Can't Hide that Created Side

Rachel Kimberly finished off the cheerleader’s pyramid. Everyone in her family had told her that with as much energy and enthusiasm she had, she’d be a great cheerleader. She always wore a smile and always cheered people on. When she was selected in the seventh grade to be on the squad, everyone congratulated her, but had never truly doubter her talent. Here she was in eighth grade and held the spot of being among what people called popular. Was it all worth it though?
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Cheerleading practice was over, but Rachel’s night had just begun. She always disappeared to the safety of her room after she was cleansed and ready for bed. Monica, her best friend since their very first steps never knew her routine. It wasn’t that Rachel never wanted to let her know, it was that, she knew of Monica’s reaction. Rachel was always at Mrs. Parker’s house when she needed a break from home. Mrs. Parker was the teacher in charge of watching over those eighth graders who rote for the eighth grade newspaper. Rachel’s section of the paper was the opinions section in which Rachel didn’t use her actual name, but a handle that hid her true identity. Mrs. Parker felt this was a good thing. Those who wrote with Rachel were sworn to secrecy. Mrs. Parker liked this idea so when Rachel wrote something that someone didn’t agree with, and then the student’s couldn’t cause any trouble.
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Isaac patrolled the halls after school as it was his job as a member of the hallway patrol. He paced by the room where the staff of the paper wrote and learned to put together a masterpiece. He knew that some seventh graders were recruited to take pictures that way they could see if it was something they wanted to do when they were in eighth grade. He also knew that spots filled up fast and even if you were accepted onto the staff, you were thought of as a geek. He thought he had known all of the staff members this year. The hallway was clear. He was officially off duty. He took another glimpse into the newspaper room and saw Rachel working hard with a pen in her hand and paper in front of her. He didn’t want to startle her, but he wanted to know what right Rachel had to be in there.
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Time ran out for Isaac. His mom would be there to pick him up. He had to go. He never got back to the room after following up his last minute duties as hallway patrol monitor. In the meantime, in Mrs. Parker’s room, Rachel had finished the rough draft of her next article. She put it on Mrs. Parker’s desk and ran to the locker room to get ready for cheerleading practice. Monica was already in her uniform and ready to go. She stood by Rachel’s locker and just stared at her. Finally, Rachel looked up to look Monica straight in the eye.
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“Where were you?” Monica asked her.
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“Oh, I stayed late and spoke with Ms. Sparks about her baby that’s on the way,” she answered.
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Monica never second guessed Rachel so when Rachel told her, she shrugged it off and let all to be left alone. The girls didn’t speak after that, but jogged to the football field and began to stretch.
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Isaac was waiting the next morning for Rachel. He had questions and he wanted answers. Like who gave her permission to be in the newspaper room. There was his chance! Rachel walked in and Isaac ran up behind her. Rachel turned around and gave him a smile. She was wearing her uniform which made him feel less than he actually was.
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“Can I help you?” Rachel asked him.
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“I was doing hallway patrol yesterday and I was wondering if you had permission to be in Mrs. Parker’s room as well as what you were doing in there,” Isaac let out all in one breath at a rambling pace. Rachel stopped him before he could say anymore.
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“Can you keep a secret?” she questioned him. It was time she told someone.
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“Of course I can. But if you weren’t supposed to be in there, I’m going to have to report you or at least write you up,” Isaac warned her.
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Rachel sucked in a deep breath of air as she began to face her fears and tell the secret she had been hiding for two years. It was she who began the idea of seventh graders getting a chance to be on the team to see if that’s what they really wanted to do before they applied. She had begged Mrs. Parker to let her in. Then, she spoke up. Rachel began with a simple question. “Do you believe cheerleaders are smart?”
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“I believe they are, but don’t’ use their smarts and it’s a shame too,” Isaac answered.
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“What if I told you I was a member of the newspaper staff?” she then asked of Isaac.
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“I’d have to ask when because I’ve never seen your name on it,” Isaac replied.
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“I’m Lethal Tongue,” she confessed. Isaac nudged her to the side and then dropped his voice. This was the best thing he had ever learned.
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“What! I have read those articles and have thought your opinions were pretty awesome!” he exclaimed in a casual toned voice. He stopped and thought a moment.
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“Why don’t’ you tell anyone? This is great news. I mean you’re smart and popular! When do those two things ever get the chance to mix?” Isaac jabbered.
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“Exactly my point…they don’t’. I have to choose to be smart or popular if anyone finds out. So, please don’t’ put me in that position,” Rachel begged. Isaac didn’t believe that though. He was a firm believer that you could be who you wanted to be. If those around you didn’t like who you were, so be it. It didn’t matter though. He nodded his head yes as a silent promise.
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The next few days Rachel feared that Isaac really couldn’t be trusted. With that thought, she kept on guard. She was ready to come up with some bogus reason Isaac would think that if she had to. That’s all she could do.
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Monica was sitting with Rachel at lunch when Isaac stopped by her table. She looked up at him and smiled that same smile she had given him when she told him her secret identity. He smiled back, and then took out the newspaper from his back jeans pocket. He opened it to the section that was always signed by “Lethal Tongue”.
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“Did you read this week’s section of opinions?” he asked both Monica and Rachel.
“Yeah, it was a bore. Why do people waste their time writing something we’re jut going to throw away?” Monica responded.
“What if I told you Lethal Tongue was a cheerleader?” he asked of Monica who then laughed. Rachel shot Isaac a dirty look. He had broken his promise.
“Which one? I’m dying to know!” she jokingly replied. Of the two weeks he had kept quiet, not anymore. After all, cheerleaders were allowed to be smart. They were created by the same person who had created him.
“You’re sitting next to her,” Rachel muttered.
“You?” Monica asked for confirmation.
“Me. I thought you would act stupid and I was right,” Rachel sadly answered. Monica laughed again, got up, and moved from the seat to a different table. While she did just that, she also started a juicy tidbit that would be spread through the whole popular circle in just that one day.
“I had to tell her Rachel. You weren’t just given this talent to hide it,” Isaac explained as he took a seat across from Rachel.
“Well, I lost my best friend,” Rachel replied.
“She wasn’t your friend at all if you can’t be who you were created to be,” Isaac said with words so sharp they could have killed a person. He sat with her as she for once spoke like the smart cheerleader she was created to be. That was when Rachel learned the biggest lesson at all. It didn’t matter who you were, you never have to pick or settle for something less just because people don’t agree with you. You may even lose a few friends along the way. All that matters is that you do find people who like you just for you and you should settle for nothing less.