"Outward appearances mean everything." My parents taught me the motto that rules my life. It's the sole reason I didn't comment about the BMW when my dad gave me …show more content…
If that was any indication of the rest of senior year, this school will be anything but boring.
CHAPTER 4 Alex
I knew I'd be called into the new principal's office at some point during the year, but I didn't expect it to be on the first day of school. I heard Dr. Aguirre was hired because of his hard-ass personality at some high school in Milwaukee. Someone must have pegged me as a ringleader, 'cause it's my ass sitting here instead of another Latino Blood's.
So here I am, pulled out of gym so Aguirre can puff up his chest and ramble on about tougher school rules. I detect him feeling me out, wondering how I'll react, as he threatens me, ". . . and this year I've hired two full-time armed security guards, Alejandro."
His eyes focus on me, trying to intimidate. Yeah, right. I can tell right off that while
Aguirre might be Latino, he knows nothing about how our streets work. The next thing I know he'll be talking about how he grew up poor, just like me. He's probably never even driven through my side of town. Maybe I should offer to give him a tour.
He stands in front of me. "I promised the superintendent as well as the school board