The Bump. Lauren Castleton

claiming my brown hair is too pretty to be completely concealed. I’m relieved. And after a messy two hours, I look like a new person. Standing in front of the fingerprint-smudged mirror, I lift my shirt to reveal my piercing and gaze at the overall picture of myself. Riley leans on the doorframe, watching me.

      “I like it,” she says.

      My formerly mousy, brown, shoulder-length hair looks fun and funky. Even though I don’t usually wear makeup, I feel like the highlights give me some edge. I guess now I can see why Riley colors her hair and tries to look different. Where I didn’t feel like I fit in before, at least now I look interesting. I stare down at my Converse sneakers and my torn skinny jeans for a moment. Then I say, “Me too.”

      “Well, let’s not keep you locked up in here. Let’s go show the world the new you!”

      Riley grabs her Polaroid and drags me down the street to Denny’s to get a soda. She snaps pictures of random people passing by and then rushes over to give them their stills. Finally, she finds a person who offers to take one of us. We pose in front of a “For Sale” sign hanging in a vacant store window. When the photo develops, Riley hands it to me and tells me that I should have it. I stare at the picture of us and recognize Riley, but not me. It opens up a new feeling I’ve never experienced before. Like I’m a part of something, that I’m accepted.

       Chapter 3

      My parents don’t really buy my story about the hair color being for drama class, but since it isn’t super noticeable, they let me off easy, lecturing me instead about lying rather than having purple highlights in my hair. I don’t tell them about the belly button ring. Nevertheless, I get grounded for two weeks.

      When my grounding is lifted, Riley and I make plans to go to a football game against Figley High. She picks me up at six. Since it’s a home game, Riley shows me which side of the bleachers we have to sit on, and I climb the steps behind her to where Andy is waiting. She explains that Kerry and Reid are both on the team, so we’ll have to catch up with them later. Our side of the bleachers is a sea of red that wavers as people stand and move to catch up with friends. The opposing team is a sheer white that counters our side equally.

      I slide in next to Riley on the cold metal bleacher and lean across to say hi to Andy. He takes a few long drags from his cigarette before squeezing my hand in salutation. When the game finally starts, the temperature seems to have dropped ten degrees. I tuck myself into my jacket and try to keep up with the game. Andy points out some of the basics and explains to me Kerry’s and Reid’s positions. I still don’t follow, even in the simplest of terms.

      The game finally ends, the outcome in our team’s favor, and I hop into Riley’s car, off to some post-game party. It ends up being at Kerry’s house, and an enormous swell of people is already flowing into the house. I climb up the porch steps behind Riley, navigating through the impossibly thick mass of bodies. Somehow, Riley’s able to locate Kerry and some of the other guys. The first person I notice, however, is Reid. The red from the cup in his hand reflects on the lens of his black, kinda dorky, thick-rimmed glasses, and his body sways gently to the pounding pulse of the music. He towers over me as he flashes me one of his mesmerizing smiles. I feel a nudge from Riley and look at her expectantly.

      “Yes?” I ask.

      “Earth to Viv,” she says waving her hands in front of my eyes jokingly. The others laugh, and I blush and lock my gaze on the floor.

      “Here, maybe this will loosen you up,” Kerry says, extending a red cup to me.

      “What is it?” I ask. They all laugh again and shake their heads. Reid doesn’t laugh; he merely smiles and watches as I take a swig from the cup. The carbonation from some sort of soda stings my nose a bit, and some other added ingredient burns my throat.

      “There you go,” Andy says, slapping me on the back in encouragement. I take a few more sips, each one gradually getting bigger. Before I know it, I find myself swaying on the dance floor amid a throng of people I don’t know. I feel happy. I laugh at people’s expressions and interrupt Riley and Kerry in the middle of a make-out session to show them my belly button piercing. I finish every cup someone hands me, and the total number of them drifts from my thoughts. I begin to feel dizzy and look for someone familiar. I stumble upon Reid, and he looks down at me with wild eyes and an excited expression. He takes hold of my hand and drags me across the room to Kerry, Riley, and Andy. Reid makes me feel giggly.

      I bump into Riley and point out to her that Reid is holding my hand. I want to show everyone. Suddenly, though, Riley’s body convulses, and her face turns a greenish hue. Before any of us have time to react, she vomits all over Andy. He stands in shock, studying the bile running down his front in horror. I can’t help giggling. Reid follows my lead, and we both stand there laughing at Andy. Kerry takes Riley to the bathroom as a wave of dizziness washes over me again. I sway, clinging to Reid, and then black out . . .