Thursday, May 05, 2005

Alice in Wonderful

Alice giggled softly. She knew what they were saying about her. She could have told them that they were wrong. But it was her secret. It was all in her head, a place they would never be able to get to. She smiled.

Alice was happy. She had Jennifer. Jenny had long, black, silky hair. Everyone loved her smile. But it was Alice for whom Jennifer smiled the brightest.

Jennifer was her childhood friend. Alice never got along with her classmates. They would give her sly looks and whisper among themselves. They mostly avoided her. When they were cruel, they laughed. So Alice found Jennifer.
Jenny and she had long conversations everywhere and anywhere. Alice took care to make sure nobody heard them after the day her mother came in unexpectedly and found them talking. Her mother had given her such a queer look.

Only Jennifer understood. Jennifer was smart, and kind, and funny. She was beautiful. They had great adventures together. They would sneak out at night and run to the river. They would dive from the bridge and swim for hours in the cold water. Alice was never terrified of water when Jenny was around. They would go to the discotheque, pretending to be 18. They danced, and drank, and kissed tall, dark, handsome men, who would beg them for their telephone numbers.

But Jenny wasn’t perfect, though Alice had tried hard to make her so. Once in a while, Jenny would become adamant and sullen and refuse to listen. At such times Alice would banish her. But Alice would miss Jennifer terribly and bring her back, although only after extracting promises that Jen would be good.

The last time, however, Jenny refused to make such promises. Alice pleaded and wept bitterly through the night. When morning came, Alice slit her wrist.

She could barely remember being brought from the hospital to this place. The nurses looked at her with pity. Such fools, Alice thought. Can’t they see how happy I am? For Jennifer was with her again. Jennifer would never leave.
Alice giggled softly.