Mitten Mayhem

“You’re wearing these mittens; that’s final.”

“Mother, they make me look like a baby!  Why’d you buy mittens instead of gloves?  Do you enjoy ruining my life?  Everyone will make fun of me!”

Natalie's mother barely bothered a glance up from the lunch she was packing.  She knew when Natalie called her 'Mother' instead of 'Mom', it was going to be a full-fledged drama routine.  “No, Natalie, despite what you think, that’s not my purpose in life.  Now hurry, you’re going to miss the bus.”

“But Mom, they’ve got kittens on them.  Pleeeeeeease . . .” How quickly Natalie could switch from brat to beggar!

Her mother gave her a love pat, pushing her out the door.  “Quit being silly.  They’re cute, like you.”

There’s no way I’m wearing these, Natalie thought as she rounded the corner to the bus stop.  Lauryn and her groupies make enough fun of me.  I’m not giving them more ammo. 

“Sorry, Mom.  But you have no idea how hard it is being twelve,” she whispered dropping the mittens in the snow.

After first hour she could barely make it through the halls, because everyone was surrounding Lauryn.  Natalie hated the way they hung on her every word, worshipping her opinion. 

“Oh my God!” 

"You’re so lucky!” 

“I am soooooooo jealous!” 

Their overkill of enthusiastic remarks tumbled on top of each other.  It was enough to make Natalie nauseous.

“Hey, Fat Nat, look what I got,” Lauryn sing-songed. 

Natalie’s heart froze like an icicle. Why doesn’t anything cruel rhyme with Lauryn?  

“Aren’t they cute?  I found them in the snow!  They’re to die for.  It’s Hello Kitty, completely retro.  They must have fallen out of someone’s pocket.  Oh well, finder's keepers.”  Everyone laughed as if she’d invented the phrase.

Just to rub it in more, she gave Natalie a fake friendly high five as Natalie bustled past her in disbelief.

“Natalie, your hands are freezing.  You should ask your mom to buy you a pair of these mittens.”

“Just shoot me now,” Natalie said to herself.

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