The force of Todd’s words left Madison feeling as though she’d been slapped. Her face was burning, she knew she must be blushing fiercely. She tried to say something, anything, but her mouth was dry and her mortification wedged itself in her throat and refused to let anything but a choked sound past. While she stood there, opening and closing her lips like a parody of a goldfish, the charming smile began to melt from his face.
First one of his friends began to snicker, then another. She watched the color drain from Todd’s face and became even angrier. How dare he? Not only had he said that, but in front of his oh-so-smart chess club friends? How dare he insult her and humiliate her like that? After all she’d given up for him?
Why, she could be dating the quarterback, then she would have been picked to be the head cheerleader instead of Casidy. But no. She’d bought into his charm. She’d swallowed his line about popularity not being the most important thing and she’d dated him.
How dare he?
“Madison, I–” He reached for her but she stepped away.
“No, Todd,” she finally managed to spit out. “Just no. You can’t talk to me like that.”
Behind him, Todd’s friends hooted with laughter. He seemed to ignore them and spoke again, calmly, softly. “I think you mis–”
“We’re through,” she said, irritated to hear her voice catch on the second word. “Through.”
She stamped her foot and spun around angrily. Her long blonde hair swept out around her and she heard it smack against Todd’s chest. Holding her chin high and fighting back tears, she marched down the hallway.
People were leaning against lockers and chatting in small groups. They watched as she went by, but she pretended not to see them. She also pretended not to notice how they all stopped talking when she drew level and then started whispering and giggling as she passed.
Reaching the bathroom door, she slapped both hands on it and shoved it open angrily. Slumping into a stall, she shut and locked the door and plopped forlornly down onto the toilet seat. Resting her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Her reputation was ruined! By tomorrow morning everyone at school was going to know what Todd had said. They were going to know that he’d called her pulchritudinous! Ruined. She could never show her face at school again.
Rhonda Parrish has had her work accepted in several dozen publications and you can find out more about her and her writing at http://www.rhondaparrish.com. She does not miss high school.
Did you like this story?
A new and interesting story is posted every day.
A new and interesting story is posted every day.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed! (what is rss)
Don’t miss another story! Subscribe to Every Day Fiction via RSS.- Share on Facebook
Rate this story
16 Responses to “IRONIC ANGST • by Rhonda Parrish”
Comments
« THE TEST • by Mike Whitney | Home | Interview with Gay Degani »
April 14th, 2008 at 3:22 am
This convivial story points out so well perhaps the most important reason to eschew obfuscation! I liked it.
April 14th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Seen this story so many times before but kudos for plopping onto the toilet seat.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Thank you very much
April 14th, 2008 at 6:08 am
I’ll keep submitting here and hopefully another one of my stories will impress you more
April 14th, 2008 at 6:14 am
[...] flash piece, Ironic Angst, is now online at Every Day Fiction. Obviously, I like my story, but I also really enjoy the way [...]
April 14th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Nah, too easy.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
This is a really good story if it were written by a 6th grader.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I’m kidding. This is a good story.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Dude,
Two stories in a row with the same comment? Now you’re just being a troll….
April 15th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Nice. That particular word is a long-standing joke in my life, for this very reason. Well written. Made me giggle.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:07 am
It is an awfully ugly-sounding word isn’t it?
Thank you for your comment, I’m really glad you enjoyed the story
April 15th, 2008 at 7:17 am
A good story, an even better story when I found out what pulchritudinous meant
April 15th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Thank you, I’m glad you got to read it without knowing what it meant and then found out after — I suspect it would enhance the story. I hope it did anyway
April 18th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
A good story. Enjoyed reading it.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:27 am
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it
March 8th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
*snort*
As soon as I saw that word I went and looked it up in the dictionary…
And then I realized what the title was referring to and I started cackling.
I’m from the nanoljers community, by the way.