"Oh My," the horrific reflection in the mirror almost makes my eyes bulge out.

A popping sound comes from the corner where Zoe is currently flicking through a food magazine. "I think you look cute," the bubblegum she is blowing pops again. She gives me a keen thumbs up like it's going to make me feel better about looking like a snack you buy at the movies.

She wouldn't be saying that if it was her in my position. Nobody can make this dress look good.

Straightening the puffed out skirt I twirl to face my friend. "In what way does a popcorn box look cute?" I ask sceptically trying to cross my arms over the ruffled chest.

It had to have ruffles, didn't it? I need to have a word to whoever designed this dress and thought it was a good idea to cover the full top half of the dress with ruffles.

"Well the red and white stripes make you thinner and I would have said you look more along the lines of a circus tent. It was a Circus themed function right?"

Heavily sighing I adjust the dress so but that only gives me wider hips.

My hopes for having a cool uniform went straight down the drain when I was handed a suspiciously puffy dress holder the previous day.

"Why couldn't it be something slimming like an acrobat suit or a ringmaster with one of them cool top hats? I could have worn a twirly moustache," I sulk at the lost opportunity.

"It's better than a clown costume, nobody can pull off a rainbow wig," She frowns before looking down at her phone, "Oh Lee says you look more like a candy cane and that you're looking especially sweet today ."

"Lee? How did he-"

Zoe dismisses my question with a wave of her hand. "Group chat. Charlie has given you five of them laughing emojis with the tears plus a suggestion that you should audition to be a munchkin in the next community musical. Sam says the red brings out your rosy cheeks but his option doesn't count because he's biased."

I am starting to wonder why I asked them to come around but then again I didn't. Apparently, I have friends who just turn up at my house with no warning.

"Thanks, Zo, that makes me feel a whole lot better. I'm really appreciating all your moral support and encouraging words."

Another voice interrupts my scheming to destroy this dress with the least evidence as possible. "You make a very vibrant popcorn box. You're adorable in a Pokemon type of way." For Casey's first words since I found him at my front door, I'm mildly disappointed.

Finding Zoe waiting for me at my house wasn't much of a shock. It was my new friend, Casey, who caught me by surprise. He quietly followed Zoe and me into my bedroom without a word and silently assessed my horrific new work uniform.

I can't help but assess what he is wearing, "I don't think you should have a say in this as all you probably wear is a variation of the same top but in different colours."

"How did you know?" He pulls his jacket tighter around himself self-consciously.

"Because I have the entire Kmart catalogue memorised and that shirt comes in 6 different colours. And as we all know you can't go to Kmart and just buy one shirt. That defeats the whole purpose of them being $5 each."

My best friend approaches the new guy with a glare that could freeze over the Sahara desert. Casey adjusts his glasses when he sinks into the bean bag chair, "Who is he again?"

"Casey," he offers a hand before leaning too far forward and tipping sideways, out of the chair.

Zoe looks dumbfound at him, most chance wondering how I found someone clumsier than me.

"He's my food science, buddy," I say proudly at the lanky boy laying beside my bed. Though there may be a slight possibility that we may blow up the classroom at least I won't be lonely in jail.

A scoff comes from Zoe but she quickly covers it up with a rough cough.

Approaching me, she glides forward to straighten out my bow tie, "I distinctly remember you saying, I'm quoting this 'people are too much effort to get along with. I'm going to be the super unapproachable person who wears black and glares at everyone who walks past.'"

"Well, I had a change of heart," I say matter-of-factly.

Casey rolls his eyes with amusement, "She stole my food and we bonded over that. Plus everyone else there is older enough to be our parents and likes to talk about someone called Neal Diamond."

"Mace you can't just go around stealing people's food, hoping to make friends. They could be a cannibal serial killer who fattens people before eating them." She looks at Casey sceptically, "And another thing, they're letting 17-year-olds into college now?"

A faint pink tinge crawls up his cheek as he pushes himself off the floor, "I'm 25."

His smooth skin and rounder face gives the misconception that he is younger. I feel his pain.

If I had a dollar for every time that I have been asked how school was going I would own my own island of cats.

Zoe and I share a perplexed expression at the curious boy in room She tilts her head slightly "You look-"

"Youthful. I know," when he smiles a small dimple shows at the right corner of his lip.

Betting that Zoe's interrogation will probably keep going for another day or two I make an executive decision to kick them out of my house.

"Oh my," I throw a bag on my bed with the intention of getting their attention "look at the time, I have to get going to work. Guess it's time to get going."

Zoe's carefree smile is not a good sign that my message got through. "It's all good. I'll just wait here till you get back."

I have to hold back a heavy sigh, "That was me trying to politely hint for you to leave my house. Which you should do now."

They both blink like I'm speaking another language. This is something I am starting to get used to.

Then it hits me. "I'll turn off the Wifi," I say simply, preparing to change the password.

They're out of the house within a minute.

***
Let's get one thing straight.

I am a hard worker, it takes a very annoying and scary customer to make me want to run and hide in a cupboard.

I am a strong female who is scared of very little and is always happy to take on a challenge but the model train guy just went too far.

So as I sit in the dry food storeroom, hiding from my co-workers and eating mini Peanut butter cups in my stripy red dress.

I feel no guilt.

"Dang it," the voice in the entryway make me topple off the milk crate. "I thought I'd be the only one here. Oh well, any chocolates left?"

Nodding, I offer up the bag to the mysterious shadow that pulls up a box next to me. My body freezes up when the shadow reaches into the bowl to take a handful of the confection. Regret starts to seep in when I realise I'm alone in a dark room with a stranger. That's what I get for hiding from my problems.

I check my phone for the time to weigh if it will be better to spend the rest of my shift hiding in the storeroom with a stranger or be followed around by the old model train guy.

"Cute photo," a voice says from over my shoulder.

"Um thanks," I smile awkwardly plating with the corner of my phone case.

The light from my phone illuminates the small room unveiling the girl sitting next to me. Her golden eyes sparkle when she points to the picture on the lock screen."Your friends?" she asks enquiring about the picture of our groups trip to the beach.

A reminiscent smile finds its way to my face. It was taken a couple days before I left and Zoe had somehow convinced me to come to the beach with her. I knew I never really had a choice as I had multiple lectures about being more social and actually hanging around with real people instead of books.

She also bribed me with food.

This time at the beach wasn't so terrible as I originally thought but I did get swooped by seagulls and severely sunburnt in the end. It was a nice way to spend my remaining time with my friends. Even though they didn't know they wouldn't be seeing me for another year.

The picture was a selfie taken by Lee that I didn't know I was in until it was too late. Zoe, Lee, Charlie and Sam are all smiling at the camera while I have food stuffed in my mouth.

"I'm a very photogenic person as you can tell."

Her laugh is warm and inviting leading my shoulders to lose their tension. "I know them guys" she places her finger where an ecstatic Lee stood next to Sam who was holding back a smirk. "I remember them from a friends party."

She brings her face closer inspecting me curiously. A wave of realisation washes over her expression "Wait. Blonde hair. Eating sweet food in the corner. Avoiding humans. Are you Mackenzie, the clumsy cupcake?" before I can answer she takes my hand with a firm grip and pulls me into an embrace.

My arms flap rigidly around as I'm not quite sure what is happening. What do you do when someone hugs you and calls you a clumsy cupcake?

The clearing of someone's throat pulls the dark skin girl away. "Ladies, what are you doing in here? There are mini mango chicken papadums that need to be served." Carl, my new boos, stands there tapping his foot impatiently )

We both tense and I start to panic. What do I say 'an old guy that smelt really bad and likes trains wouldn't leave me alone so I decided to hide?'

Lucky for me my new friend has a talent for storytelling

"Oh we are so sorry," she exclaims. "Mackenzie here was feeling faint before and completely ignored the dizziness. Before I knew it she was unconscious in the chocolate fountain with the lion liking her face. You know how it gets when we're on our period's sir." Giving me a sympathetic pat on the back the manger muffles something about full moons and chocolate before disappearing.

We release our held breaths in a syncronised manner and burst out in a fit of giggles.

"I'm Sasha," she offers a friendly smile that I reciprocate.

"Mackenzie, but you already know that. Or Mace if you prefer nicknames. But just not mac and cheese, I'm not a pasta dish. I will end you if you ever call me that."

Sasha gives me an odd look, "Okay. No pasta I will keep that in mind." She passes me the last chocolate before pulling me out behind her into the party once again. "Let's find that toy lion I saw lying around props. There are some rich people I want to scare." Sasha says with an evil glint in her eyes.

I need to stop making friends.

Choc Chip Tip #5
Making friends is enviable. Just make sure they're not cannibal serial killers. Then you're in trouble.

:):):)

Hello, there amazing person who is reading this.

I am late updating so have a picture of my favourite movie scene of all time.

So how I became busy (I know weird right) but I am back and plotting along.

I have been staring at a screen for too long so I bid you farewell till next time (which will hopefully be soon)

Lots of friendly love

Theforgottonone