I broke up with Derek last night.
I liked him, but he kept pressuring me to have sex.
I walk into my first class of the day.
Immediately, people start whispering.
The cheerleader smirks at me.
Tina
I heard Derek had fun last night.
Essie
What are you talking about?
She shrugs, and her friends giggle.
Tina
I heard that once he got you in bed…
Tina
Dumped you the way everyone kept telling him to.
My stomach drops. I feel dizzy.
Essie
And we never slept together.
Class starts after that, but I can’t focus.
Is Derek seriously telling people we had sex?
And that HE broke up with ME?
The bell rings, and I shove my book in my bag, still fuming.
Tina
See ya later, Essie…
Tina
Or should I say…Easy?
Tina
Since you gave it up so quick.
The other kids explode into laughter.
Suddenly, Mary Higgins slaps her hand on Tina’s desk.
Mary
Don’t be a jerk, Tina.
Mary
Essie told you what really happened.
I gape at her, surprised she came to my defense.
Mary — otherwise known as Scary Mary — is the class rebel.
She’s super hot, with purple hair and a bunch of piercings.
I’ve always been intimidated by her.
Tina
Whatever, Scary Mary.
Tina
Come on, girls. We’ve been around these losers long enough.
She leaves with her friends.
I bite my lip, feeling nervous.
I’ve always had a bit of a crush on Mary…
Even though she supposedly burned down a house.
Essie
Thank you for defending me.
Mary
I hate seeing Tina bully people.
Mary
And why doesn’t he get a nickname, too?
Mary
It’s a double standard.
Essie
I know. It’s not fair.
Essie
But in this case, I really didn’t sleep with Derek.
Essie
And I broke up with him!
Essie
But why is he lying?
Mary
Because high school boys have fragile egos.
Mary
He needs to save face.
Mary
The school tennis star, dumped by a nerd?
Mary
People would have teased him for it.
Mary
Hey, I don’t think being a nerd is a bad thing.
Mary
But you gotta admit, you have a goody two-shoes reputation:
Mary
Top of the class, always on her best behavior.
Mary
You’d be surprised at my grades.
Mary
Anyway, give it a few days.
Mary
The rumors will die down.
Not a day goes by without someone calling me "Easy."
The latest happens when I’m leaving the cafeteria.
Boy
Hey, it’s Easy Essie!
I don’t even know the boy shouting at me.
Nearby, I see Derek leaning against his locker.
I turn and run out the school doors.
It’s a beautiful day, but I don’t see it.
I fling my backpack to the ground…
Then turn and kick the wall.
I jump and turn to see Mary leaning against the brick.
Her face is tipped up to the sun.
Cute freckles spatter her cheeks.
Essie
They’re still calling me Easy Essie.
Mary
Yeah, they’ve been calling me Scary Mary for two years now.
Mary
I was hoping that didn’t happen to you.
Mary
There’s not much you CAN do.
Mary
The more upset you act, the worse it’ll get.
Essie
I can’t just ignore it.
Essie
Because it isn’t fair!
I kick the wall again, then wince at the sharp pain in my toe.
Mary pushes off the wall and kneels at my feet.
She slips off my shoe, then examines my foot.
Mary
I’m going into pre-med next year.
Mary
I want to make sure it isn’t broken.
She does a quick exam, asking me questions.
I stare at her, baffled by this turn of events.
Scary Mary, class rebel, is diagnosing my hurt toe.
And she’s going into pre-med?
Mary
Ice it if the swelling gets worse.
She puts my shoe back on, then stands up.
Essie
I didn’t mean it like that.
Essie
But you’re nothing like what people say about you.
Her lips curve in a sly smile.
Mary
Let me guess…you heard the rumor about me burning down a house?
Mary
And the one where I practice black magic?
Mary
And the one about how I collect shrunken heads?
Mary
That’s because I just made that one up.
Mary
Most of the rumors in this school are made up.
Mary
Tina saw my piercings and hair…
Mary
And decided to start some drama.
Mary
But I like the way I look.
My heart races at the touch.
Mary
Let’s do something fun after school.
Mary
Forget Tina and Derek.
Mary
They can say whatever they want…
Mary
But you don’t have to let it torment you.
My palm is starting to sweat.
Can she tell how nervous I am?
Essie
I’d really like that.
Mary
Easy Essie and Scary Mary.
Mary
We’re going to have a blast.
It’s maybe the best day I’ve had all year.
We go to the local amusement park.
I scream all the way down the roller coaster…
When I make fun of her extra-extra chocolate…
She shoves it in my face.
My nose ends up covered in ice cream.
Mary
That’s why they call me Scary Mary!
I straighten back up, still smiling.
Essie
You aren’t, though.
Essie
You aren’t scary at all.
I’ve always worried about how people see me.
But Mary taught me I can’t control that.
I just have to be true to myself.
Mary’s grin lights up her face.
Then she leans in and kisses me.
Her mouth tastes like chocolate.
I sink my hands into her purple hair.
Kissing a girl in public.
And nothing has ever felt so right.
Three months later, I give the valedictorian speech at graduation:
Essie
First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who supported me on this journey.
Essie
My family and friends…
Essie
And my wonderful girlfriend, Mary.
Mary beams at me from her chair.
Her hair is green now, which clashes with the red graduation attire.
Someone shouts from the back of the crowd.
But it isn’t just my fellow students here.
It’s parents and teachers, friends and family.
The world is bigger than a few bullies.
I straighten my shoulders.
Essie
I’ve learned some hard lessons in high school.
Essie
One is that you can’t control what people say about you.
I look at Derek when I say this.
He hunches in his chair, tipping his cap down.
Essie
Some will try to tear you down because they feel weak.
Essie
That reflects on them, not you.
I focus on other faces in the crowd.
The quiet kids, the nerdy ones, the outcasts.
Essie
Forget the nicknames.
Essie
You are perfect, just as you are.
Essie
And you have a bright future ahead of you.
Essie
Go with hope and confidence.
It feels like my whole world revolves around her smile.
