The Skin I'm In

2

I dropped off Thomas at school. I hugged him and we said our goodbyes. I waved goodbye to him while watching him go inside his school. I turned around and I immediately crash into someone and I fell on the concrete floor.

I opened my eyes while massaging my sore shoulder. I looked up at the person who bumped into me and that person was the same white man who was staring at me yesterday on the bus. This man was white so I had to show him respect so I don't get into no trouble wit him.

"I am so sorry. I should have looked where I was going."I said. I grabbed the papers he dropped on the floor and handed them to him. I stared at his blue eyes, he had brown hair and had an attractive. I immediately stopped thinking those thoughts because as a black woman I'm not supposed to think like that towards a white man.

"No. I apologize for hurting you it was my fault." He replied back.

I wondered if this man was from here because usually white folks don't even apologize to black folks especially this sincere but it made me smile seeing how nice he was.

"um... I better get going.." I smiled. I started to walk away from him but...

"wait!" he yelled enough so I could hear him. I turned around and saw him catching up to me.

"My name is Dave." he held out his hand so I could shake it.

I bit my lip from my nervousness. "Ruby." I said and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ruby." He smiled which made my heart beat fast, whatever he was doing he needed to stop.

"Are you from here?" I asked.

"No. I just moved here from New Jersey".

Well, that makes sense...

"Is it obvious?" he asked and smiled which gave me some tingling feelings in my stomach.

"The fact that you are talking to me right now? Yes!" I smiled to myself.

"Why? Just because you're black? I find that foolishness." He said in a serious tone.

I saw some white folks passing by giving us dirty looks which made me frown and which also made my mind go back to reality.

"Me too.. but I should go.." I stared at my shoes, my cheap crappy shoes.

He turned around to see what made me frown.

"Before you go I want to see you again. Can we meet up here same time same place?".

"uhhh .... I-I..don't know.." I looked around a little worried.

"please" I could hear the desperation in his voice. Maybe I should....

"Okay but why?" I asked. What did a white man want to do with a black girl like me?

"Because your a beautiful girl, Ruby and I want to get to know you," he said looking deep into my eyes.

This guy is sweet and nice, but I don't know.....

"Thanks but I have to go right now bye" I smiled and waved goodbye.

What was I thinking, I felt guilt in my stomach as if i'm doing something wrong. Was that the right thing to do?

Yesterday Pam and I planned to go to her house after I drop off Thomas which was just a few blocks from his school. I rang the doorbell and saw my beautiful Pam. We hugged and said our hellos.

"Come in" she smiled. I walked into her house and sat down on her couch in her living room. Pam lives alone with her 3 sisters. Pam is the middle child, They decided to live alone without their mom. Her mom was an alcoholic who didn't take care of her daughters and herself. Her older sister decided they should all move out. It's sad because her mom wasn't always like that til her dad passed away.