Free Barbie Girl (Baby Doll Series) by Heidi Acosta Page A

flat rock under a banner that reads, “Welcome upcoming seniors to the begging of the rest of your life.” Tyler stands next to her in an all-black attire playing Mr. G cool. What a douche . He has been checking out her ass the whole time and not listening to her carefully prepared speech. I am sure she spent a lot of time writing, revising and editing it carefully for the speech that she is now giving. It is lost on ass-wipes like Tyler. I try to hang on to every word, which is hard to do with Barbie and her high-pitch laughter. Third is making her laugh, I cannot hear what he was saying to her, I can only see his large wild gestures. I glare at them, but they are both ignoring me. “And last but not least, I want to welcome the new Central seniors.” Katie finishes her speech. I clap. Tyler helps her down, and I walk over to congratulate her.
    “Great speech,” I touch Katie on her bare shoulder and knots fill my stomach.
    “Thanks,” she looks over at Third and Barbie who is squealing as Third gives her a piggy-back ride, down to the food table. Her dress is raised high exposing her tanned thigh. Her arms are squeezed tightly around Third’s fat neck, as he spins them in a circle. My face burns. I want to punch him in the face for being so disrespectful to Katie. “At least someone enjoyed it,” she says.
    “I did, it was great. A lo t of people enjoyed it actually,” j ust not the two idiots who are acting like fools. I stuff my hands into my pockets and watch them wait in line; does he have to hold her as they go through the food line?
    “I have a few things I need to finish up…I will catch up with you in a little while,” Katie says with a smile. I can’t help but cheese it like a fool; Katie wants to hang out with me.
    “Yeah sure.”
    Barbie is lying down on her stomach her blond hair fanned out around her. Third is handing her a gummy bear and she begins to slowly mutilate the poor thing. She is b iting off its tiny head, and then its little arms, before popping the remains into her mouth.
    “What the hell are you doing?” I snap, sitting down next to them. My mood soured, apparently when Katie said she would catch up with me, she really meant hanging all over Tyler.
    “Eating a gummy bear,” she replies nonchalantly before taking another one from Third.
    “Want one?” Third offers.
    “No. I mean you guys were so disrespectful during Katie’s speech.” I am pissed and I am taking it out on them. All I think about is Tyler’s hands on the small of Katie’s back. Are they together?
    “Dude relax, it was over. Besides we were not the only ones not paying attention to her lame hour-long speech about being responsible seniors. What’s up with that bullshit,” he says.
    “It’s not bull shit!” I yell, my anger boiling over.
    Barbie sits up and looks at me, sizing me up, trying to read me. I wait for her sarcastic remark, but she surprises me, “I am sorry.” She places her hand on my arm, and I am transfixed once again with her huge eyes. They seem to hold me in place reading something that is not there. She means it, she really is sorry.
    “No more red ones,” Third announces shaking the bag of gummy bears.
    * * *
    Third finishes his sixth hot dog. “Pleassse!” Barbie begs as she pulls on Third’s arm
    “Nah, man, there is no way I am getting all this jelly in that freezing ass water.” He grabs his huge belly shaking it.
    “Dylan, will you please go in?” she turns to me. Oh, hi, now you remember me. She has been too busy for the last hour being hand-fed by Third to notice my existence. Today royally sucks I just want to go home and go to sleep, pretend it never happened. Things just keep on sucking more and more as the day goes on. First Tyler picked up Katie and ran into the water with her squealing, which turned into a water fight between the two of them. And Barbie, my fake girlfriend, obviously forgot her role, she has been laughing and joking with Third as he sorts