Ruiz 1

Marisa Ruiz

December 10, 2008

English 250 – Short Story

Rising to the Occasion

Even now at fourty-one years old, that painful day in 1985, still haunts her today. Dyke,

Squid, Loser, Raven the Reject; just some of the many names they used to call her. She looked

at her high school senior photo and thought, 25 years is a long time. It’s been quite some years

since she opened the Triton’s annual. Pretty pathetic, it only had six signatures out of an

institution of 1300 students. Wasn’t senior year supposed to be full of doting memories? She

flipped through the crisp pages, smelling the musty scent of mothballs, the result of being boxed

up for quite some time. Talk about opening a box of tormenting memories. That’s the social

capricious world of high school. She lied back on her the soft comforts of her bed and

remembered.

At 17, Raven and her family relocated to southern California from Hong Kong when her

father, a well-known philanthropist, sought endeavors back in the states. She was a gawky girl;

shy and naïve; inept but wholehearted. Regardless of her god-awful braces, Raven never got

tired of smiling. She always wore her jet-black hair in a high ponytail and hid her deep blue eyes

behind her black-rim glasses. Wife-beaters, torn jeans, and pink high-top converse was her norm

of daily attire with the occasional change in the color of her bra straps. By the looks of her, you

couldn’t see much luster in the girl. Unless she was busy with the music club or at a meeting

with the National Honor Society, she pretty much kept to herself at school. The very few friends

she had were the “out-of-the-box” types; your classic four-eyed geeks wearing plaid shirts,

corduroy jeans, and hush puppies and few others from the band of oddities and misfits.
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At her high school, the social network at school was built on the foundation of the

pecking order. Popular and pretty Samantha Tansley and her posse of vainglorious vixen were

the elite girls at the top of the food chain. Mini skirts and boob tops, they were those “Daddy’s

little girl” types who sat together at the same table every day at lunch. Sam was a tall slender

teen with long dirty-blonde hair, blue eyes, and well endowed for a girl her age. Her girl friends,

Abbey and Michelle were mere blue prints of Sam. All animated, loquacious, and full of bitchy

cattiness. Talk about Barbie coming to life!

Then there was the pompous prank playing jocks of the school, whose confidence was on

the boarder line of cockiness. Blaine, the popular and charismatic hazel-eyed football player; San

Clemente’s golden boy. Eye candy, that’s for sure. He was different. Blaine was one of those

groovy high school guys who were cool to everybody. He was always kind to Raven. One day,

he sat down to have lunch with her. And that’s when the problems started.

Before the week of her final exams, the student government planned a “Final Fright

Night” at Sinclair’s Drive –In Theatre. A repeat of “Nightmare on Elm Street III” was the

feature, but who the hell went to the drive-in to actually see a movie? That’s when they

approached her. To her amazement, Sam and the others extended their flag of friendship. They

went on about how they misjudged her and how they REALLY thought she’d be a great addition

to the group. After ranting about some superficial bullshit, in their typical way, they invited

Raven to join them that weekend for the senior get together. Sam even offered to pick her up.

After that year of out-and-out hell, the Snob Squad finally felt some remorse. Or so she thought.

At her house that Saturday night, her newfound friends pulled into the driveway.

Grooving and singing to Madonna’s top hit, “Holiday,” Michelle honked from her trendy white

VW Cabriolet impatiently. When Raven got into the car, Abbey popped open a green bottle with
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a lighter and handed it to her. As they zoomed away in the topless chariot, Sam threw her beer

into a neighbor’s trash can which missed and smashed all over the driveway. Dollar bill in one

hand and CD case in the other, Sam took the first bump and passed it around. Raven, not

wanting to ruin a good thing, became the typical victim to peer pressure.

As soon as they entered the drive-in, Sam stood up on her seat and screamed towards the

guys in the step side Chevy. As they pulled up next to them, Sam jumped out and helped herself

to the cooler full of beer. Hanging out with a bunch of the star-athletes and teen royalty was one

night Raven didn’t want to forget. Shortly after, amidst all the fun, she started to feel a little

queasy and that’s when the world around started to spin. The last thing she remembered was

Michelle grabbing her by the hand and walking her to the Sam’s car. The rest of the night was

pretty much a blur. She didn’t even remember getting home that night. What can you expect

when you party for the first time?

The following Monday, it didn’t take long for gossip to spread around the school. As she

walked down the usually noisy hallway, people were staring at her and whispering under their

breath. When she turned the corner towards her locker, she saw it. Right there in plain view for

everyone to see, the photo. A passed out and topless Raven with beer bottles and coke next to

her, with “coke whore” written across the top. When she turned around, there stood the triad of

viscious queens smiling smugly. Covert in their cruelty, the friends she so hoped to have won

over were at the very core of this diabolical scheme. Their predation fueled partly by jealousy,

but purely for entertainment. Raven dropped her books to the floor and ran through the

emergency exit into the stairwell and cried until she had no tears left.

For a second, reliving that moment made her a little apprehensive about attending her 25th

High School Reunion, but she continuously reminded herself that it was long ago - elaborate
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rituals of terror and superficial teenage bitchery at its finest. But tonight is special. As she got

dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror. Raven no longer had a mouth full of wire. She had

gotten rid of her black-rimmed glasses back in college and her almond-shaped eyes were a bold

indigo. Her long black tresses fell to the middle of her slender back teasingly showing her well-

tanned back in the red v-slit dress. Her education abroad led her to the most exotic of places. As

a top-notch photojournalist, she won many prestigious awards. A philanthropist like her father,

Raven was going to be honored at the reunion dinner for founding and funding the Social

Acceptance Mission Scholarship for the students of San Clemente High School.

Her stilettos echoed on the pool deck as she made her way slowly across the bridge to the

ballroom entrance. The entrance was adorned with hundreds of twinkling lights in mini red

paper made lanterns representing the colors of “The Almighty Tritons”. Shiny gold and black

foil Streamers glistened in the light. She started to feel her nerves as the butterflies began to

shutter in the center of her belly. Again, she had to remind her that there was a point to all of this.

She came upon the bejeweled reception table where there was a group of people looking at the

display wall full of high school photos and memories. Her hand was trembling as she signed the

reception book. The red-haired woman in the linen tailored suit greeted her with a hug.

Taking a deep breath, head up high and body poised, her gleaming smile concealed her

discomfort, as it always did in those most stressful moments. She descended down the iridescent

glittered spiral staircase into the ballroom. It was a star-studded celestial paradise with golden

shroud wrapped pedestals lighted with candles. Dozens of balloons adorned the high ceiling.

She followed her hostess to their table which was located right smack in the front of the podium

in the center of the ballroom. A couple of friends who she managed to keep in touch with
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throughout the years were there. She also realized that most of the group along with their savoir-

faire attended as well.

As the ceremony began, the student body president took the stand. A few others

followed, all reminiscing about the memories and major events of our time. Soon enough the

highlight of the evening came; it was Raven’s turn to shine. She stood up and gracefully walked

to the podium, looked out at her fellow alumni and smiled. After a short pause, she cleared her

throat and began.

“San Clemente High School, thank you for accepting this scholarship. Unfortunately,

many of our children have become victims to what society dictates what is cool and what is not.

The effects of bullying in all its forms have had detrimental effects not only on the victims, but

the bullies themselves. And with this scholarship, I hope it will create awareness and put and

end to this issue. I envision a unity of love, self-respect, and social greatness for all our children.

I want to sincerely thank those of you from our senior year who inspired me with a driving

ambition to help all of the children facing these. It is through you and through your effects, you

have caused me to seek a mindful and meaningful allegiance to find social serenity and conquer

these indignities…this scholarship, the Social Acceptance Mission Scholarship, is dedicated to

you.”

Then, she smiled and walked away. From the ambience, you could tell that the audience

knew whom she was referring to. After the ceremony, she grabbed a glass of wine and walked

out to the balcony. She stood there for a moment for what seemed like an eternity. The full moon

illuminated the white sand beach and shimmered in the reflection of the rippling ocean. She

stared out into the darkness counting the diamonds sparkling against the midnight sky.