Another Day in Paradise

Chapter 1

~Edited 6/17/12~

Chapter 1

Dakoda

           

“Nice shoes!” Someone called, referring to my bright pink, green, orange, blue, and black DC’s. I looked over reflexively, locking eyes with one of the ‘delinquents’ that goes to my school. At least that’s what his label would say in the school society. His name was Marc, if I recalled it correctly. He had medium brown hair that he styled in a flipped fashion, which I could tell he straightened; with brown eyes I never got close enough to see whether they were warm or flat and muddy. Two of his skater buddies were with him, another of which went to my school. I think his name was Dan. He had short, wavy brown hair he kept clipped near his head. He always wore big baggy sweaters and basketball shorts. He had glasses, and was slightly pudgy.

My eyes traveled to the blonde, aka the boy that had signaled me out and was currently giving me an expectant look as he waited for my response. There was a possibility he lived further down my street and I didn't have a clue about what his name was.

            “Thanks.” I spoke, not caring whether or not he heard me. I could tell already he hadn’t by the confused look on his face. Averting my gaze back to the sidewalk, I continued to listen to the wheels of skateboards scraping against the street’s pavement. The blond must’ve given up on getting an answer from me.

A car horn honked cueing the skater's to get out of the way. They snickered, calling taunts and f-bombs after the car. I rolled my eyes, wondering how stupid they could get. One day, one of them was going to get hit. Then who would be laughing?

Oh right, me.

            “Dakoda!” Someone screeched behind me. Wincing and groaning inwardly, I turned slowly around to the people still walking home from school. Piper, my neighbor and best friend was waving wildly to me. Standing aside from the people glaring at my abrupt halt, I waited for her to catch up to me. “How’s it going girlfriend?” She asked, exaggerating the ‘girlfriend’. I rolled my eyes at my over exuberant friend.

            "Fine." I responded quietly, tilting my head in a certain way that allowed my hair to spill across my face, covering my burning cheeks. Piper rolled her eyes, flinging her arm around my shoulder.

            "Come on, you need to be loud!" She exclaimed, grinning at my own eye roll. I shrugged her off, walking at a slightly quicker pace. Piper was my best friend, but sometimes, she was too much, even for me. She got really annoying real quick during the school week, due to her need to fit in with the 'crowd'. I never understood her need for attention and popularity. Maybe it had to do with the fact her father and step-mom just had a baby, and her sister was always getting into trouble so she didn't get a lot of attention.

            And me? I definitely didn't fit in with too many people. I wasn't exactly what you call 'social' at school. I hated the people I went to school with. I hated my classes. I hated going home. I was quiet, and only had a few friends –if you could even call them that- though Piper was the only one I talked to outside of school. I kept my head down, my eyes averted from my peers, and did my work. I went to school so I could leave. It wasn’t that hard to be invisible. When there was no socializing being attempted by one person, no one socialized back. Simple as that. Oh, the dark, ripped jeans I always wore along with the rotating neon and black t-shirts that matched my bright shoes didn't exactly help anything.

I wasn't a Goth. Not in that sense. I didn't wear chains and studded belts, and I only had one piercing on each earlobe. I was definitely into some of the dark clothes, leather jackets, etcetera, but no, not really Goth. Not that I had anything against them, they just didn’t really talk to me either. No one did at school.