Trapped

Marda secured the lock before pressing her back against the cold hard steel door. The gray bathroom stalls were scribbled with notes. Every available inch was covered; the only saying missing was “Eat at Joe’s.” The dingy ceiling had paper wads, gum and she didn’t want to know what else, stuck to the peeling paint.

            “Come on out Marda. You really need to try this,” Marda’s sister Rosetta whispered through the crack in the door. “Don’t make me crawl on this dirty floor.”

            She was right about that, the floor was disgusting. “Leave me alone then,” Marda hissed.

            “You’ll be really glad you did this. It’s difficult the first time, but it gets easier the more you do it. It doesn’t hurt.”

            Marda didn’t believe it for a minute. She knew once she started she would have to use it every day. “I don’t want to start. I’m too young.” Marda was infuriated she let herself get trapped.

            “Fourteen is not too young. Everyone is using it; you’ll be the only one.”

            “Yeah, the only smart one. I need to get to class the bell is going to ring in five minutes.”

            “That’s plenty of time. Come on, I’ll help you.”

            “I’m not like you. I don’t want to be like you. Why did you wait until we got to school?”

            “I can’t corner you at home. And besides, mom’s there.”

            “Can’t you just leave me alone?”

            “Don’t be a baby. Come on out. We need to get this done before the bell.”

            Marda looked down at her feet. She was glad she wore tennis shoes; she thought if she opened the door really fast she could shove her sister out of the way and make it to the door before she got up off the floor. “I know I’m stronger,” Marda thought as she visualized the escape in her head.

            “Shirley is with me.”

            “Oh, great,” Marda mumbled to herself. Shirley weighed about 150lbs. and was six feet tall. “I’ll never get passed her.”

            “Why is she here?” Marda asked.                                

            “To help.”

            “Help ruin my first day of high school?”

            “It’s not like that, really. It won’t hurt you to try it. If you decide it’s not right for you I won’t pressure you, I promise, but it will give you a lot of confidence. I know its hard being a freshman.”

            “You really promise? If I don’t like it, I don’t have to use it ever again?”
            “I promise.”

            Marda could hear Rosetta’s giggle. She opened the door slowly. Rosetta and Shirley were standing side by side. There was no escape.

            “Let’s get this over with. I hate you, you know.” Marda hissed.

            Rosetta put her arm across Marda’s shoulder as she handed her a new tube of black mascara. “This will make your big brown eyes really stand out.”