Out of His League → Reggie Mantle [1]

one

OUT OF HIS LEAGUE

【CHAPTER ONE】
【JULY FOURTH】

Mara Baker couldn't help it. It's a habit, one she continuously commits to through out the year.
She has to wake up at 6 o'clock every morning.

It's not like she doesn't do anything when she wakes up. In fact, today she's going running.
Whipping her hair into a ponytail, she managed to check her schedule for which music she would be playing today.

Sunday, twenty one pilots. Monday, No Doubt.

Mara didn't listen to one specific type. She listened to all kinds - the exact reason why she kept a schedule.

Her family usually isn't awake this early, so it came as a surprise that they were up and watching television.

"It's Fourth of July, Mara!" Her father had exclaimed. "It's okay to be up this early over the summer on this day only!"

Her smile was strained, as she's had problems with her family due to her habit.

They'd never understood why she was so hard on herself and why she made habits in the first place. She was gorgeous, smart, and athletic. What wasn't there to like?

They don't exactly live in her shoes.

Sure, she was friends with Cheryl Blossom. She had a band everyone liked. She wasn't even in competition with Josie and the Pussycats.

She was Indian. And it was something everyone could see.
She got racist comments and jokes all the time.

"Is your brother still in India, helping me with my tech problems?"

"What's up, Dot Knot?"

"D.I.P."

"Kissed any cows lately, Cow Kisser?"

Mara rolled her eyes as she made her way out the front door. She certainly doesn't need any more stress in her life.

Beginning to jog, Mara embraced the warm sunshine. It reminded her of a hug.

Mental note: text Cheryl to meet up sometime this summer.

Mara already had plans to hang out with her band mates, Stella, Olivia, Wen, and Charlie. They planned to play their music, and maybe even leave town for a day or two. They'd agreed to let Mara plan the trip, on the condition she doesn't plan every second of every minute of every hour of everyday.

I'm not sick. I don't have OCD. I'm perfectly normal.

Her mantra almost never worked, but she could try, can't she?

Her friends never seemed to understand that she wasn't like them. She wasn't as carefree as they were, not as fun, not as rebellious. She'd thought that as they got to know her more, they'd accept her.

And it's not that they don't accept her. They love her! They just don't understand her as well as she has let them.

Shake your head, Mara. You are strong and independent. You can do whatever you put your mind to. You are intelligent and patient. They just need more time.

The neighbors who were up this early waved at Mara, smiles on their faces. They always enjoyed the presence of the polite teenager who made it known that she cared, even if she didn't know you well.

Waving back, Mara continued through the beautiful neighborhood. There were bees buzzing through the air, flowers blooming, and the birds were tweeting. She didn't expect anything to get her down - not today.

She never expected to receive a hysterical phone call from Cheryl Blossom later that day.

WORD COUNT: 663

AUTHORS NOTE:
i hope this chapter was satisfactory, lol. i guess it's just kind of an intro to her world, so it was kinda short. as for the racist comments and the constant put down and denial, it's kind of something that i go through everyday, so i decided to incorporate that in the story because she is an "easy target". you know? like, you can suspect she does have OCD, but she puts it off as nothing and that's easy for her to become a target. im not and Indian, but i am korean and i have friend who is indian and she provided me the racial slurs that she gets everyday. and her OCD is the same kind i have, so im sorry if i offended anyone writing this.