You Can Be Alice, I'll Be The Mad Hatter

Chapter 3: Two Different Worlds

"Weirdo! Freak! Go home!" A crowed shouted as the young girl ran down the hallway. She couldn't remember the last time she had a 'good day' at youth group. She was a bit strange. She had no problem wearing plaid with neon pink. She had no problem writing songs or singing in the middle of the hallway to herself. However, they only saw what she was not. Her hair never did anything special. Her looks were average. She didn't like the idea of sex and she never acted normal.
What exactly is normal though? In life we seem to have a predefined definition of normal. The problem is, it seems everyone's normal is different. She didn't fit in any of their 'normalcy' boxes. She ran into her next class, head down, tears rolling down her face. She knew someone would call her a cry baby again, but she stopped caring a long time ago.

A plane trip away, the boy was in sunny California, waiting for his next gig. He counted his funds for the month. "Less..." He sighed, throwing the cash down. Less people were looking to actually buy music now days, and it wasn't good for his bank. Struggling since he was a mere fifteen trying to make it in the business. He finally had to do it independently, only to struggle as hard each month as before. Luckily, he had another gig tonight, so he'd probably be alright. He threw on a white tee and some black jeans. "Is this good enough for look...?" He always said he was more 'insecure' than he let the world know. The echoes of his own years running from bullies haunted him as they would her one day. He stared over at the mirror again, covered in the sketches of the young girl. "who are you...?" He asked himself again, before putting his shoes on and walking out the door.

Michaela finally exited the the youth group. "Is this what high school is like?..." The girl was thankful in these times that she was home-schooled. However, her parents were never happy about her crying over the place. They said she needed thicker skin. She always need 'thicker skin'. She was sick of hearing it. Just because she was different didn't give them the right to be so mean to her. At least her mother said a surprise was waiting at home.
She came inside where her mother and grandfather were seated in the dining room, an envelope in hand. "What's the surprise?" The girl asked.
Her mother smiled, "We're going on a vacation..."
"oh no...not Oregon again. Last time the hotel was terrible..."
Her grandfather stood up. "California. A real vacation."
Michaela simply nodded. "Well I'll make sure I'm packed."
She walked up into her room, unsure how she felt about it. She never really left her little state of Idaho before, but maybe it'd be good for her to see another side of the world.