Charlotte looked in the mirror. Her clothes were tattered and her hair was a mess. She wasn’t wearing make-up, making her face look uneven. Charlotte just stared at her reflection, hoping this wasn’t real. Oh, no! This whole poor person look won’t do, she thought as she was trying to untangle her blonde locks.
All of a sudden, she heard a voice screaming from downstairs. “CHARLOTTE! COME MAKE ME MY BREAKFAST!”
“Coming, Emma,” responded Charlotte. Emma? Charlotte thought, Who’s Emma and why did I obey? I don’t even know how to make breakfast!
She walked down the wooden steps, looking around curiously. Where the hell am I?
“CHARLOTTE! Hurry up!” shouted Emma…again. “I would like a cheese omelet with a side of fruit salad and a glass of orange juice. CHOP CHOP!” she ended with a satisfactory grin.
Charlotte looked at Emma and realized who it was and couldn’t believe it. Charlotte had almost forgotten about Emma Cartridge and all the mean things she used to do to her. Why was Emma dictating her now?
“I said CHOP CHOP,” Emma stated through gritted teeth.
Charlotte came out from her phase and turned toward the cabinets. She quickly searched for the pan and ingredients for a cheese omelet. While preparing the queen bee’s breakfast, Emma would clear her throat periodically and unexpectedly causing Charlotte to feel pressured. She’d also complain by saying, “Still waiting for that omelet.”
When Charlotte was done, she slammed the plate, with the cheese omelet, right on the table in front of Emma. It was shocking that she didn’t break the plate.
“There’s your omelet, Your Highness,” Charlotte droned.
Emma took one look at the “thing” on her plate and turned to Charlotte to complain. “You know I don’t like cheddar cheese. This is most definitely cheddar, and this doesn’t even look like an omelet anyways! It looks like some dog chewed it and then spit it back out. I bet if you gave this to a dog they would do just that! And, where’s my fruit salad? You know I need my fruit so that I can stay healthy and-”
“Can’t you at least say thank you?” Charlotte interrupted, “I made you your damn omelet and all I get is a complaint after another complaint! You should be grateful!”
Emma looked past Charlotte and pointed towards the dirty kitchen counters. “Charlotte, you’re burning the toast.”
“Emma you’re missing the point-”
“CHARLOTTE, you’re burning the toast,” she insisted.
“I didn’t even make toast, damn it!”
“CHARLOTTE, LOOK!” Charlotte turned her head in the direction of Emma’s finger. Smoke was protruding from the aluminum toaster. “The toast is burning!”
All of a sudden, the smoke alarm began to beep annoyingly. She ran over to the toaster and tried to whip the smoke away.
Charlotte blinked for a second and when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t in that dreadful kitchen anymore. She was staring up at a white ceiling. The annoying beep of the smoke alarm was still going off; it was Charlotte’s alarm clock. She slammed her hand down on the snooze button.
“Holy s***,” she whispered to herself, “What a crazy dream.” That’s when Charlotte realized that she missed Emma. She missed hanging out with her and their extremely long phone conversations. Charlotte missed her best friend.
Charlotte got up from bed and started to get ready for school.
The day droned on and on and everything seemed to be going in slow motion. After what felt like a week, lunch came. Charlotte would always sit with her friends at the table by the window so that they could see the boys running on the outdoor track. As she walked to the usual spot in the cafeteria, Charlotte saw Emma Cartridge walking towards a table hidden by shadows. She sat there all alone reading a book. Charlotte couldn’t help but think of her wacky dream, and she changed her direction. Her friends that were smiling and waving at her were now staring at her confusedly.
Charlotte walked all the way to the table in the back and sat down. As she sat down, Emma jumped and was startled.
“Charlotte?” she questioned, “What are you doing here? Don’t you have to sit with your friends and like gossip about all the hot boys?” Emma was mocking her.
“Not today,” she answered smiling, “I decided to sit with a different crowd for a change.”
Emma smirked and looked at the table. “What crowd? Look if this is some prank or dare, I suggest you leave now. I’m not in the mood for this.”
“Emma, this isn’t a prank and I wasn’t dared by anyone. I came to sit with you on my own accord.” Emma glared at her clearly not believing Charlotte. Charlotte hesitated. The words were so hard to say. “I came here to say I’m sorry…about the rumors and the pranks and the jokes…I’m sorry about everything that happened last year.”
Emma’s expression changed from aggravated to sympathetic. “You really mean it?”
“Of course,” Charlotte smiled, “I miss hanging out with you and talking to you on the phone until all hours of the night.”
Emma giggled, remembering their crazy phone conversations. They would usually consist of the guys they liked and some inside jokes.
“Basically,” Charlotte continued, “I miss my best friend.”
Emma smiled and hugged Charlotte. Emma put her bookmark back into her book and shoved it into her purse. “So, do you want to move to a table closer to the window to see the track runners or…?” Emma asked.
Charlotte laughed. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind sitting here. There’s a table right over there filled with attractive football players!”
They both laughed.
“Oh, Charlotte,” Emma barely said through all the giggles. It was hard to understand what she was saying, but Charlotte knew. “You haven’t changed a bit.”