Name: Taffy Lovell

Title: It's Not Me

Genre: YA Fiction

 “Angelica!”

Again with the yelling.

My sister seriously doesn’t get the idea of sleeping in. Or how mornings should be enjoyed in peace and—

“You said you’d drive today!”

Yeah. Yeah.

Glancing at the clock I’m annoyed to find I could have slept in twenty more minutes. Georgie was up hours ago, I’m sure. She loves the mirror and as hard as the truth is to me, that stupid piece of glass--and boys--love her.

My stomach grumbles, and I decide it’s okay to get up now, Dad’s making pancakes. Only in my dreams.

Dad’s already at work and Mom’s long gone.

I slither on the cleanest jeans from off the floor. One quick check in the mirror tells me my brown hair is a mess. I flip my head over, rub my hands in my hair and straighten up. That’s how I roll.

The shirt I wore to bed reeks like Chinese take out. Not how I roll. I see a black piece of fabric peeking out from beneath my pillow. I pull a favorite AC/DC vintage t-shirt close to my nose and inhale. It smells like him. Memories crowd my brain, almost making me falter in my goal to go to school.

I trade shirts and steal another glance in the mirror. Would he think differently if I were blond and had short cheerleader skirts? I actually laugh out loud. A big NO resounds in my head. I had one chance with him and blew it.