The Door Swung Open - 200 word Flash Fiction

Melanie, my friend and fellow Romance Writer, humbles me with her talent, tenacity and enthusiasm. She just earned her MA in creative writing while working a full-time job and blogging at:

Feather Pens, Tartan Dreams

Via her blog, I learned about a new Platform-Building Campaign and ... while it's too late to join ... I felt motivated enough to accept the first challenge.

From Melanie's blog, I quote:


"Here are the rules for the first challenge.

 Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: “the door swung shut.” (also included in the word count)
For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!"

Here are MY 200 words:

The Door Swung Open

The door swung open, shoving the cloying scent of deep-fried food up her nose. She froze, swallowing down the nausea that threatened to erupt. Not exactly the positive image she wanted to present.

Her new classmates swarmed past her, unaware of the indelible impression they made. Her eyes widened as several students rushed to the dessert counter, grabbing their favorites before the pickings grew slim. Others descended on the hot offerings.

Without thought, she trailed her fingers along the topstitching on her new $100 size 6 jeans and gasped as students piled food onto their trays. No one knew she used to be one of those kids. 

Once the feeding frenzy slowed, she visually carved out a pathway to the salad bar and whispered her mantra. “A moment on the lips, forever on the hips.” She could graze on the greens without fear of adding an ounce. Still she didn’t step forward. If she’d walked in with the others, she might’ve blended into the crowd instead of becoming the focus of two hundred pairs of eyes.

She turned to leave, but the unexpected jostle of a large group propelled her forward into the cafeteria. Behind her, the door swung shut.