“What was going on with her?” Karyn wondered.
It was Friday, and she was looking forward to having a few days away from this school to get her head back on straight. Ever since that test, she didn’t quite feel like herself.
At first, it made sense. Karyn had been up late the night before playing computer games and missed out on some much-needed sleep. But after two, and then three, and then four days of that same detached, aloof, cotton candy feeling, she knew it wasn’t a typical run of the mill late-nighter. At least, not one she was going to cure through a few extra Z’s.
She smacked the bubblegum against her lips. The strangest part was that for all intents and purposes, she did feel good. That chill she couldn’t shake? It had slowly become a pleasant warmth-- the kind you just want to envelop yourself in. In fact, the only time she felt truly uncomfortable these past few days was when she thought too much about what was going on with her life. And when she had a wedgie. Paige had taken her on a shopping trip the other day, and while Karyn knew her haul from Victoria’s Secret was a huge improvement over the underwear she had been wearing before the makeover, they wouldn’t stop riding up! Even then, there’s no way she’d go back.
Her current condition’s effects weren’t just limited to Karyn, though. People were noticing. At first, she’d be answering a problem, or in the middle of conversation, and lose the word she was looking for. Like she was swimming in mind molasses. Then, it was overthinking interactions. She'd fill in the gaps with anything that came to mind. And after that, Karyn was talking too much to make up for the fact that she couldn’t remember what she wanted to say. It became a vicious cycle. Prattling on about everything, yet also nothing. All the words just gushed out of her. It was cathartic, yet at the same time horrifying for a reason she couldn't put her finger on. Warm. Airy. Light. Like she could act like this forever. Frankly, it was because she couldn’t help it.
These past few days had felt like she was slipping. But not like, slipping away from anything, more like she was slipping toward something else. But in the past couple hours, it felt good. Normal. Like she was always like this. She could always be like this. But did she want that?
Karyn looked at herself in the mirror. Blonde hair. Big boobs. Sarah. She nearly swallowed her gum.
“Ohmigawd you SCARED me.”
Sarah walked up to the sink next to her.
“Ugh. What. A. Day. You know? I really shouldn’t be saying anything. But did you hear what Gladys said about you?”
Karyn squinted her eyes inquisitively.
“She said you’re really becoming a total bitch.”
Karyn turned around furiously. Her friend? Gladys. Gladys BREWER. Why would her she talk trash like that? Behind her back! Obviously it was because Gladys was jealous. It wasn’t Karyn’s fault that people liked her now. Jealous of Karyn’s new friends. Her new wardrobe. God, Gladys was so DUMB. She looked back at Sarah, who was smiling, and watching her intently.
“UGH. That girl is dumber than rocks!” Karyn felt a jolt of energy run through her body. “She’s got to be like, some kind of ditz if she thought that wouldn’t get back to me." The bell for 1pm period went off, and time stopped. Karyn felt a clarity she hadn’t in the past week. She could think again! Her mind felt like it was racing a mile a minute.
“Hate to break it to you, but Gladys isn't the dumb one, Karyn. You are. Well, at least you are now.”
Karyn shuddered. She felt that warmth again down at her toes, creeping upward. “What are you doing to me?”
From her toes, to her calves.
“Nothing you didn’t do to yourself. I gave you the doors, and you pushed this one wide open.”
The warmth was at Karyn’s chest now. She felt it moving its way up.
“Sarah stop. Wait. Wait. Wait. You can stop this. I don’t like it. I don’t like it.”
Karyn was desperate. 3/4 of her body vibrated with a foreign energy. She had to fight it.
“I’ll do anything. Sarah, anything you want. Anything. Anything.”
Sarah looked on as Karyn stood there. Frozen in place. Thinking through how she could use this to her advantage. She put a hand on Karyn’s shoulder.
“FINE. Karyn. I’ll stop it. You know, this is all your fault. I wanted to teach you a lesson about making fun of people, but you couldn't help yourself. All those comments about valley girls - you really are obsessed with them, aren't you? Just need to find the rock.” She fished around in her pocket slowly. Too slowly for Karyn, whose head was now throbbing. The build-up had hurt. but now that it was here, it almost felt, good? That voice in her head that kept questioning what was going on wasn’t nearly loud enough to care all that much anymore. She almost wanted to shut it up. She couldn’t, could she? What would happen if she did? It was getting annoying.
“Hurry up, Sarah! I don’t know how long I can fight this!”
Suddenly it all made perfect sense. The slow thinking, the constant chatter, the way most of her sentences ended up sounding like questions. This wasn't her! It was Sarah! Sarah was ruining her life! She had to resist for just a few minutes longer while Sarah got the rock. She didn't want to be an airhead.
Sarah looked up, and grinned. The look on people's faces when you give them hope then snatch it away at the last possible second never got old.
“You really are dumb, aren’t you Karyn? Trusting me like that. Well at least the good news is that you won’t remember this. Or much else for that matter. Ditzy is going to look so good on you, Kay-kay. Can’t WAIT to meet the new you. Best of luck with your new life. Kisses!” Sarah turned on one heel and walked out of the bathroom door.
Her defenses crumbled. Karyn wanted to be mad. She wanted to scream and punch and steal the rock and get out of there. But the actions just didn’t come. She was too pre-occupied with what was going on inside her head. Her anger was being buried under an avalanche of new feelings, emotions, while other things she used to think were important fell away. Time started back up again, slower than she remembered, only this time there was no underlying strangeness. She didn’t remember any other way. It was just how things had always been. How she had always been. Ugh. She hated it when Sarah was right. Karyn WAS acting dumb. Another blonde moment. If she had a nickel for every time she had one of those!
Karyn could tell it was too late for something, but couldn't remember what. It had seemed important a few minutes ago. What was she too late for? Too Late. She thought hard about it. Late. Late. La-te. Latte. The word sounded funny to her. Why did they name the time after the coffee? Or maybe the coffee after the time? Her mind drifted off for a brief second. Lattes were good, but like, where was the whipped cream and caramel sauce? A Frappucino. Mmm. And the guy that worked the counter at Starbucks in East? Now that's something she wished was on the menu.
"Uh...Karyn?....."
She snapped out of her daydream. How had she not seen Paige walk in? She nearly squealed with excitement and surprise.
"So are you coming to class? Or just going to spend last period in the bathroom? Have you given any thought to trying joining us for cheer? We're desperate for backups."
