build a man

vI, Nancy High

"Freckled Face A'!" I turned around as a crowd of girls stormed my way.

"Leave me the fuck alone bitches, nobody got time for y'all today, okay?" I kept walking, going in the direction of my class. It was 8th period, with 50 minutes left to go.

"If you don't stay your narrow ass right where you are, we'll beatcho' ass!" I felt them speed their pace up as I slowed down, with a swift turn. As soon as they were all in my face, we couldn't keep our composures and laughed, earning many looks from other kids walking past.

"Yo, why we not actors? We would make a dope ass movie." Reign, one of the 5 girls I messed with heavy said, talking just to talk. We all rolled our eyes at her comment, knowing damn well we would make ourselves look more foolish than we already were. "You can't even lie to ma about doing homework, the hell you gonna try and jump to acting for?" Shimmer Lae' squeezed in as we all continued our walk to class.

Six of us in total, our clique included Shimmer Lae', Reign, GeGe, Tamera and Ella.

Shimmer Lae' and Reign were twin sisters, though they were nothing like. Lae' sporting a long and wavy frontal with thick and full bundles stopping at the curve of her big butt, Reign had her medium sized box braids decorated with little golden string and cuffs. Standing at 5'7, both had the luxury of having beautiful brown skin that they seemed to compliment with every single thing, along with developing bodies no one else had seen. Shimmer Lae' has Heterochromia, leaving her with a dark chocolate and honey caramel eye while Reign eyes were a glowing brown. Big glossy lips, small defined noses, arched thick eyebrows and manicured long acrylics.. no one ever had a bad story to tell about them. Ever.

GeGe, the youngest of the group falling in 10th grade was the sweetest and smartest of us all. Though she was always with the shits we got into. With her thick and nappy hair, always planted with bantu knots across the front of her head while the rest of it is puffy and wild, stood at 5'2 and was pretty thick for her height. Her pretty caramel skin and big light brown eyes gave everyone an aura you can't anywhere else. From her advice to style, you would think she was the oldest if looks couldn't make that obvious.

Tamera, a 5 foot senior was our hype girl, ironically. A silvery gray blunt cut against her cool olive green complexion made outsiders assume she was crazy and she didn't care a bit. Flat chested with a developing bottom kept her confidence high and fly, since she stressed that her "nigga" loved her shape. The wild and blunt friend was her title.

Last but not least, Ella. Everyone except Ella was fully African American and proud, while Ella was... Asian. Not your typical one though. With a long thick side ponytail, her round face and big monolids made her full lips pop. Thick eyebrows with a turned up nose and septum piercing was all she needed, her beauty never went unnoticed. Standing at 5'10 with a slim tummy and curvy hip, she was definitely a model right along with the twins.

Me? I was the creep in the group. Having freckles decorate my face, big full lips and eyes to kill for.. I wasn't what I may have looked like. Standing at a solid 5'5, my shape was formed nicely with a perky chest and big thighs. My stomach had a pudge and it was one thing I was always covering since I wasn't going to work out or begin a diet. The girls told me they would have never noticed if I hadn't directly showed them.

Despite having 5 other siblings at home, these girls were a big part of me. Flipping in and out of depression from time to time, they were always there to help me get back on track and I was content knowing they could tell me everything and I could tell them everything.

Coincidentally, our last period was on the 3rd floor and when we reached it we all dramatically gasped for air. Slight chuckles as we marched on our ways, many hello's arose. We weren't bullies, nor did we have anyone starting shit with us. We literally were cool with everyone but we didn't want anyone leaving out or coming in.

"Okay, I'm getting tired of y'all being on my heels. Begone peasants." I sighed and rolled my eyes, joking of course. They all scrunched their faces up as I chuckled.

"You're gonna miss us when we gone, but memba' that A'." GeGe said grinning before saying bye to go into her class. I smacked my lips and flicked her as she watched us from the window. She stuck her tongue out.

"Alright mûgôu, i'll see y'all later." Ella, winked before entering her class. Before she was out of hearing range, we all yelled "wô ài nî" and chuckled.

"Arabia! Baby!" My face immediately fell when I heard his voice. My handsome but brutally draining boyfriend, Ulysses. With a dark tan complexion, big coconut eyes and pink juicy lips, his curly short hair bounced as he jogged my way. A slim figure standing about 6 feet, with a slight stench of musk.. assuming he had just came from gym. I waved the girls off and exchanged goodbyes before covering my nose as he stood in front of me.

"Goddamn Ulysses, where the hell was y'all playing? In the garbage?" I chuckled and so did he but I was so damn serious. I was being dramatic of course but he didn't seem to care. Typical.

"Wassup?" I eyed him as he stared at me like I was the only thing existing. The attraction was heavy, that indeed. We were bomb together. I just couldn't bring myself to him, wanting to break up. We barely went out, hardly facetimed and I could only catch him during passing periods if he wasn't busy talking to his coach or scheming ass friends. I spoke on it numerous times and nothing seemed to change.

"We haven't talked in allll day.. You okay?" He asked softly as he looked down at me, playing with my face.. something I used to love. Now, I just be swatting his hands away as if he was on punishment. I sighed, "Don't even act like you don't know what's causing a drift between us.. It's you and your messed up priorities. That's why we haven't talked."

I folded my arms, taking a step back as if he would notice.

"Ahh, come on Rabi", he sighed as he rolled his head back. "I been trying, I wish you would understand that, you think I want this?"

He sashayed his way up against me with that stupid face of his, and I immediately cracked a gentle smile. He kissed my forehead repeatedly and murmured shit I just laughed at.

"Get your funky ass back in the locker room Uly! I'll see you later."

I made it to 8th, and sat in the first row. I pulled out my reading book and began to flip to the page I left off on. By the time the beg rung, I wad face deep in my novel. Panic by Sharon M. Draper.

Silence in the classroom always triggered something in me, and that feeling arose again.

I stopped reading, and started daydreaming.

Why is this shit so hard to get rid of?