Jealous

• Ivana Brehas, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

For my entire high school life, I hated Rebecca Anderson. I completely, utterly loathed her. She was popular and she was what some people might call “pretty”… But I had good reason to hate her. While I was on the outside looking in, stupid Rebecca was with her giant circle of friends, chattering and laughing, probably at me. I assumed people liked her for her looks, so when Rebecca got a Cleopatra-esque hairdo I got my mousey hair cut too. Seven people mistook me for a boy.
At 26 years old, I lived in the same city I always lived in. I worked as an editor of a local newspaper and lived in a townhouse – it was old and ugly and filled with old and ugly people. I detested it there, but it was all I could afford.
This sounds stupid, but I decided to spend the weekend at a hotel – an expensive one. I really needed it. Checking into the hotel was heaven. It was clean, and it was comfortable, and that was a big thing for me.
I didn’t leave my hotel room for the whole day on Saturday. I just ordered room service and watched TV. Everything was going great.
Late next morning, I felt more refreshed than ever when I went downstairs. I nearly tripped down the stairs when I saw her pass through the doors. I couldn’t believe Rebecca Anderson was checking into this hotel. After all these years, I still hated to look at her.
She looked rich, with her perfectly coiffed now-straight hair and giant expensive-looking sunglasses. Her dress was probably a one-of-a-kind design by Armani.
I hoped I wouldn’t make a bad impression. A t-shirt and jeans was probably too casual for Rebecca… I mean, for a hotel. Oh, who cared? It was my last day at the hotel - I might as well have some fun with this girl.
“Rebecca?” I asked innocently. “Rebecca Anderson?”
She looked up. “Oh my gosh, Cassidy Prince, right?”
Not even close. “Yeah! Oh, wow, it’s so great to see you again. How long are you staying for?”
“Oh, I’m not. I’ve got to go down to my office – I work for Grazia, can you believe it? Anyway, this is the last building for miles and I really need to use the bathroom.” She looked out of the window. “Then I’m going to have to walk ten blocks to the office, in the rain, seeing as my cab driver seems to have ditched me. Could you watch my umbrella while I go to the bathroom, Cass? Thanks.”
Oh, I’d watch it all right. I smiled, nodded, and she hurried off. Quickly, I pulled out my Swiss Army Knife and hacked away at Rebecca’s umbrella.
“Have a nice walk,” I whispered, laughing.
Really, though, I wasn’t jealous of her. Watching her $500 ‘do get soaked only made me smile because she deserved it. She was mean, I swear! I wasn’t jealous one bit.

Okay, maybe a little.