Spectacle

Chapter 1

CoLOr

My skin is dark.

Compared to my mom, my brother, my sister, and almost everyone in town. Sometimes I scrub at my skin really hard to see if it will remove the darkness, the dirtiness that my classmates are so eager and excited to bring up, but it doesn't.

"Zoya dear, you haven't touched your food."

I look up at my mom who had a forkful of broccoli on her fork that hasn't yet reached her mouth, a concerned look on her face before she says like clockwork, "Is everything okay?"

I offer a small smile, my fork dancing around my food and plate, "everything's fine." I pop a carrot slice in my mouth chewing it slowly resting my face in my free hand as I continue to play in my food.

"Did something happen in school again?"

I cringe shaking my head at her question instantly feeling uncomfortable as she continues to talk, "If kids are being mean don't be afraid to—"

"Everything's fine mom, its okay." I realized that I snapped making me feel a bad but keeping her quiet.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone then."

She got up from the table putting her rinsed plate in the dishwasher she passes me kissing my cheek, "Goodnight, dear." she says on her way up the stairs.

I continue to play in my food leaning my head against my hand. Kids are in fact making fun of me saying that I'm dirty and making fun of the fact that I'm dark, I shouldn't let it bother me but does. I look at my dark hand as it moves with fork to maneuver the food on my plate.

Why am I dark? Why do I have to be dark?

I get up to throw my food away and put my plate in the sink. I put my dark skin under the running water, I get the sponge using the rough side to scrub at my skin. Realizing for the fifth time today that it has done absolutely nothing, I head upstairs frustrated.

I lay my head on the pillow tears in my eyes, worried of what might happen tomorrow.

...

On the drive to school I sat in the car silently thinking about how to avoid Ava and Jaquilyn. It's funny we used to be best friends. PreSchool and elementary we were inseparable; after that during middle school Ava found new friends and soon enough so did Jaquilyn.

"When are you inviting Ava over for dinner, Zoya?"

"I don't know."

''She's such a nice girl and, what's the other one?"

I ignore my mothers question getting my stuff ready to hop out the car.

"Have a great day at school, okay?"

I continue to walk forward to the school doors.

I plug both headphones in my ears ignoring the outer noise as I walk through the crowded hallways, making sure its all the way up.