The Difference Between Me And You

Issoria**: eight (unedited)

As I walked down the hall with Mya, from lunch to sixth period, I didn't feel as many stares as I usually would. The little amount of people who were staring, weren't staring in a taunting way. They looked a little curious, like they were trying to figure something out. Maybe it was Mya. I haven't seen her around much but I'm the new girl, I don't know how things work around here.

"Damn, why everybody looking at you like that? What you been doing?" Mya asked. Our walking slowed until we came to a stop in front of my sixth period class.

"I don't know, they always look." I said. I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. I didn't want to care about them staring at me. But I did.

"My momma always says there's a reason for everything. You may not know the reason now, but you'll find out." Mya stated as she pulled a purple sharpie from her backpack. When she reached for my hand, I didn't pull away as she began to stain my palm with her telephone number.

"This isn't your house number, is it?" I asked, thinking of Kendall's grandmother.

"Girl, no. Who even still owns one of those?" She laughed at my question and began to disappear down the hallway.

I walked into the classroom and took my seat. "Good Afternoon Ms. Elmora." Ms. Cobbs greeted me as I took out my materials. Ms. Cobbs was not only the English Teacher, but she was also the swim coach. My mom scheduled a meeting with her over the summer and I really enjoyed it. She seemed like a genuine person.

"Hello Coach Cobbs, it's nice to see you today." I replied. I didn't think anything funny of being polite, but some girls in the back of the classroom must have thought otherwise. Their laughter was heard all the way in the front of the classroom and it seemed to be annoying Coach Cobbs. "Did I miss something?" I asked quietly. I hoped no one would answer but they did.

"Probably the mirror. Yo momma let you leave the house with yo hair all wild like that?" A girl asked. I believe she contributed to the noisy laughter seconds ago. "Mine would never. A women's hair is her crown."

I mentally rolled my eyes and turned to face her. "Well, In your kingdom, royalty may wear relaxed edges and split ends, but in my kingdom, we embrace our natural waves, curls, kinks and coils. They make us unique because everybody isn't fit to wear real diamonds."

The classroom was quiet and the girl was staring at me with a frown on her face. I figured she took offense to my response and didn't like it. She stood from her desk and began to shout. "What that mean? Everybody ain't trying to be no damn African Queen! I ain't from Africa, my momma Indian!" Damn lie. "Having nappy ass hair down to your ass don't make you no better than me! I can be just as royal as you. My diamonds can be just as shiny as yours."

I frowned at her and chose not to give her a response. She was being materialistic and loud. Two things I was not. She didn't understand that your natural being is pure. Purity is valued and respected, isn't it? At least I thought so. Many people acted as if that isn't true. Is it really about the diamonds? Are the stones in your crown and the gold in your rings all that really matter to females now?

"Jasmine, take your seat and control yourself. I do not tolerate misbehavior and bad attitudes." Coach Cobbs spoke up. After jasmine took her seat, Coach Cobbs began her lesson for today.

*

Practice was terrible today. I don't know what went wrong but I may be getting on Coach's bad side. "What was that Elmora? Your job is to defend the goal and goalie. You are a defender! Act like it."

"Coach, I tri-" I tried to explain myself and save my confidence from the harsh yelling but coach wouldn't allow me to.

"I don't want to hear it. First game is Monday. Get it together or you're benched." What the hell? It was the first week of school and I was already on the verge of being benched. I can't let that happen. You need Soccer. You need it. Get yourself together!

I grabbed my belongings and jogged off the field, towards the parking lot. My muscles were starting to ache and my shoulders slumped. I had little energy, most of it taken away by embarrassment. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep my life away, but I definitely have to be at work in an hour. With that thought in mind, I headed towards the bus stop.

I haven't seen or talked to Kendall all day, I wasn't sure if he talked to Gina at lunch. I thought about all the different possible outcomes of their conversation until the bus came.

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Mya in the mm.