Oddball

Chapter One

RHEA

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This life I have here, it has been planned out before I was born. It has been for everyone. Exactly the same lifestyle for every person that has ever been born here. It's simple in a deceptive sort of way.

When you are born, you are given six months to adjust to life before you're whisked away to school. For the next eighteen years kids and teenagers live and breathe the treacherous waters that is primary and secondary school. It's not boarding school or anything; you do get to go home each afternoon at 5:00pm to do homework and prepare for the next day, which starts at 10:00am. it's not so bad, but I don't know any better I suppose.

What I do know however, is what happens after we finish school. There is the massive graduation party of course, that lasts for at least a week. last year it lasted for a month. the whole community gets involved and it's a lot of fun. Or it would be if you know, people didn't look at me like I'm a science experiment. After the party ends, parents scrabble around to find enough money to make their son or daughter desirable. Then it is only a matter of time before you are married off to the highest bidder. Literally. it's medieval style, in my opinion, the person who is willing to pay the most money is the person you will marry. Even if they are a total asshole, like most of the boys in my grade. But my opinion is, well, ignored at best and snubbed, screwed up in a ball and thrown back at me with dozens of reasons why no one will listen to me at worst.

I'm not like the other people around here. Everyone is the same or totally opposite. Pale bleach blonde hair, clear white skin, bright blue eyes. Or the opposite; dark, dark hair, black or not quite. Skin that varies from African black to Indian brown. Everyone, everyone, is one or the other. There is no middle ground, we are like chess pieces; black or white. No grey. Well, Except me of course. I am the 'Oddball', the person who is not right, a genetic mistake. Yeah, lovely isn't it? I like to think I took the best features of both races, but they probably think I ruined them. My hair is dark brown but slightly lighter than gorgeous dark hair the blacks have. My skin is pale but not clear like the whites. my body is curvier than the whites, but not as much as the blacks. And worst of all - well according to everyone but me - my eyes are green. Not a watery grey-green that could be almost past off as an almost-grey-blue but bright acid green. That is why I am not just a oddball, but the Oddball.

I do have one friend though, thank God. I'm not a total loner. Her name's Lisabeth and she's like literally the fairest of all. She's so damn pale you can see all her veins and arteries through her skin and her hair is not just bleach blonde but white, like, snow white. But she is the bubbliest, craziest, funniest person you'll ever meet. I don't know what I'd do without her.

I met Lisabeth outside my place like usual and we started off down the street. "You'll never guess what I found out last night..." she started, giving me the full update on who's dating who, who's cheating on who etc. I swear, I wouldn't know anything without Liss. "And her royal bitch-face Ruby got asked out by Peter Gizmo."

"What? That gorilla? Omigod, what'd she say?"

"She said yes!" Lisabeth crowed. I cracked up. Those two, Peter and Ruby, were perfect for each other. Ruby is like the queen bee at school, she says one thing to on person and the rumor lasts all eternity. You cross that girl, and your life becomes living hell. I know this from personal experience. Peter on the other hand... well, lets just say he is like the male equivalent to Ruby. He is not afraid to kick you across the oval like a soccer ball. I've seen it happen before.

We reached the gates of the Secondary school. I sighed as the bell went. "we're gonna have to run aren't we?" Lisabeth groaned. I nodded and we raced across the school to roll call.