School, Prejudice and Survival

Chapter 7, Part 2

Blinding sunlight continues to travel through the blinds of my English room, somehow only hitting me in the eye. I may as well just close my eyes, I can't see anything anyway.

 "...for next Wednesday, if you don't have it then it will be an immediate detention..." my teacher continues. Rustling emits from all around me as students race to repack their bags and go home for the weekend. Normally, I would move slowly to stay behind the crowds but today I need to get home to shower before meeting Naomi at the rink. It's been a warm day and I woke up late this morning, and I would much rather be clean when I skate.

The minute we have been dismissed by our nameless teacher, I manage to be first out of the door despite being sat in the back corner of the room. Racing (without running) towards Scarlett's English room, I ignore the shouts from Ellie and Annie behind me. I'll see them on Monday anyway. Turning the corner on the first floor of the lower building, I see that speed walking was pointless. Scarlett's class hasn't even been dismissed yet.

 I lean my back on the wall opposite the door, and look from a distance through the window on the top half of it. Kathy and Emelia both smile at me when the teacher isn't looking, and Scarlett mouths 'sorry'. Damn, I can hear footsteps and chatter in every corridor now, meaning that it will take a lot of crowd dodging to get out of here. Now he dismisses them?! About five minutes too late!

Scarlett elbows her way through her classmates to reach the door first. She throws it open and makes a beeline for me. 

 "Sorry about that Indie! I swear that guy hates our guts. Did you see the..." She starts, before I grab her arm and more or less drag her along behind me as I walk to the stairwell. 

 "Less talky, more walky!" I shout over my shoulder to her surprised face. 

 "Wow, I haven't seen you walk that fast since Emelia told you the food hall was selling chicken burgers!" She laughs, pulling her arm out of my grasp and walking next to me on the stairs. 

 "I need to meet Naomi in less than two hours! You know how long it takes me to get ready, especially if I need to shower!" On a good day, I can get ready in about forty five minutes. Maybe less, but I tend to get distracted by Youtube or TV shows. Scarlett, however, is a different story. It isn't that she gets ready quickly, but she has over-perfected her routine. Meaning she can shower, dry and straighten/curl her hair, put on make up and get dressed in about half an hour. That would take me and hour or two.

We dodge crowds of girls on their phones, and boys shouting and throwing things on the road our school lies on. Turning the corner of the street, we begin the reasonable short walk home. In year seven, this walk would have taken us a good half hour, yet now we are used to it, it's an easy fifteen to twenty minute stroll. 

 "Why are you in such a rush anyway? You're only going skating. Plus, Naomi is your friend; she won't care what you look like." Scarlett says once we are alone. 

 "Have you seen Naomi though? I would feel better if I made an effort, at least then I can look even half as good as her." I scoff as though it is obvious. 

 "Okay then. Let me help you! Please, that would be so fun!" Scarlett exclaims, over excited with her idea. 

 "Sure. You can do my hair, makeup and choose my clothes. At least that way I can nap whilst still getting ready." I reply, laughing as we turn into our driveway.

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4:48pm. That's the time on my phone right now. I unlock the phone and open a random game to play. The people sitting around me on the bus are a mix of women holding shopping bags, old couples and a few dodgy looking teenagers. I can't wait to get out of this thing and get onto the ice. 

 After I showered quickly, Scarlett dried my hair with the dryer before ironing it flat. I straighten my hair a lot, but I think Scarlett did it better than I have ever done. She put basic makeup on me- nothing extreme- just some mascara and concealer. The outfit she picked out is a mix of both our wardrobes. Grey T-shirt that has some made up tribal symbol on the front (mine), denim shorts (mine), black tights (hers) and dark blue converses (hers). I put in some simple silver stud earrings as well.

4:57pm. And the bus finally rattles towards my stop. Thanking the driver, I climb out the metal box and walk towards the entrance, where I can see Naomi already waiting. 

 "Sorry! Have you been waiting long?" I call as I get closer. Naomi is wearing blue jeggings and a white T-shirt with lace shoulders. 

 "No, I only just got here. Lets go in!" She says to me, putting one half of her straight brown hair behind her right ear. Within minutes, we have both put on our skates (both figure skates, hers looking older than mine) and placed our bags in a locker in the corner. 

 "Come on then!" She laughs, pinning the locker key the pocket of her jeggings. "Show me what you've got!" She walks ahead of me to the entrance of the ice, laughing the entire way. As I catch up to her, I pause to watch as she climbs effortlessly onto the ice and skates out as though it was as natural as walking. I can't help but admire her grace as she turns to face me. 

 "What are you waiting for?! Come on girl!" She shouts.

Laughing along with Naomi, I step through the door in the half-wall surrounding the ice. I steady myself with my right hand as I step out, before I let go and skate after my friend.

 "What's the plan then?" I ask as I reach her. 

 "Hmmm..." She ponders. Suddenly, she grabs my hand and pulls me out to the center of the rink. "Show me what you got!" She repeats. 

 "What should I do?" I ask, having caught her contagious giggling. 

 "Umm... Spin!" She decides.

Taking a deep breath, I pull my arms to the right side, bend my knees and throw my weight around to my left. I lift my right foot and remember what my coach told me. Almost as if being rewarded, for just a second, I feel free. Naomi starts to clap and I can't help but be proud in this moment in time. However, it doesn't last long. Embarrassment sets in about two seconds after.

 "That's perfect for your level!" She exclaims. 

 "Your turn. Show me your best spin!" I say sternly to her. 

 I wasn't expecting her to spin immediately. Naomi can be very shy, and I truly thought it would take some convincing. But there she goes, not only spinning, but going into a sit-stance as she does so. Awe takes over me as I watch her spin. She is so graceful right now that it actually hurts; I don't see what Chrissie doesn't like about this girl!

They say that time flies when you're having fun. Whoever 'they' are, they are right. Time flies past us as we skate. I watch Naomi spin, jump, glide and outshine me in every way, something that would usually make me jealous. But not today- not when I am having so much fun. 

 "Beautiful!" I shout, clapping and cheering as she lands a triple salchow jump perfectly, gliding backwards on her right foot and swinging her left behind her. 

 "Not so bad yourself!" She laughs at me, with a wink. She skates closer to the point that she is circling me, getting closer and closer and laughing the entire time. I keep twisting my neck to keep my eyes on my friend, until she glides to a stop right in front of my face. We both laugh, but then her face grows serious.

That's when she leaned in.