Short Story

Ruiz 1 Marisa Ruiz December 10, 2008 English 250 – Short Story Rising to the Occasion Even now at fourty-one years old, that painful day in 1985, still haunts her today. Dyke, Squid, Loser, Raven the Reject; just some of the many names they used to call her. She looked at her high school senior photo and thought, 25 years is a long time. It’s been quite some years since she opened the Triton’s annual. Pretty pathetic, it only had six signatures out of an institution of 1300 students. Wasn’t senior year supposed to be full of doting memories? She flipped through the crisp pages, smelling the musty scent of mothballs, the result of being boxed up for quite some time. Talk about opening a box of tormenting memories. That’s the social capricious world of high school. She lied back on her the soft comforts of her bed and remembered. At 17, Raven and her family relocated to southern California from Hong Kong when her father, a well-known philanthropist, sought endeavors back in the states. She was a gawky girl; shy and naïve; inept but wholehearted. Regardless of her god-awful braces, Raven never got tired of smiling. She always wore her jet-black hair in a high ponytail and hid her deep blue eyes behind her black-rim glasses. Wife-beaters, torn jeans, and pink high-top converse was her norm of daily attire with the occasional change in the color of her bra straps. By the looks of her, you couldn’t see much luster in the girl. Unless she was busy with the music club or at a meeting with the National Honor Society, she pretty much kept to herself at school. The very few friends she had were the “out-of-the-box” types; your classic four-eyed geeks wearing plaid shirts, corduroy jeans, and hush puppies and few others from the band of oddities and misfits.

Ruiz 2 At her high school, the social network at school was built on the foundation of the pecking order. Popular and pretty Samantha Tansley and her posse of vainglorious vixen were the elite girls at the top of the food chain. Mini skirts and boob tops, they were those “Daddy’s little girl” types who sat together at the same table every day at lunch. Sam was a tall slender teen with long dirty-blonde hair, blue eyes, and well endowed for a girl her age. Her girl friends, Abbey and Michelle were mere blue prints of Sam. All animated, loquacious, and full of bitchy cattiness. Talk about Barbie coming to life! Then there was the pompous prank playing jocks of the school, whose confidence was on the boarder line of cockiness. Blaine, the popular and charismatic hazel-eyed football player; San Clemente’s golden boy. Eye candy, that’s for sure. He was different. Blaine was one of those groovy high school guys who were cool to everybody. He was always kind to Raven. One day, he sat down to have lunch with her. And that’s when the problems started. Before the week of her final exams, the student government planned a “Final Fright Night” at Sinclair’s Drive –In Theatre. A repeat of “Nightmare on Elm Street III” was the feature, but who the hell went to the drive-in to actually see a movie? That’s when they approached her. To her amazement, Sam and the others extended their flag of friendship. They went on about how they misjudged her and how they REALLY thought she’d be a great addition to the group. After ranting about some superficial bullshit, in their typical way, they invited Raven to join them that weekend for the senior get together. Sam even offered to pick her up. After that year of out-and-out hell, the Snob Squad finally felt some remorse. Or so she thought. At her house that Saturday night, her newfound friends pulled into the driveway. Grooving and singing to Madonna’s top hit, “Holiday,” Michelle honked from her trendy white VW Cabriolet impatiently. When Raven got into the car, Abbey popped open a green bottle with

Ruiz 3 a lighter and handed it to her. As they zoomed away in the topless chariot, Sam threw her beer into a neighbor’s trash can which missed and smashed all over the driveway. Dollar bill in one hand and CD case in the other, Sam took the first bump and passed it around. Raven, not wanting to ruin a good thing, became the typical victim to peer pressure. As soon as they entered the drive-in, Sam stood up on her seat and screamed towards the guys in the step side Chevy. As they pulled up next to them, Sam jumped out and helped herself to the cooler full of beer. Hanging out with a bunch of the star-athletes and teen royalty was one night Raven didn’t want to forget. Shortly after, amidst all the fun, she started to feel a little queasy and that’s when the world around started to spin. The last thing she remembered was Michelle grabbing her by the hand and walking her to the Sam’s car. The rest of the night was pretty much a blur. She didn’t even remember getting home that night. What can you expect when you party for the first time? The following Monday, it didn’t take long for gossip to spread around the school. As she walked down the usually noisy hallway, people were staring at her and whispering under their breath. When she turned the corner towards her locker, she saw it. Right there in plain view for everyone to see, the photo. A passed out and topless Raven with beer bottles and coke next to her, with “coke whore” written across the top. When she turned around, there stood the triad of viscious queens smiling smugly. Covert in their cruelty, the friends she so hoped to have won over were at the very core of this diabolical scheme. Their predation fueled partly by jealousy, but purely for entertainment. Raven dropped her books to the floor and ran through the emergency exit into the stairwell and cried until she had no tears left. For a second, reliving that moment made her a little apprehensive about attending her 25th High School Reunion, but she continuously reminded herself that it was long ago - elaborate

Ruiz 4 rituals of terror and superficial teenage bitchery at its finest. But tonight is special. As she got dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror. Raven no longer had a mouth full of wire. She had gotten rid of her black-rimmed glasses back in college and her almond-shaped eyes were a bold indigo. Her long black tresses fell to the middle of her slender back teasingly showing her welltanned back in the red v-slit dress. Her education abroad led her to the most exotic of places. As a top-notch photojournalist, she won many prestigious awards. A philanthropist like her father, Raven was going to be honored at the reunion dinner for founding and funding the Social Acceptance Mission Scholarship for the students of San Clemente High School. Her stilettos echoed on the pool deck as she made her way slowly across the bridge to the ballroom entrance. The entrance was adorned with hundreds of twinkling lights in mini red paper made lanterns representing the colors of “The Almighty Tritons”. Shiny gold and black foil Streamers glistened in the light. She started to feel her nerves as the butterflies began to shutter in the center of her belly. Again, she had to remind her that there was a point to all of this. She came upon the bejeweled reception table where there was a group of people looking at the display wall full of high school photos and memories. Her hand was trembling as she signed the reception book. The red-haired woman in the linen tailored suit greeted her with a hug. Taking a deep breath, head up high and body poised, her gleaming smile concealed her discomfort, as it always did in those most stressful moments. She descended down the iridescent glittered spiral staircase into the ballroom. It was a star-studded celestial paradise with golden shroud wrapped pedestals lighted with candles. Dozens of balloons adorned the high ceiling. She followed her hostess to their table which was located right smack in the front of the podium in the center of the ballroom. A couple of friends who she managed to keep in touch with

Ruiz 5 throughout the years were there. She also realized that most of the group along with their savoirfaire attended as well. As the ceremony began, the student body president took the stand. A few others followed, all reminiscing about the memories and major events of our time. Soon enough the highlight of the evening came; it was Raven’s turn to shine. She stood up and gracefully walked to the podium, looked out at her fellow alumni and smiled. After a short pause, she cleared her throat and began. “San Clemente High School, thank you for accepting this scholarship. Unfortunately, many of our children have become victims to what society dictates what is cool and what is not. The effects of bullying in all its forms have had detrimental effects not only on the victims, but the bullies themselves. And with this scholarship, I hope it will create awareness and put and end to this issue. I envision a unity of love, self-respect, and social greatness for all our children. I want to sincerely thank those of you from our senior year who inspired me with a driving ambition to help all of the children facing these. It is through you and through your effects, you have caused me to seek a mindful and meaningful allegiance to find social serenity and conquer these indignities…this scholarship, the Social Acceptance Mission Scholarship, is dedicated to you.” Then, she smiled and walked away. From the ambience, you could tell that the audience knew whom she was referring to. After the ceremony, she grabbed a glass of wine and walked out to the balcony. She stood there for a moment for what seemed like an eternity. The full moon illuminated the white sand beach and shimmered in the reflection of the rippling ocean. She stared out into the darkness counting the diamonds sparkling against the midnight sky.