Part Two of LOOONG Volleyball post

That Christmas a bottle of that fabulous scent was under the tree with my name on it. I couldn’t wait until that first game after Christmas vacation. It was an ‘away’ game at a little school with a tiny locker room, perfect for my plan of unveiling my new cool identity. I rehearsed the scene in my head over and over:

ME (purposefully placing my sport bag on the bench in everyone’s view): “I guess I will put on some perfume now.”

Molly and Carli (slowly turning their heads, their eyes widening): “Is that Vanderbilt? We didn’t realize you were so sophisticated.”

Then, they would crowd around me and we would laugh and discuss foreign affairs and sip lattes. We would look down our noses at the other girls who didn’t have a swan on their bottle. They were still wearing Exclamation or Designer Imposters. I would be instantly a member of the cool crowd.

It DID NOT go this way at all:

ME (purposefully placing my sport bag in everyone’s view taking out the bottle of Vanderbilt even though my mom forbid me to take it out of the house): “I am so glad I got new perfume for Christmas. That was a long game and nothing makes me feel better than a shower and some new Vanderbilt.”

Molly and Carli (chattering away to each other not looking in my direction)

ME (making my voice a little louder): “I love this Vaaaaanderbiiiilt perfume. I am so happy my other scent finally ran out so that I can use this Vaaaaaanderbiiiiiilt perfume.”

Molly and Carli: …

ME (spraying it liberally on my wrists and neck): “I love how this Vaaaaaaaaaaaaanderbiiiiiiiiiiiiiilt smells.”

Molly and Carli: …

Feeling deflated, I thought of one last trick to get them to notice and accept me into their pastel pink world. I would place the precious perfume on the bench in front of them. They would naturally see it and I could grab it and say, “Oh, I am sorry. Was my Vanderbilt in your way?”