The Test

          "Lana? The Lana? As in Lana Delmond?" Ruby asks with rapture. I give my sister the-what's-got-you-so-excited-look.   "She actually talked to you?" Ruby repeats for the fifth time. We're both walking down the school hallway. Ruby to her gym class and me to math.   "Yeah, but it wasn't much, just hi. What's the big deal?" Ruby's eyes widen in shock, "Are you serious?" she gasps. She fans herself, "How can you not know? Lana Delmond is the prettiest most fashionable hottest popularest girl in Segil High! Not even the senior girls can beat her in popularity!"   I just give my sister a blank stare, " I didn't know."

 "Didn't know?" Ruby looks like she's gonna explode from the shock, "Amythest it's been about a week! How can you not know?"  "Uh, yeah. It's only been a week, do you think I'd know?"  Actually I didn't care either, but I had a feeling if I said that aloud she would beat me up.  Ruby sighs, "What did I expect? It's you after all."   She glances at me and sighs again, "What kind of older sister are you? Aren't older sisters supposed to be supportive and cool and know everything?"  "Sorry to disappoint," I reply sarcastically. Ruby rolls her eyes,  "Whatev-" she suddenly grabs my arm, jerking me to a stop.

Lana smiles and approaches us. "Oh my god, it's actually Lana Delmond!" Ruby whispers to me, barely containing herself. I feel exhausted already. Lately Lana has been making small talk with me. At first I thought she was being friendly, but she never attempts to befriend me. Usually people would ask if I wanted to hang out or if I ever felt like it I could join them. They always gave me friendly smiles. For some reason Lana's smiles were too nice. She smiled, but the friendliness wasn't in her eyes. Instead her eyes seemed to be watching me. Calculating. It was like she wanted something from me.

"Hey Amythest," she begins. "Uh, hi," I reply like usual. "Hey!" Ruby squeaks. Lana gives my sister a sugar sweet smile, "Hey, you must be Amythest's sister, Ruby, right?"   Ruby squeezes my arm in excitment. Ow, that hurts.  "Yeah, I'm Ruby. I'm a big fan of yours!"  Lana's eyes sparkle.  "Really? Cool! You've got good eyes."  Ruby beams. I sigh to myself. My foolish sister. Was being associated with someone popular that great?

Lana shakes her blonde hair revealing a streak of bright red hair. She digs in her purse, "I have something for you Amythest...and your sister too, I guess."   She pulls out a red envelope, "It's an invitation to my party tomorrow night. You're coming, right?"

"Actually, I'm not going," I reply. Ruby gasps.  "Are you sure?" Lana asks, watching me carefully. I smile, "Sorry, I'm not the party type."  Ruby grabs the invitation. "We can come!" she exclaims, shooting me a look of disbelief and disappointment.  "Don't worry I'll convince my sister to come," she assures Lana. Lana glances at her two friends, "Uh sure."  "Make sure to come to my party okay?" Lana says, then walks off.

Once Lana's far enough away, Ruby punches me in the shoulder, "Are you an idiot?"  "Yes," I reply.  "Lana herself asked you to her party! How can you refuse? You have to go!"  "I'm not going," I say with finality. Ruby glares at me, "Amythest you have to!"   I sigh. "I"m going to class," leaving her behind.

Yeesh, parties and social events! Thinking about it makes me feel nervous and drained. I'm sorry Lana, but I can't come, rather I don't want to come. First of all why would Lana invite a girl like me? I'm not pretty or popular and I'm new to the school. Could she really just want to be my friend? Was I just misunderstanding?

         My mom pokes her head inside the bedroom. "You're not going?" I shake my head, "Ruby can go if she wants. I'm not going to the party." I return to doing my homework.  "What kind of party is it?" my mom asks. I shrug, "How should I know?"  I was starting to feel irratated. Would everyone stop asking me about the party?  Since Lana was popular I wouldn't be surprised if some alcoholic drinks were at the party. Loud music blaring, people dancing, and making out. I shiver. I hope Ruby's going to be okay. She can take care of herself, so I'm sure she'll be okay. If mom found out about the alcohol Ruby would be in trouble.

Mom frowns, "Okay, don't talk to me. Go to sleep soon. It's already ten."  "I know," I reply. Ruby said she'd be back by eleven, but that was obviously a lie. "You have to help me sneak back in!" Ruby told me earlier.  "Just get in trouble, won't do you any harm," I replied. Ruby had rolled her eyes at me and left.

o   O   o

        "I can't believe you actually drunk some alcohol!" I hiss to Ruby. Ruby grins, brushing me off, "Oh come on it was just a little! I'm not that stupid."  "Uh-huh," I  say in a I'm-not-convinced-voice. Ruby closes her locker, "You should have gone! It was a blast!"  "Uh-huh."              Ruby shakes her head at me, "This is why you'll never get far in life Amythest."   I ignore her.

        In class everyone was talking about Lana's party. I ignore them, reading a book I checked out from the library.  "You didn't go?"  I look up. The boy to my right points to himself, " Me neither."  Okay...why was he telling me this?  "Just saying," he says. He starts playing a game on his hologram watch.  I go back to reading, just when I was getting absorbed he suddenly speaks up.  "I heard Lana personally invited you. Is it true?"  "Uh, yeah," I answer, eager to get back to the book.  "That was a dumb move," he mutters. I barely caught it.

Was he saying I should have gone? I don't care. I'm a loner. I don't socialize. Who cares what people think of me. Ugh...why was everyone asking me about the party so much? It's just a party---hosted by a super popular girl. Yeah...well, he didn't go either! I sigh, forget it. Back to reading.

o   O   o 

         "The gym?" A randome boy told me that Lana wanted to talk to me in the gym afterschool. Puzzled, I waited after school and headed to the gym. This wasn't...she wasn't going to bully me was she? It was just a party--hosted by a super popular girl. I arrive at the gym to find it empty. No one was here. I look around, maybe Lana hadn't arrived yet. Should I wait? I stick my hands in my jacket pocket. It would be rude to leave when she asked me to come. I decide to wait.

Lana wasn't planning to lock me in the gym was she? Right? Tired of standing I sit on the bleachers. I check the time. Three fourty-five. What was taking her so long?

"Sorry I'm late!" I immediately stand up. Lana beams at me as she walks over followed by her two friends, Serena and Kellen--I think. Lana hands me a bottle of coke. "I had to finish a test after school. I got you a drink on the way here."  "Um, thanks," I reply. Lana sits down on the bleachers. "I want to talk to you about the party." I twist the bottle cap to the coke open. Uh oh, here we go. "I'm sorry I didn't come," I apologize. Why was life so troublesome? All I want is to be left alone! Why am I getting involved with the popular girl?

I drink some of the coke. Lana smiles, "It's alright. I guess you're just shy. I understand."  "Really?" I ask. She nods, "It's just that --it kinda sucks when someone turns down your invitation."  "Sorry," I repeat. I do feel bad. Lana waves a hand at me, "No worries."                               "But I was wondering," I begin nervously, "why do you want me to go to the party so much?" Lana glances at Serena and Kellen, "Well...."

        Suddenly my legs give out and I find myself on the floor. What just happened? I try to move, but I can't feel my arms at all. It hits me. They drugged me!

Lana stands up. All I can see are her shoes, "Finally, I thought the drug would never kick in." What? Hell no! I can't believe it! My vision begins to blur.  "I thought it'd be cool to be friends with an Outsider, but I was wrong," Lana says to her friends. Her shoes face me, "She's like soooooo boring. She didn't even come to my party---that's an insult! It's like I got rejected!"

Suddenly I'm lying on my back instead of face down. Lana's foot is on my chest, "Outsiders aren't that special. I thought I'd become more popular if I was friends with you. Whatever." Lana's eyes light up, " I know! Your sister, she's an Outsider too!"  Lana gives me a disgusted look, "Ugh. Tie her up and throw her in the gym closet or something. What if I catch some sort of mutant disease from her?"  

Everything goes black.