The Simple Plan, Or Is It?

The Simple Plan, Or Is It?

Caroline Smith

“I have a plan,” August said with confidence.

“Ah, here we go again…Auggie, we already know, you’re not the one for this job,” Ryder sighed.

It was at this moment that Auggie knew that she was not meant for her friend group. Her “ideas,” if that, were never considered. Ryder was like a mother to Auggie, in a sense, but Auggie felt like the outcast of her friend group. Like they’d brainwash her into thinking that her ideas weren’t used for the best outcome, which stood for “in what ways did it benefit her friends.” 

“WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT? I’M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING WALKED OVER ALL OF THE TIME! MY VOICE MATTERS TOO, YOU CLAIM THAT WE’RE ALL FRIENDS THEN PROVE IT, BY ANSWERING THIS SIMPLE QUESTION! WHAT DID Y’ALL DO THIS WEEKEND?” Auggie hollered.

“We—” Ryder began.

“We went out to the movies, Auggie.” Dylan finished. “Without you.”

“Well done, Sherlock, you cracked the case, right open, of course I didn’t go, you wanna know what I did this weekend, I did your homework, I finished your science labs Dylan, Ryder I did your math homework, Kiaia I did your English essay, and lastly Rachel I finished the homework for your entire Spanish semester, so you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year, but it all went to waste, because I’m done doing it!” Auggie snapped, holding back tears. 

“Okay, we–”

“You what? You didn’t need me, you know good and well that’s a lie, I got you all of your 100’s on your tests, I do your work in return for being left out of the friend group all the time. Of course.” Auggie scoffed and walked away from that drama.

Auggie’s simple plan was easy, rise above all. She aspired to be the best that she could be, so after she destroyed all of her ties to the friends she once had, Auggie had plenty of time to focus on herself, and how she wanted to build her foundation. 

The next day at school felt normal to Auggie, she walked to her locker earlier than she normally does and she organized her belongings into where they belonged, for example, her lunchbox hangs on the left hook, her jacket, if she’s carrying one, hangs on the right hook. Her backpack sits in the bottom of the locker and she retrieves the necessities for each class, like that class’ notebook and its folder, plus her pencil case. Then it started to become unbearable when this shadowy figure stood at the end of the locker wall.

“How long have you been standing there?” Auggie asked, still organizing her locker.

“Longer than you’d like, my dear.” The figure replied.

“Ry–Ryder, leave me alone, I don’t want to talk to any of you guys, I’m simply not doing it anymore. I can’t do this anymore.” Auggie concluded as she shut her locker door, heading for first period.

“Whatever Auggie, you love us, and you know that you can’t be without us for too long.” Ryder added, walking alongside Auggie.

“Watch me, Ryder, watch me, prove you wrong.” Auggie announced and walked faster, leaving Ryder standing in the crowded hallway.

Something about Auggie is that she’s logical, and more rational than anyone has ever met, so she will most definitely find a way to put Ryder’s thoughts and commentary to shame. 

Trying to intentionally avoid first period, Auggie went to the library to emerge herself in the amazing world of books and literature. First, she randomly grabbed a novel titled The Coming of Time written by Cameron Moss, who is a best-selling author in Groveju (grow-heh-view). The next title that was in Auggie’s possession was Khan’s Return, which was written by A. Malone, who wasn’t as popular, but still recognizable. The final book that Auggie disturbed was Lust Royale, authored by Phoenizx French. As she checked out her books, he walked in, as if he was following her around.

Auggie deeply inhaled, hoping that he wouldn’t say anything else to her, but she was clearly wrong.

“Heyyy Augges.” Ryder spoke, drawing the word out more than it needed to be.

“Ryder, you better leave me alone, bef–” 

“Before what? What is your stick-looking, skin and bones body gonna do?” Ryder completed.  

“You’re clearly not thinking straight, are you okay?” Auggie asked with concern, but she turned around, trying to get away.

Ryder grabbed hold of Auggie’s arm forcefully and told her that she better not leave his side ever again. Surprisingly not one soul in the library noticed that this harassment was happening. 

“Ryder, Jesus, let me go!” Auggie exclaimed.

Ryder held on tighter.

“RYDER LET ME GO!” Auggie screamed, his hold finally released as people started looking at what was happening.

Like Ryder said, Auggie is all skin and bones, so the hold that he just had on her arm caused a bruise and added to the bruises that she had already. Auggie is fragile and clumsy, so there is a dangerous duo, just in itself. 

Auggie rushed to grab her belongings, completely disregarding the fact that she was in the middle of a book transaction, she bolted out of the library faster than anyone could say the word “snap.” At this point the final destination was Auggie’s car. Running out of the school faster than she’s ever run before, the final destination was achieved. Sucking in a deep breath of fresh air, Auggie held onto her car with relief tensing throughout her veins.

Finally getting in her car, Auggie left the school parking lot, allowing her tears to flow down her face in silence, no radio playing or anything. Everyone knows that car rides need music, even if it’s sad tunes. 

“Incoming call from: Papa!” The car’s radio announced.

 “Hey Papa!” Auggie said, excited to hear his voice again.

“Hi, Sweet Pea, I’m at the grocers, would you like me to bring anything to your dorm?” Papa asked.

“Sure, could you pick up the wafers that I like?”

“Yeah, the chocolate or vanilla ones…wait, they have caramel now. I’ll bring the chocolate and caramel ones.” 

“Okay, thanks Papa! I love you and I’ll see you soon!”

“Alrighty, Sweet Pea, I love you more, bye now!”

“Call ended.” The car radio spoke again.

Still crying, Auggie pulled into the empty parking lot, so she could gain composure and continue driving again, this time with music. Except that call that she just had with her papa wasn’t real, and Auggie still felt her father’s presence among her. Papa died when Auggie was sixteen years old. Sixteen. Years. Old.

Auggie sits there in the barren parking lot, waiting for the storm to pass. 

Why did it have to be me? Why is it always me?! Auggie thought, but these were the type of questions that didn’t go unanswered, with time, the answers will come. With time. 

Back to the plan, it was easy to think about and easy to visualize yourself doing it, but actually somewhat hard to achieve, for example: Auggie has to learn how to embrace distractions, like Ryder, and how to stop allowing his annoyingness and stalkerish personality to get in her way of getting to the top of the podium, where she wants to be, more than anything. She wants to be popular and she wants support, but that comes later, down the road of the ladder to Auggie’s success. 

As Auggie’s tears dried and she regained her composure, she turned the radio onto her Spotify playlist. It had a mixture of genres of music, there was rock and some up-beat Christian songs, and there was obviously pop, very slim chances of finding more than five or six country songs. It’s a very diverse music list, to say the least.

The first song that plays is “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood. Auggie’s tears are almost non-existent again, it’s clearing up.

“And all I am is a man / I want the world in my hands / I hate the beach / but I stand in California with my toes in the sand./” Auggie sang along.

After the starting song, the rest of them were a blur, there’s not much to remember except the fact that Auggie is dreading going back to school, but knows what she has to do. She has to tell the dean of the school. 

Ryder didn’t mean it, Auggie, you know this. Ryder didn’t mean it! Ryder, Ryder, Ryder. Auggie thought. Of course, Ryder meant it! That’s who he is, he’s a-a, he’s a bad person, Auggie, what did he do for you? What did he do that helped YOU?! Exactly, he did nothing. He hurt you Auggie. He hurt you.

“Incoming call: Ryder!” The car’s radio announced. 

Auggie gaining stability and the mental capacity to deal with Ryder once again answers hesitantly.

“Hello? Auggie?”

“Hello, Ryder.” 

“Why did you leave the friend group?” 

“I’m sorry? Weren’t you there when I said that I was leaving?” Auggie asked.

“Yeah, I was, but I want clarification as to why, though.”

“Because, I got fed up with being the group’s guinea pig, and doing everyone’s homework with no monetary connection or end reward and I was never invited to any of the events that y’all participated in, because I never knew about them.”

“But, how? We always send our plans through the group chat, before finalizing on plans.” Ryder claimed.

“So, wait- hold on, there was a group chat that I wasn’t a part of, too? And now y’all wonder why I left. That’s crazy!” Auggie scoffed, ending the call.

“Call ended.” The car radio said.

Auggie slams her hands onto her steering wheel in frustration. Her eyes burning, knowing that tears are soon to follow.

WHY! Why is it always me, why am I excluded, I’m the smartest out of everyone there! The saddest thing about betrayal isn’t how you got betrayed, but by who, Auggie cries in a scream-like voice, losing air after every weep.

Auggie drove herself back to her dorm in silence, aside from her sobs. She unlocked her dorm room after sitting for fifteen minutes in the not-so-empty parking lot for the school. Walking to any room with your head down can be a struggle, yet so simple. 

Okay, Auggie, here’s the plan, we’re gonna wake up tomorrow and we’re not going to be phased by any situation that has happened today, you understand? We can not show weakness, we need to pretend like the fact that we are literally friend-less now doesn’t bother us. Unphased, remember that. Auggie told herself.

It was currently 23:55 pm on a Thursday night, which means that Auggie can not avoid classes tomorrow. There's a mathematics test, and a test in both language classes, English and Spanish. Sleep is a necessity, at the current moment.