Vanessa Has Second Thoughts

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Vanessa grabs a can and heads back to her room, but halfway there she slows down and starts wondering if this is really a good idea. She knows a lot of girls at school drink, but in her mind they are BASIC and not really what she admires. 

The truth is that she prefers being around the geeks, because they seem funny and smart. It’s just that Mariah is pretty and popular, and Vanessa thinks she should try to be more like her.

She hears laughter and stops, stunned to see Mariah herself walking toward the house with two guys.     

“Hey Sis!” she calls out. “Sorry about today.” 

The guy she’s with is dressed like a slob. And Mariah herself looks different. She’s wearing a lot of makeup and it’s like her volume is turned up. Breathlessly she explains that she’s had her phone off all day because she’s been cutting school with Damian, who’s 16.     

“We’re going to the park,” she says, winking and nodding toward Damian’s friend Carlos, who’s vaping and staring down the street. “Come with us.” She pulls a beer bottle out of her purse and waves it, singing, “We got forties!”

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