So Typical

by Martha Greenwood

  "Well, not exactly," Meghan gulped. "She's kind of in a depression now."

  "Wait—we're talking about Scarlett White, right?" Hank asked. "The smartest girl in school, not to mention a pretty damn hot, smart chick," he mumbled the last part. "Why would someone who is that hot be depressed?"

  "You know, not everything is about looks," Meghan retorted.

  "Well, look who's talking," one of the football players mumbled.

  Meghan glowered at the football player who had made the comment, but let it go and merely looked around the room.

  "We need to get Scarlett down here," Tom said.

  "Even if we do somehow get her out of her depression, who is going to pay for the plane ticket? It's not like her mother is the richest person in the world. And even if we do somehow get her back down here, who is that going to help. She isn't a doctor. She isn't a miracle worker. She can't just walk in the room, and 'poof,' Tristan's awake. It's not going to work like that," Meghan argued.

  "Well, maybe her voice can wake him up. I've read articles about that happening with loved ones," Hank said.

  Meghan looked at him dubiously. "You read articles?" she questioned.

  "Well, I read the titles of the articles."

  "That sounds more like it." Meghan smiled self-satisfactorily. "How are we going to get her here, then?" she asked.

  "My dad would give me the money if I asked him for it," a quiet voice spoke from the corner of the room.

  Everyone looked around and saw Mary, Tristan's younger sister, sitting quietly in the corner.

  "You would do that?" Meghan asked.

  "If it helps my brother, I can get the money," Mary answered.

  Meghan smiled. "Then let's get to work on getting Scarlett back down here."

  * * *

  Her chest hurt so much she thought she was going to explode. And this was just the beginning.

  Life went on, though.

  It went on, but not easily.

  The minutes felt like hours.

  The hours felt like days.

  The days felt like weeks.

  The weeks felt like months.

  Nobody had been able to make her feel any better. Chloe, Zoey, and Millie had done their best to try and ease Scarlett's pain, but again nothing helped Scarlett's depression. They had even had a slumber party, but Scarlett barely remembered the sleepover.

  It was a Friday, and she was shaken rather roughly by someone who was much too effervescent for her own sullen mood. Bright aqua blue eyes were staring anxiously at her from above her head. A light brown strand of hair dangled from her head. When she realized Scarlett had woken up, she smiled.

  "Well, hello, 'Little-Miss-Sleep-In-Till-They-All-Think-I'm-Dead.' It's about time you woke up; it's nearly the middle of the day."

  "Melody?" Scarlett's voice cracked from lack of use. She didn't talk to anyone these days.

  "Well, duh. You're looking right at me—Dad told me about what happened, and I am determined to make you feel a hell of a lot better. So let's get started. You don't look so good. When was the last time you wore makeup? And your hair... We are definitely going to need to do something about that rat's nest. Have you not been out of this bed at all? You need some exercise, some fresh air. I know! You can go to the beach bash that a bunch of the kids from the high school are having. My best friend's sister goes to that high school. You might know her. I think her name is Chloe Levine."

  Scarlett was too overwhelmed to realize that Melody had already pulled her to her feet and was circling her like a predator does its prey, muttering to herself. She only cared enough to catch a few glimpses of what Melody was saying, "Needs new clothes...eyeliner...foundation...bronzer...some new shoes...maybe stilettos...definitely a new curling iron...green will suit her best...maybe yellow...a golden yellow...silk, denim, Gucci, Prada, Juicy Couture, Chanel. Ralph Lauren won't do her well...no, not at all..."

  Finally Scarlett realized what was going on. Her brain wasn't functioning as quickly as it used to. She whipped around and glared at Melody. Which was close to impossible; Melody's bubbly face made it hard to stay mad at her. Her bright sea colored eyes were inundated with over-enthusiasm, her upturned smile shined a glossy white from her perfectly shaped teeth and was almost too blinding to stare at for too long.

  "You're not changing me," Scarlett rejoined. She surprised herself. She hadn't felt this much emotion since the night that Tristan had first kissed her after she had caught Francis cheating on her with a cheerleader. "I'm not wearing makeup, new designers, or anything else. I just don't care anymore. It doesn't matter, not anymore."

  "Sure, sure," Melody said, grasping Scarlett's arm and pulling her down the hall and three doors to the right, into a room Scarlett had never entered. While Melody skipped gleefully over to a lavender vanity stocked with all sorts of different eyeliners, mascaras, eye-shadow colors, blushes, bronzers, eyelash-curlers, and many other things that Scarlett had never seen before in her life, Scarlett stopped in amazement looking around the room.

  Its walls were painted a soft pink with white trimming. There were many pink, fluffy pillows everywhere, on the bed, on the chair, on the bench, on the white couch that faced an LCD television. A mirror trimmed in gold was set into the opposite wall, taking the entire wall to fill; ceiling to floor.

  Scarlett gasped, and Melody didn't miss it; she turned around smiling smugly. "You like?" she asked, wriggling her eyebrows up and down suggestively. "I've always loved my room. My dad was really generous when it came to surprising me with material things," Melody continued, indicating the large television on the opposite wall.

  "This is really...amazing..." Amazingly expensive. How much did that stereo cost? And don't even get started with the television...

  "Thanks. Now, sit down and be ready to get beautified by yours truly."

  "Melody..." Scarlett said in a hesitant voice.

  "Oh, shut up and sit your butt down here this instant." Her voice had the essence of authority about it. "You know, many would be honored to be worked on by moi." And Scarlett instantly thought about Chloe, Zoey, and Millie—for the first time in days. They all wanted to be exactly like Melody. Everybody did, even though Melody hadn't been to Humphrey Day in years.

  Reluctantly Scarlett trudged over the white shag rug to the purple silk seat next to the purple vanity and looked into the wide mirror that was surrounded by white light bulbs.

  God, she did look like crap.

  But that was going to change; for better or for worse, Scarlett didn't know.

  Soon enough it was Saturday afternoon, and Melody had finished with Scarlett's makeover. Though Scarlett looked better than she had ever looked in her entire life, she didn't feel at all better than she had in her life. During lunch that day, while Timothy, Rosa, Melody, and Scarlett all sat around the dining room table eating—Melody was staying for the week; she was convinced by her dad to help Scarlett get back on her feet—Timothy asked, trying desperately to make conversation, "So, Scar, what do you think of your new look?"

  Scarlett nodded and tried to look happy, but didn't succeed. Timothy looked at Melody, urging her to say something.

  "Hey, Scar," Melody said, happy suddenly, "What about seeing a movie tonight before the beach party?" she asked as her face lit with enthusiasm.

  "Sure, that sounds...great." Scarlett didn't care enough to come up with a better adjective, so she left it at that.

  And then finally Rosa spoke up, "You haven't seen Charles in a while."

  "What are you talking about?" Scarlett asked, looking at the three faces in front of her.

  "Oh, that's right. I haven't told you yet…" Rosa said with a smile on her face. "Timmy had Charles flown over here. He's in a new hospital, right over in the next neighborhood. It's only about a ten minute drive to him. I can give you directions."

  And that was what did it. Charles. Scarlett had completely forgotten about him in her depression. Scarlett jumped up from her seat and, for the first time in years, hugg
ed her mother. And she also hugged Timothy for the first time since he had been introduced in her life.

  "Yeah," and for the first time in a while Scarlett didn't have to pretend to be happy, "Yeah, I think I will go visit him after lunch, before the beach party."

  Chapter Seventeen – The Beach Bash

  Scarlett left from her visit with Charles around six o'clock that night. She had spent all day with him. She had arrived at the new hospital around twelve o'clock as soon as she had finished lunch with Rosa, Timothy, and Melody. Now she was heading to the cinema that was located downtown to go to a movie with Melody. She didn't know her soon-to-be-stepsister that well, and maybe this movie date would help with that. Though Scarlett was still partially depressed about the recent events of her life, she thought that maybe this was exactly what she needed to get out of her funk.

  She met up with an auburn haired, blue eyed Melody who was bouncing lightly on her toes. She was wearing a one-shouldered orange shirt that matched her tanning-bed-made skin tone perfectly. She wore white skinny jeans which were tucked into fashionable cowboy boots. She looked stylish and chic as she waited in line to buy the tickets.

  "Hey." Scarlett popped up next to her in line.

  "Hey, how was Charles?"

  "He's okay. What movie are we going to see?"

  "I'm not sure yet."

  "Awesome." Scarlett smiled, loving how eccentric Melody was.

  "So after this, you're going to the beach party, right?" Melody asked.

  "Oh, yeah."

  "You don't seem all that excited about it."

  "No, no, I'm excited." Scarlett's pathetic attempt at happiness didn't fool Melody.

  "You'll have a great time, I promise."

  "I don't really know anybody."

  "Sure you do. My dad told me that you are friends with the most popular people at school," Melody contradicted.

  "How did he know that?"

  "He's on the board of the school's committee. And so are…oh, what are their names? Chloe, Zoey, and Millie, I think. Well, their parents are as well," Melody explained.

  "Oh. Are you going to the beach party as well?" Scarlett asked, hoping for an affirmative answer.

  "No, I have a couple of friends coming into town that I want to meet up with," Melody explained. "But it'll still be fun without me, I promise. And it'll help get you out of this funk."

  "I guess you're right," Scarlett agreed.

  "Of course I'm right. Oh, hello. Two tickets for…um…how about 'Kick-Ass'? Is that any good?" Melody asked the person behind the glass.

  "There have been great reviews about the movie. But you have to be at least twenty-one to get a minor in," the boy behind the counter said.

  "Oh, how flattering. You think I'm younger than twenty-one and she's younger than seventeen." Melody giggled and dug into her purse. "Well, if you want some IDs, here you go, you silly, ol' boy."

  "Oh, sorry. It's okay. I don't need to see your IDs. Here are your tickets."

  Melody winked at the boy. "Thanks, hun."

  Scarlett took her ticket tentatively while Melody snatched hers up and seemingly glided through the doors of the theater.

  "I'm only sixteen," Scarlett whispered once they entered the building.

  "Yeah, and I'm only nineteen. You just have to act like you know what you're doing, and anybody will believe that you're older than you actually are. Especially if you have mounds like these." Melody jutted her chest out.

  "Melody!" Scarlett giggled.

  "Whatever. They help me get what I want." Melody winked and joined the line to get some popcorn. "So, are there any cute boys at Humphrey Day these days?"

  "Oh…well, I…I guess I have a boyfriend."

  "You guess?"

  "Well, I mean, it's a long distance relationship. He lives in Florida. We've only been going out for a few weeks. And…he's kind of in the hospital right now from a football accident," Scarlett explained.

  Melody gasped, and genuine concern filled her ocean colored eyes. "Oh, my God. I'm so sorry."

  "Yeah…that's why I've been so depressed lately."

  "Are you going to go see him anytime soon?" Melody asked.

  "I can't just leave school, and I don't have any money. And with our parents' wedding around the corner, I don't want to ask for any more money," Scarlett replied.

  "Well, maybe after the wedding, my dad will give you some money. He's good about that kind of thing. I used to just ask my father for money whenever I needed it when I was a teenager, and he would simply give it to me. He never asked for what. He's really a nice guy, you'll soon learn," Melody said.

  "He's already done more than enough by flying Charles up here so that I can visit him," Scarlett responded.

  After the movie was over, Melody and Scarlett talked for a few more minutes before they parted, and Scarlett called Chloe to get the directions to the beach for the party even though she wasn't in the mood for a beach party. She wasn't in the mood for any kind of party. She was particularly in the mood for a certain someone who was stuck down in the southern region of the US of A in a coma.

  And then there was Christian Cox. He looked just like Tristan Cox, probably because—at least in Scarlett's mind—they were cousins. They had to be. They looked too much alike; they had the same last name, and, for Heaven's sake, their first names rhymed. They had to be related in some way. Anyway, Christian was nice to Scarlett, and she had a suspicion that he had a crush on her. During school, she would catch him looking in her direction. And she would overhear her name being mentioned in his conversations during lunch. And he would find little things to say to her to start a conversation between them. But every single time Scarlett was around him, she was reminded of Tristan and how kind he had been to her in those last days that she had gone to Watson High. And whenever she was around Christian, she simply wanted to cry.

  Chloe, Zoey, and Millie met up with Scarlett in the parking lot that was located right next to the beach. They were all wearing jeans tucked into boots. Since the temperature was going to drop to below forty degrees Fahrenheit, Chloe was wearing a stylish black sweater, Zoey was clad in a red sweater, and Millie was clothed in a pale blue sweater. Scarlett was relieved that she had decided to wear a sweater as well. Though it was simply a white sweater, it was still a sweater, nonetheless.

  "Scarlett!" Zoey smiled. "I didn't think you would come."

  "I'm here." Scarlett smiled.

  "Glad you could make it," Chloe replied. "Come on, let's go see everybody." Chloe grabbed her hand and led her to the campfire.

  Scarlett saw about seven or eight people from school whom she knew; they sat at her lunch table. She saw Barney Kingsten, Vincent Symms, Kimberly Barnes, Drake Johnston, Helena Blakes, Randy Hemmingway, Sandra Brock, and Johanna Miles. They were all standing around the blazing fire with red, plastic cups in their hands. They all wore long jeans and shirts. Some of the girls were wearing cute hats and mittens. Most of the guys had on sweatshirts, and some wore letterman jackets. They were all laughing at each other's jokes. And then there were some other people that Scarlett hadn't seen before. Millie quickly explained that some of them were friends from other schools that people invited to mingle. At last, Scarlett's green eyes landed on Christian.

  Chloe giggled. "Well, go over there and talk to him, Scar. We all know you like him. And, believe me, we all know he likes you. He doesn't ever shut up about you when you're gone."

  "What are you talking about?" Scarlett asked.

  "Go talk to Christian."

  "I have a boyfriend," Scarlett whispered.

  "I didn't say go shove your tongue down his throat. Just go talk to him. There is no harm in that," Chloe replied with a smirk.

  "I don't know what to say," Scarlett argued.

  "Honestly, how did you even get a boyfriend?" Zoey said exasperated. "You are so shy. Come on, I'll help you through it."

  "Wait. Stop. You don't understand. Please, Zoey, quit!"

  Zoey laughed the entire trip
over to Christian. He looked up just as Zoey and Scarlett reached his side. He had been talking to one of his football buddies, but immediately stopped when he noticed that Scarlett was next to him. Scarlett began to blush when his brown eyes locked with hers.

  "Hey." He smiled.

  "Hey," Scarlett said breathlessly, fatigued from the struggle of trying to tug away from Zoey.

  "Well, have fun, you lovie dovies." Zoey smiled and pranced off in the opposite direction.

  "She's so infuriating," Scarlett said to Christian.

  "Why? What did she do?" Christian asked.

  "Um…nothing. Never mind. So what are you up to?" Scarlett asked, looking at the red cup in his hand.

  "Nothing really. My friend dragged me here. I didn't want to come."

  "Same here. Well, my future stepsister insisted that I come," Scarlett answered.

  "Ah. Melody?"

  "Yeah. It seems that everyone knows her."

  "I know about her. I don't know her," Christian corrected.

  "That's what I meant."

  "Do you want me to get you something to drink? There's beer in that cooler," Christian offered.

  "No. I don't drink."

  "Really? So, you're a good girl."

  "Yep, that's me. Goody, goody two-shoes."

  "Do you want to go for a walk?"

  "Yeah, sure." Scarlett smiled up at Christian and followed him down the beach.

  As they were walking away, Zoey nudged Chloe. "What do you think? Give 'em…two weeks, and then they'll be the 'It' couple of Humphrey Day. New Girl with Mr. Popular. I can see it now."

  "I'll give them until Friday," Chloe said.

  "Really? You think that soon?" Millie asked.

  "Yeah. Christian likes her and wants her. And you know he always gets what he wants," Chloe explained.

  "That's true," Millie replied, looking down as she tried to hide her face from her friends, and succeeded. They didn't even notice the shameful look she wore.

  "How cold do you think that water is?" Scarlett asked Christian.

  "Want to test it out?" Christian asked, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. Scarlett couldn't help but giggle at his facial expression. It reminded her so much of Tristan.