Happy Halloween!

For shoppers of procrastination, our costume shopping is always done the day before Halloween. And thats the way I like it.
"Oooh! Oooh! You could go as a fairy, Sonny!" Erin galloped down one of the foot-dirtied aisles and pulled a costume from the squeaky rack. It had a pink and green bodice with outrageous orange wings and a tiara with mouse ears.
"Um, no." I said and kept walking.
Erin came back and caught up with me. With Erin on my left and Kirsten on my right, we continued to do our Halloween shopping.
5 costumes later, Kirsten cried, "Oh mon dieu Sonali, you must wear this!" Kirsten held up her find -- a nerd costume.
I sighed. I was tired, hungry, and I needed to find SOME sort of costume. I nodded my head wearily. I didn't care anymore.
"Yay!" Kirsten overjoyed. She ran to the Wal-Mart cashiers and paid up for it immediately. I had no idea that oversized nerd costumes ever had such a connection with Kirsten. ;)

As we were leaving the glass doors of the big department store, a fair girl with blond curls and hazel-grey eyes walked in. She had Peter on her arm. I gasped.
"C'mon Kirsten - lets go." I choked, and ran.
Kirsten and Erin raced after me through the maze of cars in the parking lot, swerving after car after car after car. I kept running until we were at the bus stop, and there I slid down to the ground and did a double-take. I choked out a few tears.
Erin finally made it to the bus stop and stopped to pant & catch her breath. Kirsten came walking behind her, with a fierce determined look upon her face.
"Sonali Beth Lynne Matthews!" She demanded. "Did I just see you run away from Annabeth and the charming man upon her shoulder?"
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded meekly.
"The shame!" Kirsten cried. "Annabeth is just the sweetest thing!"
I gulped. A moments silence commenced.

Finally, I sighed, "Yes, I guess she is. I'm sorry. Lets go."


-Sonali

All You Are Is Mean

And a liar, and pathetic..



Annabeth shoved my books to the ground. I scrambled to pick them up. She sneered. Peter came around the corner of the hall and said, "Hey, Sonali!".

Annabeth's sneer turned suddenly into a smile, as she hopped at Peter and grabbed his arm.
"Sonali dropped her books. She can catch up with us later." Annabeth grinned at Peter. Peter looked warily at me, and then cautiously left with the over-eager Annabeth. I grimaced. This happened every day. As if Annabeth hadn't booked me - as if Annabeth were nice. HAHAHAHA. If Annabeth were nice, I must be pretty..

My Facebook inbox is backed up with cyberbullying messages from Annabeth. Whenever I see that I've gotten a text from the contact Annabeth Snow, I grimace. She made school a hell for me. I have no idea what to do.

-Sonali

A Year Without Rain..

I stood there in front of the school's washroom mirrors and twirled one of my lazy curls around my finger. I sighed, wishing I were back in Ohio.

A fair-haired caramel beauty walked into the washroom slowly - I could see her enter through my view of the mirror. It was Bridget. "Hey!" I spun around. "Bridget, whats up?"

Bridget looked at me for a second, then slowly came towards myself and latched herself onto me with a hug. "Whaa -" I started. Suddenly heaving sobs started coming from Bridget. Her head was on my shoulder. I rubbed her shoulder awkwardly, guessing this was what the good sort of friends did when their friends were in distress in the movies.

"What could be wrong?!" I said gently, as Bridget cried. She lifted her head, her cheeks and eyes red.
"Annabeth said Camden was going to break up with me!" Bridget moaned, then turned to the sinks to splash her face with water depressed-ly.
My mouth made an O-shape. Camden was Bridget's boyfriend of 3 months. Bridget simply adored him - she was so sweet, could he possibly break her heart?

My eyes blurred as I gathered my hate for Annabeth. How dare she tell Bridget this?


It all makes me wonder - is love just an illusion? They say love is like magic, but magic's all just a trick, y'know.



-Sonali

Back at school, drowned in homework I didn't do in NYC, I had to act as if nothing of the past weekend had happened.

My English teacher greeted me back with a book assignment due in 3 days and 4 sheets to study for an incompetent literary quiz. The Science idiot who they dare to call a teacher lectured me on how I did not "bring a note" for my absence on Friday. My Spanish teacher was nice on me and let me go with just one piece of paperwork that I missed - but lets just say I spent 5 hours last night working on school, and I'm not even halfway through the non-ending pile of page after page of work.

When I started school, someone should have warned me it would be more work than homeschool. Y'know, Elizabeth, you're my sister, and I wouldn't have minded if you had told me beforehand to buy notebooks and pencils, because then maybe I could have avoided the insanely crazy speech Mr. Engram gave me that made him look like a rabid rabbit..


Anywho.


Erin has let me retreat from herself & Chrissa's room of artistry and love - though Erin and I are back on our own almost-best-friends terms as before, I was happy to leave them alone to endure their friendship. Kirsten invited me to stay with her in her room. I gladly accepted, as Kirsten's room was always a room of peace and serenity, and somehow she always had a fire crackling in the tini mini-fridge size woodstove, and always had a patchwork blanket to cover me.
Kirsten & I can sit for hours and talk about all sorts of odd subjects. Being homesick, buying patterns for outfits, the way to carve our pumpkins this year, even discussing plans for the Laura Ingalls Wilder custom doll. After chatting together for a while, Kirsten will probably remember about her roast pork she stuck in the oven an hour before, then cry, "Ah herregud!" in her Swedish accent and run off.


Oh my, I should go. I totally forgot I have an English assignment due in three days...
-Sonali


P.S. "Ah herregud!" means "oh my goodness!" in Swedish. I kindly and POLITELY asked Kirsten, just to inform you guys. Peace out!

Longest post known to man.

We all sat there, backstage.
All was silent but the muted sound of the amazing Faithful Forte performing on stage, less than 15 feet away from where we sat frigidly on creamy couches.

Faithful Forte was amazing.
I shuddered loudly and greatly as Bethie's piercing voice chilled the whole audience. I couldn't stand it. I just couldn't.
Bridget's warm hand rubbed my shoulder. "Is anything wrong, Sonny? I know you'll do amazing. You always do."
I smiled. Bridget made me happy.
But just not like Bethie had made me happy, every single day we were together, every single time I heard her cheerful voice type me to words in an email.

Suddenly, everything was happening too fast. Both other Glee Clubs had performed, and I was being pushed onstage by the helping hands of my clubmates. I couldn't believe this was happening. Was I about to do this? Really? REALLY?

Ms. Pike came over and shook my shoulder. "Sonali Beth," She said sullenly. "I know you're not in the best position right now, but I believe in you. You will do amazing. You need to help out your Glee Club. Not only do I believe in you, so do they."
I looked around at the anxious bunch. We were all standing behind the red curtain, waiting for Faithful Forte to file offstage to their outstanding applause. I saw Peter grinning at me. He winked, just like the first time I sang for the Glee Club in Annabeth's living room. Then I saw Annabeth. She gave a cold little smile. I appreciated it, as miserable as I felt. Then I saw Bridget, and she gave me a goofy little wave. I smiled. I was ready.

The curtain rose. Showtime.


My mind was screaming at me. It shrieked, JUMP! SING! TWIRL! RUN! CENTER STAGE! But then it all quieted down. It became second nature. I remembered all the times I had sung into my hairbrush. It all came naturally.
We all gathered into our semicircle. The Fame played, Annabeth stunned us all. As I twirled in Peter's arms for a half-beat, I caught a slanted blur of Elizabeth and her sisters sitting in the audience. All of them. It was just like when Bella saw Edward's family for the first time in a year, in the book Twilight. I was so relieved to see my second family - it was just like chocolate ice cream with a cherry on top.

Somehow, The Fame turned into a different song. We were starting another number. MY number. MY solo.
I panicked.
Suddenly no one was on the stage but me.
Suddenly, the song I was singing was all that meant to me.

"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly, I'll do what it takes, till I touch the sky."
Images of Bethie, flashes of Peter and the glee club, memories of Annabeth's bullying, remembering my days at the factory, it all went past my brain in a blur. This song meant me. It was me. I had to sing it right.
At the end, the Glee Club appeared on stage and I gave a little bow. The crowd went wild.
Our final song, from the original musical Fame! started to play.


We were almost about to launch into it with our whole full voices when --

"WAIT!" Two young girls yelled in unison from the audience. The music faded out and stopped. The girls ran up to the stage. The Glee Club's mouths dropped. What was happening?

"SONALI!" A red haired girl cried. She pushed her way through the sea of knees and faces to get up the stage stairs and ran into my arms.
A girl with stormy grey eyes and brown curls ran after her.
"Whats happening!? I'm in the middle of Sectionals!" I whispered furiously at Erin. Bethie sat in the audience, and was looking intently upon what was happening.

"I have to tell you something! NOW!!!!" Erin whispered louder.
I hushed her.
Ruthie stepped in. "We do have something to tell you, Sonali. Listen to us, please."
This was not MY sister Ruthie. This was Bethie's sister Ruthie. What did she have to do with this?

I stepped back as Erin and Ruthie turned and faced the audience.

"People, people..." Erin hushed the excited audience. "We have something to say."

"Elizabeth Clara Cole, please step out of the audience and come onstage." Ruthie called out.
I was stunned. Erin brought me forward.
"Bethie, please stand beside Sonali Beth." Ruthie said formally.
We looked at each other. We couldn't understand.

"Ruthie and I have made a mistake." Erin started. "We have pulled these two apart. Elizabeth and Sonali have been best friends since forever started. We were both brutally jealous and tried to tear apart two BFFs that are like peanut butter and jelly. Ruthie, is not Elizabeth's best friend, Sonali. And Elizabeth, Annabeth is not Sonali's best friend. Make sense?"
Ruthie stood by and nodded at Erin's words.

Bethie turned to me.
"Sonny? Will you reply to my emails now?" She said weakly.
I burst out laughing.
"Yes, Bethie!" I cried.
We hugged. The audience "awww"ed.


"Bethie?" I whispered into her ear.
"Yes, best friend?" Bethie laugh-sobbed back.
"Lets sing together." I said.
Bethie nodded, understanding.


I started off.
"Remember, remember remember.."
Bethie came in with the background vocals.
"Oh, oh...... ohhh, oh..... oh, oh....."

We motioned for our Glee clubs and the Louisiana Glee Club to join in.
It was peaceful.
I had my best friend back.




Happy thanksgiving.
-Sonali

Not The Best Thanksgiving

The Glee Club had arrived at the hotel. It was absolutely mortifying, how perfect and queen-like the hotel rooms were. It made me feel like I'm more special than I really am.. I hated that feeling.

Bridget poked and jostled with me, getting me to do mini-facials with bought packets of facemasks in our hotel bathroom, trying on sandals in a store across the street for our Sectionals costumes.. I was almost sick of it. But I kept reminding myself, "I have to do this"... for Bethie. For Bridget. For my sisters. For myself. For Annabeth.

Annabeth had taken the bed next to Bridget & I's (two people to a bed.. I know, ick). All you could hear as you could fall asleep at night was Annabeth's click-clack texting and her giggles as she read a funny reply.

Bridget jumped on me and smiled. "SONNY!" She yelled.
I fell to the floor. "What is it, Bridget?" I said as sweetly as I possibly could muster.
"We're going down to the stadium to practice!!" She said, like it was the best thing in the world.
I felt relieved. Anything to get me away from here. "Yesss! Okay!" I smiled.

A half hour later we were there, standing round, holding hands. Every girl wore a spaghetti-strap silver and gold dress, every boy wore black pants & blouse with a silver tie.
Everything was silent.
The spotlight cued on the center of our circle, in the middle of the stage.

With a BOOM the music started..
Everyone stepped into position. It was step after step of dancing, as the beginning of the song was entirely instrumental. All of a sudden the dancing stopped and Annabeth sang the first words..

"I can't help myself, I'm addicted to a life of material", Annabeth sang -


"EXCUSE ME! Excuse ME!" A blond haired girl rang into the auditorium. We all turned around and stopped singing.
"I thought this was our rehearsal time!" The girl sang out to us.

I gulped.
The girl was Bethie.


-Sonali

Oops, did I forget to mention...

Sectionals are this weekend..?
Sorry if I forgot to mention that to you all..

I'm an endless ball of nerves. Annabeth's at her worst, I saw Peter practicing with her the other day - not to forget the awful smirk she gave me when she turned around and saw me watching.


Our song selections are provided, we have our costumes, transportation, and all the spotlights are put in place. We're flying to New York tonight, and tomorrow afternoon we shall.. perform. Maybe win? I have no idea.

The competitors are a club from Ohio, and some club from.. what was it? Louisiana? Oh well. I keep thinking of Bethie, I keep imagining her being there for me, right in the front row. It doesn't help that one of the competing Glee Clubs is from OHIO.. gosh.


I thought and thought as I packed shirt after pair of pants after hat mindlessly into the purple travel suitcase. I shook my brain a little bit and snapped out of it. Looking down at my suitcase' contents, I realized I had packed my old shirt from when I was young, with Bitty Bear on it. Oops, I thought, quickly taking the shirt from the suitcase. I stopped stock still while trying to stuff it in a box underneath my bed. The toiled and teared sleeve corner of the T-shirt had a little doodle of permanent marker. "Beth + Sunali" it said, written clumsily with a shaky heart circled around the words. I rubbed away a tear as I remembered how Beth and I had no idea how to spell either of our names when we were younger.

I stuffed the T-shirt even further than intended underneath my bed, then kept packing.


-Sonali

Laura Ingalls Comes To Town

Grace sat cross legged in front of our doll beds & desk. She placed Kirsten in her lap and started toying with the strands of Kirsten's hair. We all sat frozen, lifeless, as we always do. But none of us frozen dolls could mistake the way Kirsten's face looked. It was frowning. Grace noticed it too. She did not freak out.

Grace sighed, and laid Kirsten beside her. She started talking, as if to herself.

"Oh Kirsten.." She said. Our frozen ears snapped alert.
"I really think you should have a friend who can relate to you." She kept on. I could just see the gears in Kirsten's brain churning, her little dolly heart pounding faster than usual. "So as of right now, I am in full intentions of creating a customized Laura Ingalls Wilder doll, just for you."

Grace sat there for a spell. Then she got up and left the room.

We were all shocked, but we managed to come out of dolly mode in just a few miliseconds.

"Laura Ingalls Wilder?!" Kit cried as she hopped off Kirsten's bed. "Her books are to die for! Just amazing!"
Kirsten sat up and gazed around in delight.

Turns out, Grace had chosen to re-read one of her Laura Ingalls Wilder books for her English assignment, and it enchanted her so much (again) that she decided a customization just had to be done. She will have sparkling blue eyes and brown or dark brown straight or slightly wavy hair, possibly freckles --- and we don't know whether she will have sun-tanned skin from rough work outdoors or pale skin because she is not a person of colour.
We will have her a lunch pail from the authentic stories of her coming to class, and Grace will draw and write mini versions of Laura's stories in doll size. We will try to create her some calico and muslim dresses, and little lace collars. So many more items from the stories would be fun to make.

Which doll do you think would be a good Laura Ingalls?
Comment below!

Yours truly,
Sonny

First They Came

Felicity sat in the corner of the room, on the hardwood floor. A crumpled tissue was held tight in her clenched fist as she turned the page of the catalog on her lap.

I sat on an easy armchair on the opposite side of the room. I watched as slow tears trickled, one by one, down Felicity's face. I couldn't do anything about it.

Elizabeth appeared at the open doorframe. She stopped before entering the living room, took one long glance at Felicity, and then sat down next to Lissie in the corner. Elizabeth took the tissue out of Felicity's hand. Felicity looked up, her mouth gaping innocently and her cheeks puffy.
Elizabeth leaned in to Felicity.

"First they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak out
for I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Unionists,
and I did not speak out
for I was not a Unionist.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak for me."
Elizabeth whispered the stanzas of a poem I knew. Our English teacher had been speaking to us about it the other day. I had no clue why Elizabeth had whispered this particular poem to the gloomy Felicity, but Felicity seemed to understand - she was deep into a hug with Elizabeth at the moment.

Elizabeth and Felicity got up slowly and silently and walked out of the room, Elizabeth supporting Felicity with her arm around her neck. I sat there and thought for a few minutes, and suddenly I understood.

First they came for Samantha,
and I did not speak
for I was not a Samantha.

Then they came for Kirsten,
and I did not speak
for I was not a Kirsten.

And then they came for me,
and there was no one left
to speak for me.

-Sonali