Apple's Angst by Rebecca Eckler

anyway, I wanted to ask you something very important, if you’d just shut up for a moment and take your hands off your ears. And it has nothing to do with what I’m wearing right now. Are you listening?” her aunt demanded.
    â€œYes, yes. I’m listening,” Apple said.
    â€œI want you and your mother—
both
—to be my maids of honor,” she said, biting her lip in anticipation of Apple’s reaction.
    Although Apple wasn’t exactly sure what the duties of maid of honor were, she knew it was a very important job, especially for Hazel, who just a few months ago was in constant moaning mode that she’d never find a decent man, let alone a man she actually wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Apple was touched. She could tell how much her aunt loved her at that moment, and she felt herself tearing up with love.
    â€œOf course I’ll be your maid of honor,” Apple said, grabbing her aunt’s hand and kissing it. “As long as you don’t make me wear one of those hideous purple puffy dresses.”
    â€œOh, you know I will! I can’t have my maids of honor looking better than me,” her aunt retorted.
    Apple wasn’t sure if Hazel was joking or not. Her aunt loved to be the center of attention, so it wouldn’t be beyond her to make Apple and her mother wear something hideous just to look stunning in comparison. Apple didn’t press the issue. It was
her
wedding day, after all. She would dress in whatever her aunt wanted,no matter how ridiculous or hideous—even if it was covered in bunny rabbits.
    When they pulled up to the school, Apple’s aunt looked out the window. Suddenly, she crouched low in her seat so she was hidden behind the steering wheel. She looked scared.
    â€œGod, you must get out of this car fast. Like right now! I can’t have Jim seeing me like this!” her aunt announced breathlessly and frantically. “He’s right over there! I’m sure I can see him walking into the school!”
    Apple looked at her aunt like she had gone crazy.
    â€œAre you crazy? He’s eventually going to see you in those oh-so-sexy bunny pajamas. You
are
getting married. For better or worse, isn’t that what they say? And didn’t you spend the night together last night?”
    â€œOh, no, he most certainly is NOT going to see me like this! These pajamas are going to be burned before our wedding. And, no, he didn’t stay over! Now that we’re getting married, I refuse to sleep with him again until the actual day. I let him walk me to the door and then I locked him out! I want to at least
feel
like a virgin when I get married.”
    Apple shot her aunt a “You’ve got to be kidding me!” look. “Who are you? You’re crazy!” Apple said, laughing at her aunt, who was obviously having one of her “Girl Crazy Moments.”
    â€œOh, go to school and learn something. And good luck today at
Angst
. You need me to pick you up?” her aunt said, looking around like someone who was worried she would be caught shoplifting.
    â€œNo, Lyon is,” Apple responded.
    â€œGood, good. That’s Jim for sure,” Crazy Aunt Hazel said, whipping on a pair of sunglasses she had grabbed from the glove compartment. “Go! GO! Get out of here! I mean it. Now!”
    â€œOkay! I’m going. Sheesh. You’re already a bridezilla and you just got engaged yesterday! You’re already a nutcase. Please promise you’re not going to get any crazier than you already are.” Apple opened the door.
    â€œGet out!” her aunt hissed.
    â€œI’m out!” said Apple, slamming the door. Please don’t ever let me turn into my aunt, she thought.

A pple walked through Cactus High, heading toward the Spiral Staircase, where her friends hung out before school, after school, and during breaks. The Spiral Staircase was located in the middle of the school. Students had to